Christmas Music | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Christmas Music

Of all Christmas music Handel's Messiah has been the major work most frequently performed during the Christmas season across Canada.

Christmas Music

Christmas Caroling
Caroling at the Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, BC (photo by Kevin Oke).\r\n
Of all Christmas music Handel's Messiah has been the major work most frequently performed during the Christmas season across Canada. Christmas portions of Messiah were performed as early as 30 Dec 1793 at Quebec, though the complete oratorio probably was not given until 1857 in Quebec City and Toronto. In 1645, nearly 100 years before Messiah was premiered in Dublin, the Noël 'Chantons tous à la naissance' ('Chantons Noél') was sung at Midnight Mass in New France. Erich Schwandt has transcribed an anonymous Christmas motet 'Magnus Dominus' that was composed or at least known in Quebec about 1700 for four-part mixed chorus with soprano and bass solos (Jeu Editions 1979). An 18th-century manuscript at the AN du Q in Montreal, probably in the handwriting of Jean Girard, inspected by Élisabeth Gallat-Morin (see Bibliography), includes 5 carols: 'Quelle réjouissance,' 'Grand Dieu que de merveilles,' 'Ça bergers,' 'Dans cette étable,' and 'Cher enfant qui vient de naître'.

'Ça bergers' and several other carols of French origin, such as 'Les Anges dans nos campagnes' continue to be sung widely, particularly as harmonized for SATB and organ by Ernest Gagnon in his Cantiques populaire pour le Fête de Noël (Boucher 1922). Of composed Christmas songs the most popular in Quebec has been Adolphe Adam's 'Minuit, chrétiens,' also known as 'Cantique de Noël' or simply 'Noël' (and in English as 'O Holy Night'). Gagnon heard it in 1857 at the church of Saint-Roch in Paris and claims to have introduced it to Quebec the following year. It has become a custom in Quebec to have it sung (preferably by a tenor) on the stroke of midnight, just before the Midnight Mass. Its enduring popularity is confirmed by the large number of recordings made over the years by such Canadian singers as Johanne Blouin, Louis Chartier, Émile Gour, Richard Huet, Raoul Jobin, Evan Joaness, Arthur Lapierre, J.-M. Magnan, Rodolphe Plamondon, Albert Quesnel, Joseph Saucier, René Simard, Paul Trépanier, and Richard Verreau. Also widely popular in Quebec is Gounod's 'Jésus de Nazareth'. (A detailed study of carols and other Christmas music sung in French Canada throughout the centuries has been made by Ernest Myrand.)

Of Christmas music written in Canada probably the most ancient is the so-called Huron Carol ('Jesous Ahatonhia') attributed to Jean de Brébeuf. There is conjecture that the motets sung at Midnight Mass in 1642 at Quebec City were composed in Canada by René Ménard, but this cannot be proved (see Amtmann Music in Canada). The earliest Canadian carol to be published was probably J.P. Clarke's 'A Canadian Christmas Carol,' in the Anglo-Canadian Magazine, January 1853. In Nova Scotia the early English settlers created variants of older English carols, such as 'The Seven Joys of Mary' and 'The Cherry Tree Carol' (the tune of the latter being different from that used in England). Despite these early efforts by Canadians traditional carols and songs from the old countries continued to dominate.

Large-scale Christmas works began to appear in the latter half of the 19th century. In Montreal various messes de Noël were written - notably those of Joseph-Julien Perrault and Romain-Octave Pelletier. Perrault's Messe de Noël: 'Deo infanti,' his most popular work, incorporates 15 traditional carols. The Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei were written 1859-60, the Credo and Magnificat in 1865 for a Christmas performance at Notre-Dame Church. The mass was published posthumously in 1870. The Pelletier mass did not survive, but his Quatre Noëls anciens (1893) were printed. Among those who composed messes de Noël in the 20th century were J.-Antonio Thompson and Alexandre d'Aragon. Clarence Lucas composed a cantata, The Birth of Christ, and Arthur Poynter a full-length sacred opera, The Birth of Our Lord. Geoffrey O'Hara's operetta The Christmas Thieves (1943) was published by Gamble Hinged. A short Christmas opera, Clifford Crawley'sThe Slaughter of the Innocents, appeared in 1974. Godfrey Ridout's Christmas TV opera, The Lost Child, was telecast by the CBC in 1976.

