An American Christmas

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Category: Music CD
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CD Details

Music reviews of An American Christmas

Music Review: Decent in moderation...
Rating: 3 Stars

This album is decent provided you don't listen to the entire CD in one sitting. It is a nice break from the run-of-the-mill Christmas music, whether it be of the "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" or "Jingle Bell Rock" variety. However, the arrangements become tedious after a while. There are only so many open-fifths one can hear... Most people will find themselves gritting their teeth 2/3 through the disc. The non-early music fanatic would do well to listen to several tracks at a time.

The classical enthusiast will not be pleased with Mr. Cohen's notes as he tends to disdain most "classical" music as pompous, "stuff shirt" nonsense. He seems to believe that the music on this disc is FAR better than that of, say, Handel's Messiah, simply because it is the music of lower/middle class (18/19th Century) America. He laments the Europe's influence on American music; after all, we should not be following the horrible examples set by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, etc. Good four part writing, where--gasp--the tenor parts are not constantly following the sopranos?? And--Beautiful, full, varied instrumentation?! Counterpoint?!?! Hpmh!...what unmitigated gall! What sheer snobbery!

...Please don't misunderstand me. I respect both Mr. Cohen's expertise (his sentiment is a different matter) and this music, and I do agree that the music presented on "American Christmas" is an enjoyable break from "Santa Claus is comin' to town. And, yes, SOME of this music deserves more credit than it is given nowadays (it sure beats anything sung or written by Britney Spears...) But lets be realistic: Handel's Messiah this is not.

So, with that said, buy this CD... and remember, extreme moderation is the key to enjoying this album; if this sort of music was played as often as that oh-so-awful "music of reindeer," as Mr. Cohen puts it, you (provided that "you" are not an early music fanatic or Mr. Cohen) would find yourself desperately longing for the return of "Santa Claus is comin' to town."

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