Post by GoodOldDreams on Nov 14, 2006 1:27:32 GMT -5
The holiday season is fast approaching and will soon be upon us! With the dramatic changes in the weather and the music rotation of radio stations in many locales, we turn our attention to the Carpenters' first Christmas album, the modern classic "Christmas Portrait."
Karen and Richard had a lifelong fondness for Christmas music. With the idea of recording a Christmas album simmering for several years, "Christmas Portrait" was finally realized due to the Carpenters' preparation for their second television special, "The Carpenters at Christmas," which aired on December 9, 1977. Beginning in the summer of 1977, Karen and Richard decided as they began selecting and recording the music for this special that the time was right to record, at long last, an album dedicated to Christmas music.
Richard commented, "...by the time Karen and I began recording for this album I was not interested in more than production work. So I turned over most of the arranging to veterans Peter Knight and Billy May." He goes on to say, "Christmas Portrait is really Karen's album, and should have been titled accordingly, not the Carpenters." This was mostly due to Richard's nadir dealing with his sleeping pill problem at the time.
Christmas Portrait was fourteen months in the making, and was released on October 13, 1978. At that point in time, this was their most expensive album to produce. The number of tracks recorded for this LP pushed the envelope for an album made during that time frame — it had a total of seventeen tracks, which was almost unheard of at the time, as a LP record seldom had room for that many tracks. Many songs cross-faded with each other, weaving an expansive medley and fine tapestry of textures, colors and moods of the season.
[As an interesting aside on why it took fourteen months to make this album and to provide context, the Carpenters actually took several breaks from recording to work on other projects. They taped their third television special "Space Encounters," which aired on May 17, 1978. Karen and Richard also recorded several songs for an album which was to be released in 1979. Some of the songs recorded were: "I Believe You," "Where Do I Go From Here?" the studio recording of "Thank You For The Music" and a full version of "Dancing In The Street." Unfortunately, the album was never completed, but since then many of the tracks have been released on various compilations.]
"Christmas Portrait" features a varied selection of songs ranging from the sacred to traditional Christmas tunes to some lesser-known songs. Many of the tracks on "Christmas Portrait" are from the original Spike Jones Christmas album, which Karen and Richard have said is one of the best Christmas albums ever. The emotions on "Christmas Portrait" go from upbeat and cheerful to the thought-provoking, reflective and soul-stirring. The Carpenters did more than just sing these tunes — they woke them up and breathed new life into them. They restored seldom heard verses to classic tunes and added extra sounds and textures to give the feeling of actually being in Toyland or experiencing that first snowfall.
For "Christmas Portrait," Richard and Karen retained the bulk of their regular backup band as well employing the best musicians available. The arrangement for most of the album is reminiscent of the style of classic 1940's movie musicals. The majority of the musical arrangements were crafted with great inspiration and care by Peter Knight. Knight was previously known for his superb work on the Moody Blues' classic album "Days Of The Future Passed." Knight has also worked on many other Carpenters songs, including the 1997 hit "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft" and one of Karen's favorites, "Look To Your Dreams." Billy May also arranged many songs for "Christmas Portrait." May is a veteran who has worked with Frank Sinatra, and constructed the beautifully intense arrangement for The Carpenters' "I Can Dream, Can't I?" Richard did the arrangements for "O Come, O Come Immanuel" and the classic "Merry Christmas Darling." Each musical arrangement is unique, detailed, crisp, clean and multi-dimensional. The songs are filled with a thrilling and chilling mix of instruments including keyboards, guitars, bass, drums, harp, oboe, and Bob Messenger's tenor sax. Messenger has the ability to create an emotional excitement with his inspiring sax solos, as he has done so beautifully on the songs "A Song For You" and "Rainy Days and Mondays." Another wonderful example of Messenger's finesse is on "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," which is a favorite from "Christmas Portrait."
Many critics agree that "Christmas Portrait" is one of the finest holiday albums of all-time. When asked how she felt about recording the Christmas album Karen replied, "I enjoy doing this type of music all year round, which has been proved, because it took us 14 months to cut this album, and while people were walking down the aisles saying, 'what in heaven's name are you doing Christmas stuff in the middle of August, it never occurred to me, 'cause I could do it anytime of the day or night, anytime of the year." The Carpenters had such a good time recording "Christmas Portrait" that they recorded way too many songs for one album. The unused "extra" tracks and additional recordings by Richard were released in a later album, "An Old-Fashioned Christmas" in October 1984.
"Christmas Portrait" is truly Christmas music at its ultimate best, and has become a perennial holiday favorite.