Other significant Christmas works with orchestral accompaniment include Violet Archer's Cantata sacra (Christmas portions), Keith Bissell's Great Little One, Graham George's Hymn for Christmas Day, Frederick Schipizky's Quiet Eve, Nancy Telfer's A Child's Christmas in Wales, and Robert Turner's Johann's Gift to Christmas. Of the Christmas cantatas for choir and organ Healey Willan's Mystery of Bethlehem is performed widely, and there are similar works by Keith Bissell, F.R.C. Clarke, Albert Ham, and Charles Wilson. Also noteworthy is Paul-Émile McCaughan's motet Hodie Christus natus est (1949) for choir and organ.

Works requiring voices and small instrumental ensembles include Wolfgang Bottenberg's Eine Weihnachtliche Hausmusik, Derek Holman's Sir Christemas, Sir Ernest MacMillan's Two Christmas Carols, David Ouchterlony's Carol Cantata, Eric Robertson's Fanfares and Carols, R. Murray Schafer's City of Bethlehem, Harry Somers' Gloria, and Ruth Watson Henderson's Christmas cantata The Last Straw. Outstanding in the field of writing for unaccompanied voices, Healey Willan's work ranges from his Missae brevi No. 4 and 12 (both based on Christmas plainsongs) through motets and anthems (eg, 'Hodie Christus natus est' and 'Here Are We in Bethlehem') to arrangements of traditional carols (eg, his popular setting of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'). Christmas anthems, carols, motets, and arrangements by other composers are too numerous to mention, but specimens of high calibre have been written by W.H. Anderson, Hugh Bancroft, Louis Bédard, Leslie Bell, W.H. Belyea, Keith Bissell, Barbara Cass-Beggs, Claude Champagne, Clifford Crawley, Maurice Dela, S.C. Eckhardt-Gramatté, William France, Robert Fleming, Ernest Gagnon, James Gayfer, Graham George, Eugene Hill, Derek Healey, Sydney Hodkinson, Derek Holman, Talivaldis Kenins, Ada Twohy Kent, Alfred Kunz, Lucienne Lafleur, Eugene Lapierre, Roméo Larivière, Walter MacNutt, Kenneth Meek, Alfred Mignault, Bernard Naylor, Godfrey Ridout, Bertha Tamblyn, Nancy Telfer, Ruth Watson Henderson, and Alfred Whitehead. Udo Kasemets' Choreolae gaudia contains settings outside the usual 'church' style.

Canadian composers have not overlooked the Christmas season in the realm of purely instrumental music. For orchestra there are works such as Wolfgang Bottenberg's Suite of Carols, F.R.C. Clarke's Pastorale and Fugue on Puer nobis, Jean Coulthard's The Bird of Dawning Singeth All Night Long and Canadian Fantasy (partially based on the Huron Carol), Clifford Crawley's Koleda: A Christmas Overture, Sir Ernest MacMillan's Medley of Carols, and Glen Morley's Christmas Overture. For organ there are numerous preludes based on Christmas tunes: Healey Willan's preludes on 'Puer nobis' and 'Quem pastores' are played frequently, and others of good quality have been written by John Cook, George Coutts, Marvin Duchow, Arthur Egerton, Walter MacNutt, Kenneth Meek, Eric Rollinson, and Alfred Whitehead. J. Sproule has produced a collection of Christmas music arranged for lute (The John T. Sproule Christmas Lute Book, Toronto 1989) and Liona Boyd has published A Guitar for Christmas.(Hal Leonard 1986) to accompany her record album of the same name. Ward Music in Vancouver has published brass arrangements by Keith Snell, Steve Tyler, and others as part of their Touch of Brass. Brassworks Music and Gordon V Thompson in Toronto have also published brass arrangements by Howard Cable, Don Gillis, Arthur Frackenpohl and others. Jean Patenaude has arranged 8 Noëls for saxophone quartet (Albani 1978).

