It was my original intent to put up a Christmas page about Percy Faith's Christmas albums, however to get it done quickly, I'll just add this text page for now.  Why?  I've browsed some of the famous and not-so-famous "for sale" websites dealing with used records and see a LOT of misinformation, so let me tell the story, in a quick fashion that might clear up a few things:

First things first - Percy Faith recorded the original MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS, issued on 12" Lp as CL 588 and on 3 EP sets, B-1903 (Volume I) B-1904 (Volume II) and B-1905 (Volume III).  Between the three Ep's, when totalled, you have all 12 tracks from CL 588.

In a very unusual step for Percy Faith and Columbia, CL 588 was entirely re-recorded; not for "fake stereo" but an entirely new recording session for the real thing, STEREO, in the summer of 1959, and issued as CS 8176 for the 1959 Christmas season.  This is the album with the poinsettias, top of the album yellow, bright colors.  It was also available on open reel, first at 7 1/2 inches per second quarter track speed, then Columbia cheaped out a bit and halved the playing speed (and increased hiss and dropouts).  This stereo Music of Christmas recording is the one most of us know, and sadly, Columbia/Sony botched the CD reissue - it is worthless in my opinion, unless that is all you can get.  I've been fortunate enough to find a mint stereo copy back in the 1980's from the STEREO REVIEW record search service (anyone remember that?) which yielded a great CD.  Commercially, only the flawed CD is available and a correction was never made.  Early attempts to "jazz up" the fidelity were evidently used, such as dynamic equalization where, for example, highs are really suppressed on the left channel, and you can hear "windows" of tone bands open on the right channel.  My favorite example, GOOD KING WENCESLAS that starts with the kettle drum/snare drum routine.  Since the "highs" begin so truncated, it sounds as though the drums are under water until the 3rd or 4th measure - I have a big problem with that; the listener never should have heard such a bad job.  The right channel ends up "hot" in high frequencies, and the left channel remains truncated in highs, I guess the person or machine that did the reissue thought the Percy Faith violin section was too "hot" so they equalized it down.  Interesting, but terribly inaccurate.  So even over fifty years later, we have nothing to show for new buyers of what might be the CLASSIC Percy Faith Christmas album.  It's never been reissued properly, thanks to Sony, who has kept the "not good at all" copy in the catalog, so third party companies won't license the album out and properly restore it digitally.

We need to step back to 1958 for the original recording and release of HALLELUJAH, CS 8033.  The album has a much drier sound; severely recorded and not great listening, while MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS used very very very generous amounts of "studio reverb."

Hallelujah! was available in mono and stereo, and had a very brightly colored and lettered cover once again.

In the 1958 fall season we had a 2-Lp set, The Columbia Album of Christmas Music, C2L-1, mono only; it had a rather plain white cover with the cover art from Hallelujah! and Music of Christmas shown without their usual lettering.  This album, then, consisted of CL 588, paired with the monophonic version of Hallelujah! for the double album set.

Music Of Christmas has been in print with few interruptions through the 'end of the Lp' era.  Hallelujah turned up in bargain bins, and I have a copy that is marked clearly on the back that it is "distributed by Apex Rendezvous Inc." which, just a guess, means that Columbia gave up on marketing this album and let some other distributors try it.  Finally, in 1965, Hallelujah! morphed into Music Of Christmas Vol 2.  Same exact content as Hallelujah, but a new cover; to me it's an attempt to pick up on the success of MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS for the album Hallelujah! several years later, I don't think Hallelujah! sold very well with its original cover, and the rather dry sound, and where MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS concentrated on carols and traditional Christmas tunes, Hallelujah! took a severe turn with more religious tunes.

Somehwere around 1996, Sony reissued Music of Christmas Vol 2 - (Hallelujah!) but it was re-engineered to a great effect; it was re-equalized and sounds great, and given about as much reverb as Music of Christmas - a truly improved listening experience.  It was only available 2 or 3 seasons then vanished for good.  Why?  Dunno.  It's a case where the digital remastering by three ladies listed on the liner notes took an old, dry early stereo effort, and opened it up and made it sound as good as albums made many year later.  I've seen it fetch high prices... it's a rarity.  Keep in mind if you buy the Lp of either Hallelujah! or Music of Christmas Vol 2 on Lp you are getting the "dry" version.

1965 also brought us the final Percy Faith christmas album, CHRISTMAS IS... which has been available since the early days of the CD and on a spotty basis since.  The title song was popular and covered by other artists.  Percy originally wrote the music as "Judy" after one of his granddaughters and it was "repurposed" into being a Christmas tune with the lyric, sung by the female chorus, penned by Spence Maxwell.  5 tracks are with the chorus, 6 are orchestral.  This recording could have been better, there's some careless distortion I always thought was the fault of the Lp recording but nope, it's on the CD as well.  The CD catalog number is CK 9377, and the Lp was CS 9377.

To summarize: Percy Faith recorded Music of Christmas TWICE, one 1954 version in mono (of course).  I notice it is being sold with "new" cover art overseas; listeners are going to hear the 1954 version, and it's not from tape, it's a nice try at making a CD from an Lp.  Percy's Music of Christmas was best heard on open reel tape and on Lp, the CD version has problems.

HALLELUJAH! was recorded and released in 1959 and became Music Of Christmas Vol 2 (magic?) in 1965 with a new cover.  It is best heard on the rare late 1990's CD that added reverb and spaciousness to the formerly severe sound, a great enhancement, that is hard to find.  If you should happen to find a CD from overseas that has the HALLELUJAH! title and cover, or find the Music of Christmas Vol 2 cover on Lp or it's going to be the "not as good as it could be" recording.

CHRISTMAS IS... from 1965 is part vocal (the Percy Faith Chorus that he did arrange, in contrast to his recordings a decade before that had a chorus, that he did not arrange the vocal parts - you can tell, they tend to sound written in linear fashion (vertical writing) where the Faith choral and instrumental work was always featuring lots of horizontal writing - lots of parts, lots of countermelodies.  Ray Charles, of the Columbia Ray Charles Singers, wrote the 50's choral parts you can hear mainly on the first two volumes of the "Singles Collection."  To hear the Ray Charles Singers by themselves you can find used copies on several different labels (e.g., COMMAND).  EXTRA NOTE:  Marilyn told me that the recording sessions for Percy's Christmas albums were in the summer, so Percy tried his darndest to make things as festive as possible - decorations amongst the music stands/chairs, all over the studio.  I think it comes through in the music!  Also I see a lot of speculation on the internet that CL 588 and the Ep versions of same with the man wearing a Santa outfit (cap and white beard pulled down) with his daughter and her doll are a real painting for this album.  NOPE... just some stock art.

Done.  Long story.  Sorry for the length.  The important thing have a very Merry Christmas and most of all, enjoy the rich heritage of music that you may have or can find!