Christmas music

Eric, the best version I have is the Harmonia Mundi "Messiah Highlights." [HMT 7907120]

You might want to check out this link to CDNow to see if you would like the complete "Messiah" offering from the Hyperion label. (I just ordered it myself.)

http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=236229290/pagename=/RP/CDN/CLASS/muzealbum.html/itemid=444401

Charlie

All of the above are truly fine choices specially the "Cantante Domino" chosen by Danvetc this is a TRUE masterpiece. I would like to also add to this line up
"Start of Wonder" on Reference Recordings RR-21 done by Professor Keith Johnson master himself :-)

Also "Messiah" on NEW RCA High Performance
#63317

Anyone for the "A Very Special Christmas" series? The first two (to me) are the best. Reminds me of my youth.

Now for something completely different! Two unusual offerings:"A Christmas Cocktail" from Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra. Swingin lounge jazz to just plain weird. I guarentee you have never heard Christmas songs done like this before, delightfully over the top. The second is "An American Christmas". A traditional acoustic intrumental collection with Vasser Clements, Norman and Nancy Blake, Roy Huskey Jr.and friends. Fiddle, mandolin, cello, guitar ect. Wonderful warm and beautiful. These two are as different as night and day but both are great fun. Merry Christmas!

For all you Etta James fans, and you don't really even have to be one,there is "12 Songs of Christmas", with Cedar Walton on piano. Etta does a great job with 12 of the Christmas standards, even adding something to "Jingle Bells", which, let's face it, is hard to do. The musicianship of all players on this CD is superb and the sound is very, very good. I heard this at Border's a year ago and it was startling how good this was, but I didn't buy it that day. Next day they had sold out and it has taken me a year to find this CD again.