An Old-Fashioned Christmas (Bell Telephone Hour Telecasts 1959-1966) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Bell Telephone Christmas specials are right up there with Geraldine Page in Capote's A Christmas Memory, the animated Rudolph, Charlie Brown and Mister Magoo's Scrooge and innumerable others - a big part of Holiday entertainment from my childhood that I watch every holiday season. VAI has excerpted the Bell Telephone specials in this new DVD. Much as I would have loved all the Christmas specials COMPLETE in a multi-disc DVD collection, time limitations, repeated selections, missing or deteriorated video elements and music and performer clearances probably make that impossible. Still, I am looking forward to seeing and hearing these again.
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
Bell Telephone Hour Telecasts, 1959-1966
Florence Henderson (host and performer), Gianna d'Angelo, Phyllis Curtin, Lisa Della Casa, Anita Gillette, Mildred Miller, Sherrill Milnes, Giorgio Tozzi, Earl Wrightson, Bruce Yarnell, The Buffalo Bills, Brunilda Ruiz & Richard Gain.
Bell Telephone Hour Orchestra & Chorus
Donald Voorhees, conductor
Part I: CHRISTMAS THROUGH THE AGES
Telecast of December 18, 1966
1. Introduction: Joy to the World
2. In Dulci Jubilo - Sherrill Milnes
3. Mary Walks Amid the Thorn - Gianna d'Angelo
4. Young and Old Must Raise the Lay - Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
5. The Coventry Carol ("Lully, Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child") - Gianna d'Angelo
6. O Come, O Come, Emanuel - Sherrill Milnes, Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
7. O Tannenbaum - Florence Henderson, Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
8. March of the Kings ("Three Great Kings") - Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
9. The Cherry Tree Carol - Brunilda Ruiz and Richard Gain; Gianna d'Angelo and Sherrill Milnes
10. Born Is Jesus, the Infant King - Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
11. Lo, How a Rose e'er Blooming - Sherrill Milnes
12. Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella - Gianna d'Angelo
13. Medley: Shepherds, Shake off Your Drowsy Sleep;
To Us Is Born a Little Child; The Three Kings - Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
14. The First Noël - Florence Henderson
15. "Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light"
from Christmas Oratorio (Bach) - Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
16. Medley: Adeste Fideles; Deck the Halls - Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
17. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen - Bruce Yarnell
18. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Anita Gillette
19. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing - Gianna d'Angelo, Sherrill Milnes
20. Here We Come A-Wassailing - Bruce Yarnell, Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
21. The Holly and the Ivy - Anita Gillette; Brunilda Ruiz and Richard Gain,
Bell Telephone Hour Dancers
22. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Yarnell, Gillette
23. Medley: Christmas is Coming; I Saw Three Ships;
Christmas Bells - Florence Henderson, Children's Chorus
24. Away in a Manger - Florence Henderson
25. Joy to the World - Entire Cast
26. The Christmas Story (Luke 2:8-16) - Florence Henderson, Bell Telephone Hour Chorus, Soloists
27. Silent Night - Entire Cast
Part II: AN OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS
Telecast of December 23, 1962
28. Deck the Halls - Florence Henderson, Earl Wrightson, Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
29. The Christmas Song ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire")
by Robert Wells, Mel Tormé - Florence Henderson, Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
30. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
31. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen - Buffalo Bills
32. Let it Snow, Let it Snow
By Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn - Earl Wrightson
33. Let's Have an Old-Fashioned Christmas
by Larry Conley, Joe Solomon - Florence Henderson, Earl Wrightson,
Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
34. Joy to the World - Florence Henderson, Earl Wrightson,
Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
35. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Mildred Miller
36. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Earl Wrightson, Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
37. Christmas Waltz - Florence Henderson
38. Medley: Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Gillepsie & Coots)
by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie
Be a Santa
by Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green
- Buffalo Bills, Florence Henderson, Earl Wrightson,
Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
Part III: A CLASSICAL CHRISTMAS
Telecast of December 18, 1959:
39. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen - Giorgio Tozzi, Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
40. Deck the Halls - Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
41. I Saw Three Ships - Lisa Della Casa
42. What Child is This (Greensleeves) - Giorgio Tozzi
43. The Coventry Carol ("Lully, Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child")
performed by Lisa Della Casa, Giorgio Tozzi,
Bell Telephone Hour Chorus
Telecast of December 23, 1962:
44. I Wonder as I Wander
By John Jacob Niles - Mildred Miller
45. O Leave Your Sheep - Mildred Miller
Telecast of December 24, 1963:
46. Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella - Phyllis Curtin
47. Lo, How a Rose e'er Blooming - Phyllis Curtin
48. O Come, O Come, Emanuel - Phyllis Curtin
Telecast of December 22, 1964:
49. The First Noël - Phyllis Curtin
50. "Alleluja" (Mozart)- Phyllis Curtin
Telecast of December 22, 1961:
51. Jesu Bambino - Lisa Della Casa
52. "Ave Maria" (Bach/Gounod) - Lisa Della Casa
53. "Come Unto Him" from Messiah (Handel) - Lisa Della Casa
Telecast of December 18, 1959:
54. Cantique de Noël ("O Holy Night") - Lisa Della Casa


