I'm hoping to get my family off the couch and away from the television this season. What can you suggest? In a word,
caroling — indoors, outdoors, by the piano, in front of the fire,
in the town square, or down at the mall; here, there, and
everywhere. Warm the reluctant to the spirit of the season with
one of these classical or classic-pop recordings, then bring on
the songbooks.
CDs: Songs of Angels: Christmas Hymns & Carols, by the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers (Telarc, $18,
www.amazon.com);
We Three
Kings, by the Roches (Rykodisc, $8,
www.amazon.com);
Yule B' Swingin' Too! with Louis, Ella, the Duke, and others
(Hip-O, $12,
www.amazon.com);
Noel: Christmas at King's, by the King's
College Choir, Cambridge (London Classics, $18,
www.amazon.com).
Songbooks: And
the Angels Sing: A Song Book of Classic Christmas Carols (Rizzoli, $13,
www.amazon.com); The Definitive Christmas Collection (Hal
Leonard, $30,
www.musicnotes.com).
