Greatest Christmas Songs

Christmas with Julie Andrews Julie Andrews's clear and highly articulated vocal manner is both a blessing and a bit of a distraction on this 14-song reissue of her 1982 holiday album. Set against orchestral refinements and a genuinely inspired choice of less popular material, including "In the Bleak Midwinte...	Christmas with Julie Andrews	Noel N	Christmas with Julie Andrews & Andre Previn	The Andy Williams Christmas Album This was one of the best-selling Christmas records of the 1960s, and with good cause! Somehow, without the fatherly image of Bing Crosby, or the svelte croon of Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett, or even the reverent innocence of Perry Como, Andy Williams managed to make a holiday in...
Home: A Memoir of My Early Years Syphilis, alcoholism, infidelity, and indeterminate parentage may seem improbable touchstones in the back story of one who didn't so much portray as embody the blithe Maria in The Sound of Music. But as this memoir of her formative years makes clear, there is more gravitas to And...	Classic Julie: Classic Broadway	Once Upon a Time This eighteen-track CD contains Julie Andrews' earliest recordings, many appearing on CD for the first time. The award-winning singer had a healthy career even before filming Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. Includes selections from the The Boyfriend, High Tor, and My Fair ...	Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1957 Television Production) The DVD era has unearthed another treasure. For the first time ever, Julie Andrews's performance in the title role of the original 1957 television production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is available to the public on home video. Cinderella was created as a Broadway-s...	The Sound of Music (1965 Film Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Special Edition)

Unbelievable Voice
Although my daughter doesn't know the name Julie Andrews, she does know Maria from the Sound of Music, so she will listen to this music. Andrews truly has an exceptional voice, and she shows it off well in all these traditional English songs (with three movie love songs added on at the end). This is music that will make you feel serene and calm amidst the holiday rush, particularly if you are a soprano. This is not the same serenity you get with New Age instrumentals, you have to appreciate vocals. Imagine you are on mountaintop in Switzerland twirling around under the sun and clouds . . . .

big band
This album not only features Julie's angelic voice, but also a big orchestra in the mix. As much as I love the sounds of dozens of instruments supporting a vocalist, I was hoping for a little less noise. Julie's voice could stand alone for an entire album. I guess from a purist point of view, I was looking for more of her crisp, clear, mellow music recorded instead.

Great voice; let's ignore the music
I've always thought Julie Andrews has a beautiful voice, so I was excited to buy this album. Since I was born in 1970, I wasn't really familiar with her recordings from the 1960's. While her voice is indeed beautiful, I was shocked at the music that sounds like it's recorded by a middle school band. I consider my purchase to have been a mistake. Guess I don't like orchestra music from the 1960's. There's nothing classic or sophisticated about the music. It's as if the producers are grabbing their audience by the lapels and saying, "Okay, Mr. Dimwit, you are too pedestrian to know anything about good music, so let me show you what good music sounds like." At which point you have a flute playing a grating, elementary solo, or a men's chorus that does ridiculous echoes of Ms. Andrew's lines until you want to yell "Stop!", or a harpsicord that sounds like it was played by somebody using only two fingers, or muted trumpets that sound horrible (but at least the producers made sure to feature muted trumpets for the edification of middle America). I can just imagine what Andrew's voice would sound like if it were matched with first rate music.

Wonderful Christmas Music
As a child, Julie Andrews featured in two of my favorite films. So when my mother found this LP in the store (the original version, that is), she snapped it up for me. The combination of Andre Previn's orchestration and Julie Andrew's voice was the perfect combination, and, for me, something new as I was raised with the sounds of the Amercian white south (C&W, southern gospel). All the tracks are beautfully done, but it was the unfamiliar songs that captured my imagination: The Lamb of God, Wexford Carol, and, my favorite, The Bells of Christmas. Sadly that old record did not survive time and has been lost for many years. Now, this music has returned to me and it is just as wonderful today as ever. If you loved the music of "The Sound of Music", you will love this.

A Classic
Julie is simply "Timeless" A classic for all ages. It just wouldn't be Christmas without her "Joy To The World" filling the house.