The first time you listen to this disc you will undoubtedly be transported directly back to your childhood. Charles Schulz's Peanuts characters will go toe-tapping and funky-dancing through your mind's eye. Play it a few more times, though (ignoring the dialogue snippets, if you can), and you will begin to truly revel in Guaraldi's wonderful, humorous, deep piano playing. You'll hear why he's such an influence on new age ivory tickler George Winston, but you'll also realize that Winston's holiday music never quite sparkles with the underlying passion, and humor, that twinkles in these grooves. Buy it for the nostalgia--keep it because it will remain one of the most enchanting albums in your holiday collection. --Michael Ruby
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Poor reproduction:
While I love this soundtrack, I was hoping to get a good quality recording. Instead, this was like listening to a scratchy old cassette tape or an L.P. Very poor sound quality for this CD.
Like the Charlie Brown Christmas Special?...:
Have just finished listening to this... Do you like the "Charlie Brown Christmas" special? Do you have any other soundtrack of this? If you do (like the special) and you don't (have any other soundtrack)... Buy this one. (Everything else boils down to technical fisticuffs...) Really...and at Christmastime, too! Tsk, tsk, tsk...
A Christmas Classic -- and yes, it's been remixed.:
As you may have noticed by the mixed reviews, this is a newly remastered version of A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special released in 2006. I'm a fan of the new version, although the old one is certainly not bad and has its own charm. A lot of effort went into this remaster, because I've heard plenty of things that have been 'remastered' and either not improved or actively made worse. There is a significant difference, though. The 'old' version sounds... more info
An unfortunate remaster of a classic Christmas album:
My wife knows that the Christmas season has not officially begun for me until I start playing this album. Guaraldi's unique musical whimsy is so perfectly captured on this recording that I can't imagine Christmas without it. I've also been a composer, arranger and producer for 15 years. From the perspective as a fan of this music and also as a producer, I think this remaster is inappropriate and unfortunate for many of the reasons already stated. Any time you take an iconic recording that's been around for... more info
Tracks:
O Tannenbaum - Vince Guaraldi, Traditional
What Child Is This - Vince Guaraldi, Traditional
My Little Drum - Vince Guaraldi, Guaraldi, Vince
Linus and Lucy - Vince Guaraldi, Guaraldi, Vince
Christmas Time Is Here - Vince Guaraldi, Guaraldi, Vince
Christmas Time Is Here - Vince Guaraldi, Guaraldi, Vince
Skating - Vince Guaraldi, Guaraldi, Vince
Hark, The Herald Angels Sing - Vince Guaraldi, Traditional
Christmas Is Coming - Vince Guaraldi, Guaraldi, Vince
Für Elise - Vince Guaraldi, Beethoven, Ludwig v
The Christmas Song - Vince Guaraldi, Torme, Mel
Greensleeves - Vince Guaraldi, Traditional
Christmas Is Coming - Vince Guaraldi, Guaraldi, Vince
The Christmas Song - Vince Guaraldi, Torme, Mel
Greensleeves - Vince Guaraldi, Traditional
Christmas Time Is Here - Vince Guaraldi, Guaraldi, Vince