[red]O COME, O COME IMMANUEL[/red]
The text of "O Come, O Come Immanuel" was originally written in Latin in the 12th Century. It is believed that the melody was of French origin and added to the text a hundred years later. The names of the author of the lyrics and composer to the music of this song are unknown. The Latin was translated into English by John Mason Neale in 1851.
"O Come, O Come Immanuel" is one of only two songs arranged by Richard for this album. Richard sings this song acapella, creating a sound that is somewhat reminiscent of the acoustics of a Gregorian chant. Only one of the eight verses and the refrain of this song are sung here as an introduction to the album.
[green]OVERTURE[/green]
The overture consists of "Deck the Halls," "I Saw Three Ships," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Away in a Manger," "What Child is This," "Carol of the Bells," and "O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)." The music to "Deck the Halls" is believed to be Welsh in origin from a tune called "Nos Galan" from the 16th Century, and the unknown author of the lyrics is thought to be American. The author and composer for "I Saw Three Ships" are unknown, but the song is believed to be an English carol from the Victorian era. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is discussed a little bit later here and in the section on Karen's vocal rendition of it. Reputedly dating back to the 15th Century, the lyrics of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" are traditional Olde English and were sung to the gentry by town watchmen who earned additional money during the Christmas season in this manner. With the words by an unknown author and originally published in 1885, "Away in a Manger" was composed by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895. The words to "What Child is This?" were written by William Chatterton Dix in 1865, with the music borrowed from the 16th Century English melody of love lost, "Greensleeves." "Carol of the Bells" is discussed later in the section on Richard's full rendition of it. The text of "O Come All Ye Faithful" was originally written in Latin (Adeste Fideles), with the music composed by John Reading in the early 1700's, and the text attributed to John Wade and, later, Frederick Oakley in 1841 for the more familiar English translation.
Peter Knight's arrangements and orchestrations vary in mood and style within this instrumental medley and include a few surprises, notably giving a "Big Band" treatment to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and sprinkling bits of the refrain of "Jingle Bells" into "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
[red]CHRISTMAS WALTZ[/red]
First published in 1959, "Christmas Waltz" was written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne, who have contributed to many Broadway musicals and movies. It had been recorded through the years by crooners such as Frank Sinatra, Robert Goulet, Andy Williams and Harry Connick, Jr.
Arranged and orchestrated by Peter Knight, "Christmas Waltz" is the first song that features Karen's crystal clear voice on the album, piercing through the sweep of instrumental numbers in the overture with a dramatic entrance, vivid imagery and warm wishes for the holiday season.
[green]SLEIGH RIDE[/green]
First published in 1948, this animated tune was written by Mitchell Parish, a well-regarded Tin Pan Alley lyricist, and Leroy Anderson, one of the great American masters of light orchestral music. Other artists such as Ella Fitzgerald have recorded this song.
Arranged and orchestrated by Billy May, "Sleigh Ride" glides along merrily as Karen cajoles you into fun activities of the season.
[red]IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME[/red]
Written by Victor Young (who also wrote "When I Fall in Love" on the "Lovelines" CD) and Al Stillman and first published in 1962, "It's Christmas Time" was arranged and orchestrated by Peter Knight. With Richard at the piano and Karen singing, this tune has a baroque feel akin to the treatment of "From this Moment On." Richard's musical and comedic muse Spike Jones performed the medley "It's Christmas Time/Sleep Well Little Children" on his album "Let's Sing a Song of Christmas."
[green]SLEEP WELL, LITTLE CHILDREN[/green]
First published in 1956, "Sleep Well, Little Children" was written by Alan Bergman and Leon Klatzkin. Lyricist/songwriter Alan Bergman is well-known for his work with wife Marilyn Bergman in music for stage and film, including "The Windmills of Your Mind," "The Way We Were," and "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" Leon Klatzkin is a composer for feature films and television, including "Rawhide" and "The Wild, Wild West." Karen sings this song tenderly and softly as a lullaby.
[red]HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS[/red]
Along with "The Trolley Song," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" was immortalized by Judy Garland in the 1944 movie "Meet Me in St. Louis." First published in 1943, it was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, both of whom were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983. The original is a much darker song written about the hope of a better Christmas in the future.
The original lyrics in part read as follows:
"I know that
In a year we all we will be together
If the fates allow
Until then, we'll just have to muddle through somehow
And have ourselves a merry little Christmas now..."
Judy didn't like the tone of the lyrics, so the song was changed to accommodate her.
With arrangement and orchestration by Billy May, Karen brings new life to this song and more optimistic outlook on life with some further revised lyrics.
