The American Carol Connection
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"Birches in Winter - Christmas Morning" (1946) by American illustrator Maxfield Parrish
Many familiar Christmas carols are British or European, but a surprising number began life right here in North America.
In this hour, the stories behind “We Three Kings,” “I Wonder as I Wander,” “Away in a Manger,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” and many more.
FEATURED RECORDINGS
| Title |
Group/Artist |
Catalog # |
UPC |
| Complete Columbia Christmas Albums [for opening “We Three Kings” music, and “Jingle Bells”] |
Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy |
Real Gone Music RGM-0929 |
848064009290 |
| Carols for Christmas Volumes I & II [for original “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”] |
Royal College of Music Chamber Choir, David Willcocks |
Rykodisc RCD 10004/10005 |
014431000423 |
| 100 Best Carols [for British “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”] |
Choir of King’s College, Cambridge |
EMI 5 00245 2 |
5 099950 024520 |
| Carols for Christmas [for original “O Little Town of Bethlehem”] |
Eileen Farrell, Luther Henderson |
Sony Classical 60802 |
074646080221 |
| Seeds of Love [for “The Ploughboy’s Dream”] |
Julian Stocker |
Opus Anglicanum Herald HAVP216 |
Amazon download ASIN: B074ZPP573 |
| A Merry Little Christmas [for “Children, Go Where I Send Thee”] |
U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants, Lowell E Graham, Conductor |
Klavier Records K 77048 |
019688704827 |
| Christmas with the Robert Shaw Chorale [for American version of “Away in a Manger,” “We Three Kings,” Go Tell It on the Mountain] |
Robert Shaw Chorale |
RCA Special ProductsDMC2-1217 (1994) |
[none] |
| Carols For Christmas Volumes I & II [for British version of “Away in a Manger”] |
Royal College of Music Chamber Choir, David Willcocks |
Rykodisc RCD 10004/10005 |
014431000423 |
| O' Canada: A History in Song [for “Jesous Ahatonhia"] |
Alan Mills |
Smithsonian Folkways FP 3001 |
Amazon download ASIN B000S9E09A |
| Christmas Surprises [for “Huron Christmas Carol”] |
Ralph Hunter Choir |
RCA VictorLSP 2063 [LP] |
[none] |
| Joan Baez: Noel [for “We Three Kings” instrumental, used for break music] |
Peter Schickele |
Vanguard
79596-2 |
015707959629 |
| Chantez Noel [for “Rise Up Shepherd and Follow”] |
The Atlanta Singers, David Brensinger |
Aca Digital 20047 |
705092004720 |
| Christmas Spirituals [for “Mary Had a Baby”] |
Odetta |
Alcazar ALC104 |
021661010429 |
| Title |
Group/Artist |
Catalog # |
UPC |
| Barbara Hendricks Sings Christmas [for “Sweet Little Jesus Boy”] |
Barbara Hendricks |
EMI Classics
5 55536 2 |
724355553621 |
| John Rutter Christmas Album [for “I Wonder as I Wander”] |
Cambridge Singers, John Rutter |
Collegium CSCD 510 |
040888051022 |
| It’s Christmas [for “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”] |
Mormon Tabernacle Choir |
CBS Special Products A14303 |
079891430326 |
| Christmas [for Johnny Marks version of “I Heard the Bells”] |
Harry Belafonte |
RCA 07863 68044-2 |
078636804422 |
| Dallas Christmas Gala [for “Caroling, Caroling”] |
Dallas Symphony Chorus, Andrew Litton |
Delos DE 3267 |
013491326726 |