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Ring Christmas Bells (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)The annual Mormon Tabernacle Choir Temple Square Christmas concert is always excellent in every way, from the choice of performers and the high quality of the performances to the uplift of the stories and songs. I have many wonderful memories of these programs; they bring Christmas right into the heart. But Edward Herrmann's telling of the story of Longfellow coming through severe trials to write I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (with the choir singing the carol) caps them all. I hear the carol in a way I never did before. Brian Stokes Mitchell is terrific too.

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Each year, the Christmas concert presented by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square is seen by more than 85,000 people live and by millions more via television broadcast. It is a full scale production featuring world- class musicians, soloists, dancers, narrators, and music that leaves viewers in awe of the Choir's unmatched magnitude and musicality.Following the success of last year's CD Rejoice and Be Merry, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir presents Ring Christmas Bells, the next musical masterpiece in a series of highly acclaimed and commercially successful holiday albums. Featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell, dubbed by the New York Times as "Broadway's last leading man," and Edward Herrmann (Gilmore Girls; Nixon), Ring Christmas Bells is a holiday experience every family will want to have.

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Sissel: Northern Lights (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a seasonal concert marking the arrival of winter. It isn't really a Christmas celebration. For the latter, you should get the companion DVD, "Christmas with Sissel and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square". This particular programme was staged for America's PBS in yet another valiant attempt by Norway's singing sensation to carve herself a place on America's crowded musical stage. The programme was filmed in the Norwegian mountain town of Røros, currently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sissel sings in the local church where the audience can be seen sitting quietly in the pews. It is generally subdued in tone, quietly reflective and peaceful. Most of the songs are tied to the season or are hymns with a spiritual or religious bent.
Most of the songs are in English, including several penned by Sissel herself. My favourite amongst her own compositions is "Sarah's Song" a lullaby she wrote for her youngest daughter. "Like an Angel Passing Through My Room" is another exquisite song about a mother contemplating her child growing up and leaving. I especially loved the line "Love is one prolonged goodbye." Now who says Andersson & Ulvaeus couldn't write good lyrics.
Like most of Sissel's output, this is a wide ranging mix of semi-classical, folk, traditional and pop music in languages ranging from English, Norwegian, Danish, Italian and Latin. Sadly it is an extremely short concert. The entire DVD including the 2 bonus tracks and the slideshow of her trip, lasts barely 65min in all. Still, with 17 songs in total, it is packed with lovely music and absolutely gorgeous singing. I adored the Norwegian Christmas hymn "Mitt Hjerte Altid Vanker" (My Heart Always Wanders/To the Stable Where Jesus Was Born). I especially enjoyed the Danish folksong "Der Er Ingenting I Verden Så Stille Som Sne" rhapsodising on the quiet stillness of snow. Sadly the lovely Swedish Christmas hymn "Koppangen" is not included on this DVD. It can only be found on the "Northern Lights" audio CD sold separately. Sissel is as shrewd a businesswoman as she is a gifted artist. My hat off to her.
Jose Carreras sings two numbers here. First a solo, "Amore Perduto," an Italian song set to Albinoni's/Giazotto's famous Adagio for Strings and Organ. Then a pop duet with Sissel "Quando Sento Che Mi Ami" where he sings in Italian and she replies in English. Carreras' duet highlights something you don't usually notice about Sissel; just how tall she actually is in real life - she towers over him; a stunningly statuesque example of Viking womanhood.
Through most of the songs Sissel is backed by the Trondheim Soloists and the Nidaros Cathedral's Girls' Choir. In their arrangement of Bach's famous "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", Sissel sings the instrumental part along with the rest of the orchestra while the choir sings the actual chorale (in English). Two traditional English folksongs are included, "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." I'm not too keen on the modern arrangements but Sissel can make anything sound beautiful. In the clearest sign that this was meant for the American TV audience, Sissel ends her concert with a folksong most Americans would be familiar with - "Going Home" (the rest of the world will know this as the Largo from Dvorák's New World Symphony).
The programme is shot and presented in 1.78:1 widescreen (anamorphic). Picture quality is fine for what is essentially a very subtly lit film, mostly church interiors and the dusky Norwegian landscape that presages the imminent arrival of winter. Sound is excellent but strangely only available as either 2.0 Stereo or 5.0 Dolby Digital Surround. No subwoofer channel. Make sure your main speakers are good enough to carry the lowermost notes of the double-basses and drums, of which there is a surprisingly large amount. An altogether enjoyable concert and well worth the price. For those wanting to watch it first before deciding on a purchase, PBS is scheduled to broadcast it during this 2007 Christmas season. You can check with their transmission schedule online.