[green]SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN[/green]
First published in 1934, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" was written by Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots, both of whom also wrote the pop standard "You Go to My Head." Coots came up with the skeleton of the music for "Santa Claus" in just ten minutes, and Eddie Cantor made it an instant hit on his radio show. This cautionary song has been used in many movies and television shows, including "The Godfather," "Roger and Me," "Home Alone," "The Santa Clause," "Elf," "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Surviving Christmas" and a show of the same name.
Unlike the jazzy version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" that the Carpenters originally recorded as a single, the version on this album takes a more traditional choral approach to the song. With Peter Knight doing the arrangement and orchestration, it features the vocals of the Tom Bahler Chorale.
How Tom Bahler came to know the Carpenters is a story unto itself. During the "Christmas Portrait" sessions Karen was driving down Highland Avenue toward A&M records. The traffic was heavy when she saw a man do an illegal U-turn in his Porsche convertible. She was surprised to learn the driver was Tom Bahler. Ten years earlier, Tom and his brother John had hired Karen and Richard to promote an upcoming new car called the Ford Maverick. Richard asked Tom (who wrote the song "She's Out Of My Life" from Michael Jackson's 1980 album "Off The Wall") to assemble a choir for the Christmas album. Karen would later say the sight of Tom Bahler doing a U-turn, "piqued her interest." From there they began dating. The romance lasted only about a year, but they went their separate ways with a mutual love for each other.
[red]CHRISTMAS SONG[/red]
Written by jazz singer/songwriter Mel Tormé and Robert Wells, "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" is a classic long associated with Nat King Cole, who recorded it first in 1946 with his trio, and then again in 1961 to create his definitive full orchestra version.
Arranged and orchestrated by Billy May, this song enjoys a compelling interpretation by Karen with her own special touches, creating for many people yet another classic.
[green]SILENT NIGHT[/green]
The German words for what we know as "Silent Night" were originally written by a young priest named Joseph Mohr in 1816, when he was assigned to a pilgrimage church in Mariapfarr, Austria. On December 24, 1818 he requested his friend Franz Gruber in nearby Arnsdorf to add a melody and guitar accompaniment so that it could be sung at Midnight Mass. "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht" was heard for the first time in a village church in Oberndorf, Austria. From these humble beginnings the song has evolved into different manifestations and it is said there exist over 300 translations of the song in the world.
Karen sings this song with simplicity and clarity, and noted that what this song lacked in rhythm is more than compensated by its intrinsic beauty.
[red]JINGLE BELLS[/red]
"Jingle Bells," originally named "One Horse Open Sleigh," was written in 1857 by James Pierpoint. It was originally sung at a Thanksgiving program at his church in Savannah, Georgia, and repeated at Christmas due to its instant popularity. It has become one of the most well-known secular songs around the world, and its lyrics have often been altered in many parodies.
Richard wanted to give "Jingle Bells" a toy-soldier ambiance, and Peter Knight managed to do so with the playful instrumental passage in the middle of the song.
[green]FIRST SNOWFALL[/green]
First published in 1953, "First Snowfall" was written by Paul Francis Webster and Jay Francis Burke. Webster was an Academy and Grammy Award-winning lyricist who also wrote "Secret Love," "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing" and "The Shadow of Your Smile."
The logical juxtaposition of "First Snowball" and "Let It Snow" was another inspiration by Spike Jones to the Carpenters. The Tom Bahler Chorale did an outstanding job sounding like a cold, howling blizzard as the background to Karen's warm, cozy vocal leads.
[red]LET IT SNOW[/red]
"Let It Snow" was written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne in 1945. A secular song exalting the simple pleasures and coziness of being with loved ones in the midst of inclement wintry weather, it was used in the 1988 Bruce Willis movie "Die Hard."
Karen sings this song with gusto — almost a joyful counterpart to "Rainy Days and Mondays," another song about finding the security of love in an inhospitable environment.
[green]CAROL OF THE BELLS[/green]
Lyrics to "Carol of the Bells" were adapted to the original folk music from the Ukraine by Peter Wilhousky in 1936, but the original Ukranian lyrics was entitled "Shchedryk," meaning bountiful, and were sung to celebrate the New Year and tells a story of a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring.
"Carol of the Bells" was suggested by Ray Charles (the choral Ray Charles, a.k.a. Charles Raymond Offenberg) for Richard to perform as a piano solo when the Carpenters were guests at the Perry Como Christmas show three or four years prior to this album.