Canadian pop music artists have made Christmas recordings featuring both traditional songs and their own compositions. Folios of Christmas music have also been published, often in conjunction with albums, eg, by Raffi (The Raffi Christmas Treasury, Crown 1988) Frank Mills (Frank Mills Christmas Album, Music Box Dancer 1982), Anne Murray (Christmas Wishes, Columbia 1982), and Richard Verreau (Chantons Noël, 1987). Many charitable organizations, together with artists and radio stations in regions across the country, have released Christmas recordings. Songs with Christmas themes have often appeared on non-Christmas albums or on singles such as The Band's 'Christmas Must Be Tonight,' Joni Mitchell's 'River,' Bryan Adams' 'Christmas Time,' Corey Hart's 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' and the Payola$' 'Christmas Is Coming'. Canadian novelty Christmas songs include 'Honky the Christmas Goose,' written by Chip Young and Orville Hoover and recorded by Johnny Bower, Bob and Doug McKenzie's interpretation of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas,' and the Rovers' version of 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer'.

See also 'Jesous Ahatonia,' and Cantique

Discography

Christmas Music by Canadian Composers
Les Alino. E. Gagnon several works. IMS WRC1-1594

Liona Boyd. Robertson several works. CBS FM-37248

Canadian Children's Opera Chorus. Holman Sir Christëmas. CCOC 0189 (CD)

The Concordia Choir (Moorhead, Minnesota). Willan 'Hodie Christus natus est'. Concordia CDLP-4

Elmer Iseler Singers. Welcome Yule! Watson 'Lullaby for the Christ Child' - J.P. Clarke 'A Canadian Christmas Carol' - Willan 'Welcome Yule,' 'Hodie, Christus Natus Est'. CBC SMCD-5055

Festival Singers of Canada. Choral Music of Healey Willan; includes several Christmas pieces. RCI 207/Cap ST-6248

- Applebaum 'Cherry Tree Carol' - Holman 'Mary Is a Lady Bright'; 'Make We Joy'. Polydor 2917-009

- Willan 'Hodie Christus natus est'. Hallmark ChS-4

- Willan 'Make We Merry'. CBC SM-80/RCI 331/RCA LSC-3174

Gentlemen and Boys of St Simon-the-Apostle Church, Toronto. Willan 'Hodie Christus natus est' - Ketchum 'Not One Candle in the Stall' - Holman 'Make We Joy'. St Simon's T-55562-3

- Willan 'Make We Merry'. Canterbury CHL-605

John Alldis Choir. Naylor 'Christmas Day' motet from Nine Motets. Argo ZRG-5426

Kelvin High School Choir of Winnipeg. Bray 'A Christmas Folk Song'. CBC SM-219

Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Willan 'The Three Kings'. Col MS-6019

- Willan 'Hodie Christus natus est'. Col ML-5592

St Mary Magdalene Singers. Willan 'Christmas Song of the 14th Century'; 'Hodie Christus natus est'; 'Here We Are in Bethlehem'. Church of St Mary Magdalene QC-982

St Mary Magdalene Choirs. Willan Missa Brevis - Ridout 'Spirit is Flesh This Night'. SMM 7807

St Michael's Choir School. 'A Canadian Christmas Carol/Un chant de Noël canadien'. Abitibi Paper Co Ltd QC-392-E

Timothy Eaton Memorial Church Choir. Ouchterlony Carol Cantata. F. Harris FHR-1

Toronto Boys' Choir Willan 'Hodie, Christus Natus Est'. BC 101

Toronto Children's Chorus. W.H. Anderson 'Lullaby of the Little Angels' TCC D-002

