American Folk Songs for Christmas

Mike Seeger & Penny - American Folk Songs for Christmas

List Price: ~~$24.98~~
Our Price: $12.00
You Save: $12.98 (52%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album

Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Artist: Mike Seeger & Penny
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1992-09-16
Music Label: Rounder Select
Soundtracks:

Music CD 1

Stars in the Heaven
Oh, Watch the Stars
Great Big Stars
Shine Like a Star in the Morning
Bright Morning Stars are Rising
Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow
Sheperd, Shepherd
Don't You Hear the Lambs a-Crying
Found My Lost Sheep
Look Away to Bethlehem
How Many Miles to Bethlehem?
Jehovah Hallelujah
Joseph and Mary
A Virgin Most Pure
Baby Born Today
Go Tell it on the Mountain
Sheperds, Rejoice
The New-Born Baby
Oh, Mary and the Baby Lamb
Star in the East
Babe of Bethlehem
Child of God
Cradle Hymn
Ain't That a-Rocking All Night
Sing-a-Lamb
Mary, What You Going to Name That Pretty Little Baby?
Sing Hallelu
Mary Had a Baby

Music CD 2

Jesus Borned in Bethlea
Wasn't That a Might Day
January, February The Last Month of the Year
Poor Little Jesus
Heard From Heaven Today
'Twas a Wonder in Heaven
Mariner's Hymn
O Mary, Where is Your Baby?
Yonder Comes Sister Mary
The Blessing of mary
Awake
Exultation
Children of the Heavenly King
Singing in the Land
Rejoice My Friends
The Twelve Apostles
Holy Babe
Twelve Days of Christmas
The Angel Band
Almost day
Heaven Bell Ring
A mInce Pie or a Pudding
Christmas Day in the Morning
Turkey Run Away
Breaking up Christmas

Music reviews of American Folk Songs for Christmas

Music Review: As traditional as you get these days
Rating: 5 Stars

Ruth Crawford Seeger was a folk music fanatic who compiled a series of books, one of which was devoted to Christmas songs. It is from that book that the album title and all but two of the tracks are taken (the liner notes do not say which two), although some of the tracks are not performed exactly as Ruth described.

Three of Ruth's children (Mike, Peggy and Penny Seeger), four of her grandchildren (Sonya Cohen, Calum MacColl, Kitty MacColl and Kim Seeger) and Ewan MacColl, father of Calum and Kitty (their mother was Peggy), took part in the project. Note that Kitty MacColl must not be confused with Kirsty MacColl, a daughter of Ewan MacColl by a previous marriage. Kirsty, of course, was a brilliant singer in her own right and I've already reviewed Galore, the best compilation of her music.

The songs, mostly unfamiliar, are sequenced to tell the Christmas story. The first eleven tracks are about stars, shepherds, sheep and a journey to Bethlehem, so - you must wait till track fifteen (Baby born today) to actually hear about the birth. You will surely recognize Go tell it on the mountain and Twelve days of Christmas. I also recognized Christmas day in the morning, though it is rarely recorded these days.

There is variety in the arrangements - some solo, some duets and some choral - with various instruments being used, or sometimes none at all. Some of the instruments do not strictly fit the traditional concept of the album but the overall feel of the album is very traditional.

Unless you are really into traditional folk music, you may find that two and a half hours is more than you want of it in one session (you may prefer to play one CD then play other music before playing the other CD), but there is no denying the quality of the performances here.

The only other Christmas album I have that is comparable is Maddy Prior's Carols and capers. If you enjoy that album, give this a listen. And if you haven't heard that but you enjoy this, give Maddy Prior a listen.

More American Folk Songs for Christmas free music reviews:
1

Classical CDs

Music Genres

Bestsellers in Classical CDs

Winterscapes
by London Philharmonic
Prophetic Voice; Published: 2000-07; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $2.75
Price in other shops: ~~$6.99~~

The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee Image

The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee
by Dini Petty
Children's Group; Published: 2001-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $13.38
Price in other shops: ~~$13.98~~

Classical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr
Release date: 2000-04-05; Music CD
Best price: $24.98

Tchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos)) Image

Tchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos))
by Malcolm Sinclair, Jeremy Siepmann
Naxos; Published: 2003-11; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $35.99

Jose Carreras - Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS]
Sling Shot; Release date: 2000-04-18; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.86
Price in other shops: ~~$9.99~~

Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-09-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.89
Price in other shops: ~~$29.95~~

Rambert Dance Company - Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-10-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops: ~~$29.95~~

Winter Music: Composing the North
by John Luther Adams
Wesleyan; Published: 2004-11-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.88
Price in other shops: ~~$25.95~~