"Narrative Summit" Releases 2025 Recommendations to Cement Egypt's Position as a Global Tourism Destination    Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Our pick of the five essential Christmas albums
Published in Daily News Egypt on 23 - 12 - 2007

Every year, a stream of Christmas albums is released, containing their obligatory covers of the season's most beloved classics.
From Elvis, Sinatra, Dean Martin and Cliff Richard to Destiny's Child, 'N Sync, Celine Dion and K.T. Tunstall, artists from different eras and musical genres introduce the classic tunes to a new audience. They also attempt to nab the biggest share of the lucrative Christmas record sales.
Last Week, Opera singer Josh Groban scored the biggest selling album of 2007 in America with his Christmas collection "Noel.
Meanwhile, an invasion of Christmas hits such as Mariah Carrey's "All I Want for Christmas is You, The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York and Wham's "Last Christmas is hitting the British top 20 singles chart. Katie Melua and Eva Cassidy's rendition of the Louis Armstrong Christmas classic "What a Wonderful World is the current number one single in the UK.
Whether you're satisfied with your current Christmas record collection, shopping for new ones or hungry for alternative material, here is our pick of the top five Christmas albums.
"That Christmas Feeling by Bing Crosby
No Christmas record collection is complete without the "White Christmas crooner. Taken from sessions recorded in the late 40s and 50s, the 1958 album contains lesser-known Crosby Christmas songs including "Christmas Is A-Comin' and "O Fir Tree Dark. Crosby's warm, commanding and memorable voice is the perfect companion for the long winter nights of December.
"Snow Angels by Over the RhineThis is the year's best, most innovative Christmas album from Cincinnati's folk rock band. The tracks are all original and not all related to Christmas.
Singer Karin Bergquist's wistful, gentle voice is like a series of long sighs.
Mostly lively and joyful, a few tracks are slightly melancholic - such as "All I Ever Get For Christmas Is Blue and "We're Gonna Pull Through. "Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens
Since 2001, prolific singer/songwriter Stevens has been recording numerous traditional carols and hymns along with original holiday-themed songs. Last year, he decided to release his massive collection, spread over five discs.
The result is an instant classic, encompassing Stevens' multi-instrumental indie sound while preserving the spirit of the classics. Stevens' arrangements are brisk, and simply gorgeous. He wears whimsy on his sleeve, and there's a yearning in his songs for the sensation Christmas infuses into life.
"Christmas Oratorio by J.S. Bach
Bach's forgotten and overlooked masterpiece might not be on par with the "B minor Mass or "St. Matthew's Passion. It's also nowhere near as famous as Handel's "Messiah, one of the most well known and celebrated classical works. Yet there's an inexplicable joyful, grand and perhaps divine quality about this Oratorio. Each of Bach's six cantatas depicts a different scene from Christ's birth. The texts of these compositions are lifted from the Gospel of St. Luke. The chorus was originally performed in German by regular folks, and hence the feeling of accessibility and affection that constantly shimmers every time these compositions are performed.
"A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi
Guaraldi's score for the 1965 Christmas special ranks among the greatest Christmas records in history. Guaraldi brought his brand of contemporary jazz to the young fans of the Peanuts gang and successfully captured the overwhelming innocence and beauty of Christmas from a child's viewpoint. "Brown creator Charles Schulz's critique of commercialism and Christian themes is reflected in Guaraldi's bittersweet, slightly sad interpretations of "What Child Is This and "The Christmas Song. Charming and terrifically sweet.


Clic here to read the story from its source.