Media Madness

Sounds of the Season!

This time of year would be lost without the beautiful music which radiates from stores, college choruses, and yes, even elevators!  The Henrietta Public Library has received a dozen or so new holiday compact discs for your enjoyment.

Sting, with his If On a Winter’s Night, mixes the traditional, Celtic-like and original compositions with the help of a small ensemble of guitars, violin, and harp. Tracks range from “Soul Cake”, a peppy ditty from the likes of Peter, Paul and Mary, to “Christmas at Sea” which is based on the poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, to a haunting rendition of “Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming”. Copious liner notes by Sting, song lyrics and a DVD, explain the genesis of this  intriguing recording.

The magnificent tenor, Andrea Bocelli presents his first Christmas album with My Christmas, a delightful mix of duets and solos with friends, Natalie Cole on “The Christmas Song”, the Muppets with “Jingle Bells” and a beautiful “What Child is This” sung with Mary J. Blige.  Bocelli solos on “White Christmas”, “Cantique de Noel”, and even “Santa Claus Comes to Town”.  This CD also includes a bonus DVD with excerpts taken from an upcoming PBS Great Performances special.

One of the great things about my job as audio-visual librarian is finding a group or artist that is totally new to me.  Straight No Chaser is an a cappella ensemble of ten young men, originally founded at Indiana University in 1966. Their first hit recording came about by way of “You Tube” (what else?) and Christmas Cheers is their second Christmas album. Highlights on the CD include the “Christmas Can-Can” with variations of the “Dreidel Song”, “Deck the Halls”, “I Saw Three Ships” and others with the original “Orpheus in the Underworld” theme interjected!  Their rendition of the “12 Days of Christmas” is also a great track, though I understand maybe not as good as their live version. The tunes are fun as well as traditional. I’ll be buying this one for myself!

Another addition to our holiday collection is Christmas in the Heart by Bob Dylan – yes, that Bob Dylan! Though hardcore fans of Dylan may cringe, others will welcome these traditional tunes sung in Dylan’s distinctive voice. Songs include “Must be Santa”, “Little Drummer Boy”, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, “Silver Bells” and the traditional “First Noel”, and “O’ Little Town of Bethlehem”.  Give this one a listen – you may be surprised.

Other holiday CDs new this year to HPL include: Cherry, Cherry Christmas by Neil Diamond, Midwinter Graces by Tori Amos, Mannheim Steamroller’s 25th Anniversary Collection, and Now That’s What I Call a Country Christmas by various new and old country artists, and though not really a holiday songfest, Joshua Bell’s At Home with Friends is an intimate collection of jazz, classical and pop standards with his friends Chris Botti, Sting, Kristin Chenoweth, Dave Grusin and Regina Spektor. Isn’t a gathering of friends with music the perfect way to spend the holidays?

So come on down to the Henrietta Public Library and as always “check us out”!

Happy Holidays to all of you!
Nancy Maxwell
Audio-Visual Librarian