[red]MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING[/red]
The Carpenters' first attempt at Christmas music was with the delightful "Merry Christmas Darling." The lyrics were written in 1946 by Frank Pooler. Pooler was the choir director at California State University Long Beach. where Karen and Richard were both part of the choir. In 1966, at Pooler's request, Richard composed the music for this tender ballad, which has been a hit every Christmas since its release in 1970. This is the only other song arranged and orchestrated by Richard on this album. This was Karen's favorite Christmas song because of its direct connection to Frank Pooler and her brother Richard.
[green]I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS[/green]
"I'll be Home for Christmas" was written by Kim Gannon, Walter Kent and Buck Ram. It was popularized by Bing Crosby in 1943, in the midst of World War II when soldiers and civilians alike were touched by this song. It was subsequently recorded by other crooners like Frank Sinatra. In December 1965, astronauts Frank Borman and James Lovell requested NASA to play this song on their completion of the first U.S. space rendezvous, setting a record for the longest flight in the U.S. space program.
Karen sang this song with a great depth of feeling and yearning, hinting a hope and promise that may never be fulfilled as the song ends with "I'll be home for Christmas ... if only in my dreams."
[red]CHRIST IS BORN[/red]
"Christ is Born" was written by Ray Charles (again, not the singer/pianist Ray Charles Robinson, whose stage name was also Ray Charles) and Domenico Bartolucci. First copyrighted in 1934, "Christ is Born" has been performed by other artists with the likes of Perry Como. Karen and Richard had originally learned this song from their school days where it was performed with two choirs, totaling about 80 voices.
[green]WINTER WONDERLAND[/green]
Dick Smith and Felix Bernard wrote "Winter Wonderland." Originally published in 1934, this peppy tune received high acclaim, especially the versions by the Andrews Sisters and Perry Como.
A verse not included in the Carpenters' version is:
"When it snows, ain't it thrilling,
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way
Walking in a winter wonderland."
[red]SILVER BELLS[/red]
Jay Livingston and Ray Evans wrote "Silver Bells," first copyrighted in 1950. The Carpenters performed this tune in the Spike Jones-inspired tradition, with all the trimmings and obligatory silliness thrown in.
[green]WHITE CHRISTMAS[/green]
A Russian-Jewish immigrant with little direct experience of the holiday, Irving Berlin wrote "White Christmas" in early 1940. So confident was he that this was the best song he had ever written, he even dared to say this was the best song that ANYONE has ever written. This song was introduced in the 1942 musical "Holiday Inn" by Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds, and went on the win an Academy Award for Best Song. The feeling of homesickness resonating with listeners during the World War II era, this song went to the top of U.S. music charts in 1942, 1945 and 1946 during the respective holiday seasons. The most familiar version of "White Christmas" was recorded in 1947 after the original master was damaged from frequent use. "White Christmas" was reprised in another movie of the same name, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen in 1954. The 2007 Guinness Book of Records lists Crosby's recording as the biggest-selling single of all time with an estimated 50 million copies sold in singles and 100 million in total. ASCAP lists "White Christmas" as the most performed holiday song in recorded history with over 500 versions in 25 languages.
The introduction, which points to the incongruity of a wintry Christmas in sunny Los Angeles against an idealized snowy wonderland of youth, was used as a transition from spoken dialog into the song, but was subsequently dropped by Irving Berlin and remained unfamiliar to most audiences. The Carpenters resurrected the introduction which goes:
"The sun is shining
The grass is green
The orange and palm trees sway
There's never been such a day
In Beverly Hills, L.A.
But it's December the 24th
And I'm longing to be up North..."
Karen said Bing Crosby was her "favorite human," and she said modestly she hoped she did justice to this song.
[red]AVE MARIA[/red]
The text to "Ave Maria" is one of the most popular Catholic prayers, composed of two distinct parts, a Scriptural part from as early as the 4th or 5th Century and an intercessory part from the 15th Century where two endings are found. The music to this version of "Ave Maria," which is not as well-known as the version by Franz Schubert, was written by Johann Sebastian Bach for the first prelude from the Well-Tempered Clavier and adapted by Charles Gounod in the 19th Century.
The Carpenters had kept both versions of music in mind when recording, but due to time limitations, a decision had to be made, and the road lesser traveled was taken. According to Karen, the Bach-Gounod version was "just a touch classier." The recording of the choral backup was for a while misplaced and thought to be lost, so Karen ended up singing solo without choral accompaniment on the mix in this album. However, the simplicity, purity and immediacy of the sound perhaps contribute even more to that "chill" factor.
Many thanks to Rick and Tim for "starting the ball rolling" on the research of this album — and appropriately, it started to snowball!
[yellow]PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SONGS IN THIS ALBUM INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY![/yellow]