- Archer Christmas - Applebaum Carols From French Canada. TCC D-003

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Somers Gloria. RCA LSC-3043

Tudor Singers of Montreal. Meek Three Christmas Carols. RCI 491

- Somers Gloria. CBC SM-53

Christmas Music Recorded by Canadians A-F

Bryan Adams. 'Run Rudolph Run' A Very Special Christmas. A&M SP-3911

Les Alino. Les Alino chantent Noël. IMS WRC1-1594

All Saints' Choir, Winnipeg. How Lovely are Thy Dwellings. ASC-1983

Amabile Youth Singers. AYS 001 (cass)

Anne Campbell Singers. A Snow Legend. Big Chief Records BCS-5002

Angèle Arsenault. XXX. Trans-Canada SNS-80009

Hélène Baillargeon and l'équipe des Bouttes en Train. Christmas Carols of French Canada/Chants de Noël du Canada francais. Folk FC-7229

Carroll Baker. Christmas Carroll. Quality SP-193

Les Baladins. Vous chantent Noël. Bonanza B-29704

Bank of Montreal Choral Society. Christmas Recital. Bank of Montreal CT-25183-84; CT-26835-36

Guido Basso. Christmas Today. CBC LM-52/RCA CAC-2289

André Belair. Noël avec André Belair à l'orgue. Bonanza B-29720

Bim - Connie Kaldor. A Christmas Album. Aural Tradition ATR-109

Johanne Blouin. Sainte Nuit. Guy Clouthier PGC-CD-914

Maurice Boivin. Christmas Time Is Here. London SDS-5080

Antoine Bouchard. Antoine Bouchard, orgue: noëls français de D'Aquin, Corrette, Dandrieu, Balbastre. RCI 402

Bouchon et ses écureuils avec Paolo Noël. K-Tel KF-175

Laura Boulton. Ukrainian Christmas Songs. FW 6828

Liona Boyd. Christmas Dreams. A&M SP-9513

- A Guitar for Christmas. CBS FM-37248

Oscar Brand and Friends. My Christmas Is Best. Caedmon TC-1776

André Breton. Noël avec André Breton et sa famille. Contact CO-8713

André Collin. Noël au Québec. RCA Gala CGPS-307

Carl Tapscott Singers. Carols for a Family Christmas. CBC LM-54/Cap SN-6297

Wilf Carter. Christmas in Canada. RCA Camden CAS-889

Bishop Strachan School Chapel Choir, Toronto. 'Silent Night'; 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'. Hallmark ChS-1001

Cambridge Kiwanis Boys Choir. Christmas Favourites. World WRC1-4767

Canadian Brass. A Canadian Brass Christmas. CBS FM-39740

- The Christmas Album. Philips 426-835-2 (CD)

- Christmas with the Canadian Brass. RCA ARL1-4132

Carillon. Carillon Christmas. Attic LAT-1243

The Cats. Getting Ready For Christmas. Sefel SEF-3001/Kiddin Round KR-79804

Les Chansonniers. Noël. CH-23002

Choeur de l'Île. Rêveries de Noël. WRC1-4196

Choeur Kattialine. Noël nouvelet. RCI 372

Choeur Les Rhapsodes. Chantons tous Noël. Novalis RHP-1501

- Entre le boeuf et l'âne gris. Novalis RHP-1902

Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Fredericton. Lo He Comes. IMS WRC1-1595

- Music for the Nativity of the Christ Child. CCC-001

Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Vancouver. Music for Christmas. KVP Records KVP-603F

Christ the Saviour Russian Orthodox Cathedral Choir. International Carols. unnumbered cass