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NORTHERN LIGHTS - DVD Movie

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Sting: A Winter's Night...Live from Durham Cathedral (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I had the pleasure of attending this concert in Durham and it was like nothing i have experienced before. The beauty of the cathedral, along with the lighting and soulfull music was outstanding. If one tenth of that comes through on this dvd, grab one asap!! Sting fan or not, this is a perfect companion on a cold winter night.

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Disc One: Sting: A Winter s Night...Live from Durham Cathedral places the artist in the unique setting of England s most famous cathedral. This majestic live performance captures the mood and spirit of the season with a diverse collection of songs, carolsand lullabies spanning the centuries.Disc Two: Sting: A Winter s Night...the Documentary features a behind-the-scenes look at the concert s genesis, beginning with the album recording sessions at Sting s homein the Italian countryside, leading up to the final rehearsals at Durham Cathedral. Along the way, Sting revisits places from his childhood and reunites with old friends and band mates, swapping stories and reminiscing.

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Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)The lovely and all so talented young women from the Emerald Isle have once again achieved perfection. The long awaited Christmas DVD "A Christmas Celebration" is finally out and is it ever a treat for the whole family! Shot in Dublin, back in July just three weeks after the show completed a wildly successful five month concert tour of the US performing the "A New Journey" show. Dazzling in the most beautiful gowns and lovely stage settings Orla, Lisa, Chloe, Mairead and Meav (making her farewell appearance, sorry that's what we're told) breath new life into many of our favorite Christmas classics. Backed by the world famous Irish Film Orchestra, the Celtic Woman band and choir,
the ensemble entertain to the max!
A few of the highlights, and beleive me there are many- White Christmas: Chloe, Lisa and Meav, The Little Drummer Boy: duet by Orla and Chloe, Oh Holy Night: ensemble, Away in a Manger: Orla, The Christmas Song: Lisa, O Come All Ye Faithful: ensemble, Let It Snow: ensemble, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: ensemble, The First Noel: ensemble, The Christmas Song: Lisa and many more.
These very gifted young women blew this writer away with their first concert and they just keep getting better and better. The "A New Journey" live at Slane Castle is from all aspects a perfect music video yet the "A Christmas Celebration" takes perfection to a higher level. With the great success the show is having the girls appear to be having more fun than ever if that's possible. We'll really miss Meav, her wonderful voice, charm and grace is irreplaceable and we hope she can rejoin the show somewhere down lifes road.

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My Christmas (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I saw this when PBS aired it on television and was blown away! This is something I will watch every year at Christmas. The DVD contains performances of all the songs on his CD, My Christmas. This definitely gets you in the mood for the holiday season! Buy it!

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Millions will rejoice this holiday season with the much-anticipated release of Andrea Bocelli s My Christmas. Now for the first time ever on DVD the first-ever Christmas performance from Andrea Bocelli and David Foster. This heart-warming collection of songs recorded live in concert at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles is destined to become a holiday classic for years to come.

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Radio City Christmas Spectacular Starring The Rockettes (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Every time I go to NYC for the holidays, I make a point to see this show. A fabulous New York City fix; a fabulous Christmas tradition. And they get to wrap it up in one of the most beautiful art deco buildings in the world. This was the 75th anniversary production. Most of the old favorite numbers were included and many spetacular new pieces (my favorite being the double decker bus ride through Manhattan). I was actually in the audience the night this was taped and I was very pleased to see considerably more footage of the show than was televised on network TV and, as I remember, in the correct order it appeared in the program. This DVD will go into the stack of my holiday memories to watch again and again. I

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For the first time in its 75-year history, America' s favorite holiday show comes alive on DVD! The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes has been a familytradition since the 1930s. Time Life is proud to offer this amazing holiday tradition tothe home market for the very first time, bringing the sights and sounds of this cherished show right into living rooms across America.This special 75th Anniversary DVD features all the best-loved performances including: The Dance of the Nutcracker, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, Santa' s Toy Headquarters, the Living Nativity and the arrival of Santa. Home viewers will nowget it all signature high kicks and astounding precisionchoreography, dramatic theatrical lighting effects, breathtakingimagery and an array of glamorous costumes, leaving no doubts about the magic of Christmas at Radio City.

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