Stompin' Tom Connors. Merry Christmas Everybody. Boot BOS 7121/Capitol C1-93046

Croxton Trio. Christmas Hymns. Apex 4207-A

Da Camera Singers. Da Camera Singers of Edmonton. CBC SM-256

Bob Davis, conductor. Christmas in the Maritimes. Dane LP-7605

Charlotte Diamond. The Christmas Gift. Hug Bug CDCD-321

Céline Dion. Chants et contes de Noël. Saisons SNS-90002

Les Disciples de Massenet. Cantiques de Noël (with Raoul Jobin). RCA LSC-2503

- Noël à l'église (with Evan Joannes). No. 1 NTV-1839

- Noël autour du monde (with René Simard). Nobel NBL-602

- René Simard et les Disciples de Massenet à l'église Notre-Dame. Nobel NBL-511

- Richard Verreau à l'église. RCA CCS-1003

Normand Dubé and Guy Trépanier (arrs). Noël nuit de paix. Groupe Concept PPF-2002

Claude Dubois. Cadeau. Pingouin PN-109

Bobby Edwards, arr. Noel 78. CBC LM-464

Elmer Iseler Singers. Welcome Yule!. CBC SM-5055/(with additional works) CBC SMCD-5055

Emeralds. Christmas with the Emeralds. Boot BOS-7226

Ensemble vocal de Montreal. Noël de la Paix. RCI 435

Ensemble vocal de Sherbrooke. Messe de Minuit et Airs de Noël français. SNE 537

Ensemble vocal Polymnie (with Paul Trépanier). Noël. SNE 520

Festival Singers. Make We Joy: Poly Medium Stereo 2917-009

- Make We Merry (with Toronto Mendelssohn Choir). CBC SM-80/RCI-331/RCA LSC-3174

Maureen Forrester. Christmas with Maureen Forrester. RCA KXL1-0477

Christmas Music Recorded by Canadians G-L-

Lucie Gascon. Les Plus belles mélodies de Noël à la harpe. Dorette LGCD-5122 (CD)

Gentlemen and Boys of St James' Cathedral, Toronto. Blyssid be the Tyme. 8104

Gentlemen and Boys of St Simon-the-Apostle Church, Toronto. Christmas Music, Medieval to Modern. Canterbury CHL-604

- The Gracious Time - Christmas Music. J-13153

Ray Griff. There'll Always Be Christmas. ATI ATICD-1005 (CD)

Hamilton Phil O. Christmas Brott to You. CTL 477-5153

Hanson Singers. See Toronto Boys' Choir

Hagood Hardy. A Christmas Homecoming. ISIS 1002 (cass)

- A Very Special Christmas. K-Tel NC-496

Ivan and Vivian Hicks. An Old-Time Christmas With Friends. Maritime Express ME-1006

Lucien Hétu. Joyeux Noël. RCA Gala CGPS-240

Paul Horn. The Peace Album. Kuckuck 11083-2 (CD)

Richard Huet et Sonia. Joyeux Noël. Star STR-9001

Huggett Family. Renaissance Noël. Ayre WRC1-1742

Ivan Romanoff Male Chorus. Ukrainian Christmas. CBC SM-67/Cap ST-633

Tom Jackson. The Huron Carol. Winnipeg Harvest

Janz Quartet. Christmas. Harvest PPHM-1787 (cass)

Sylvie Jasmin. Chante Noël. Trac TRA-1001

Jeunes Chanteurs d'Acadie. Revivre nos noëls/Christmas Reflections. Inter-Media WRC-203

Evan Joanness. Noël à l'église. No. 1 NTV-1839

Raoul Jobin. See Les Disciples de Massenet

Johnny Burt Singers and Orchestra. A Christmas Wish. CTL 477-5154

Ray Johnson. Christmas with Ray and His Friends. Audat 477-4015

Juliette, Jimmy Dale Swingers and Orchestra. Juliette's Christmas World. CBC SM-51/RCA CAS-2279

Julie et les frères Duguay. Noël. Bonanza B-29716

Connie Kaldor. See Bim

Leahy Family. Leahy Family. RCA KKL1-0576

Diane Leigh. Christmas at Home. Marathon TX-1002

Leslie Bell Singers. Carols and Traditional Songs. RCI 166

- The Story of the Nativity. RCA LCP-3001

Claude Leveillée. Noël avec Clo-Clo. Col HFL-8008

Little Mountain Singers, Vancouver. Christmas at the Planetarium. London PS-724

Judy Loman. Make We Merry: traditional carols arr by Loman for solo harp. CBC SM-80

Michel Louvain. Noël avec vous. Diva 6

Christmas Music Recorded by Canadians M-R-

Rita MacNeil. Now the Bells Ring. Virgin RM-3001

Magee Secondary School, Vancouver. Wolcum Yole! Ensemble EPN-129

Maple Leaf Singers. Christmas with the Maple Leaf Singers. KVP Records KVP-107

Marcel Martel. Noël à mon église. Bonanza B-29714

- Noël des temps nouveaux. DRM 1911

Rob McConnell arr. A Canadian Christmas/Noël Canadien. RCI 506

McGill Chamber Singers and Collegium Musicum. Buxtehude Cantatas for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. McGill University Records 83016

Loreena McKennitt To Drive the Cold Winter Away. Quinlan Road QR-102 (cass)

Catherine McKinnon. The Catherine McKinnon Christmas Album. Arc

Hugh McLean. Music for Christmas. CBC SM-209

McLeod-Stewarton United Church Choir, Ottawa. A Christmas Musicale... McLeod-Stewarton United Church QCS-1027

Jack McPartlin. You're All I Want for Christmas. Total TRC-913

The Men's Voyces. Christmas Music & Sundrie Songs. RDRC-21 (cass)

Mennonite Children's Choir. The Winnipeg Mennonite Children's Choir. RCA KCL1-0028/CTL CTLS-5175

Frank Mills. A Special Christmas. Capitol ST-6506/Capitol C2-93130 (CD)

Kenneth G. Mills and the Star-Scape Singers. Flame on the Hearth. Sun-Scape KGOM-8

- The Heraldic Message. 1985. Sun-Scape KGOM-22

- The Song - The Heart of Christmas. Sun-Scape 1990. KGOD-28 (CD)

Mistletones. A cappella Christmas. Holly CSPS-2848

- Hello Christmas. Duke Street DSR-31001

Shirley Montague. Trapper's Christmas. World WRC4-5923 (cass)

Montreal Bach Choir. Britten Ceremony of Carols. RCI 89

- Mon Canada (includes French-Canadian Christmas music). Vox STPL-511-860/Turnabout CTC-32003

Montreal Symphony Orchestra (with Leontyne Price). Noël Noël. Lon 410-198-1

Anne Murray. Christmas. Capitol C1-90886

- Christmas Wishes. Capitol SN-16232/Capitol CDP-7-46319-2 (CD)

Music Writers Orchestra and Chorus. Christmas Is For Children. Quality ONT-101/Quality SV-2121

- Santa Claus is Canadian. Quality ONT-100

Newfoundland Showband. Christmas in Newfoundland. Marathon DX-5141

Orchestre métropolitain. Chants tradionnels de Noël. Orchestre métropolitain OM-001

Oriana Singers. Christus Natus Est. HO 100

Chantal Pary. Pour tous eux qui sont seuls à Noël. Guy Cloutier PGC-902

The Peaches. Christmas with the Peaches. Realistic 68-8100

Fred Penner. The Season: A Family Christmas Celebration. Oak Street OSCD-025 (CD)

Les Petits Chanteurs de Granby. Minuit, Chrétiens. RCA Gala CGPS-278

- Noél avec Nathalie et les Petits Chanteurs de Granby. No. 1 NTV-1822

Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal. Telson AF-1517

Powell River Boys Choir - Powell River Girls Choir. Carols for Christmas. RR-28528

Pro Coro Canada. Britten A Ceremony of Carols - Ohrwall Gaudete. World WRC4-4362 (cass)

Raffi. Raffi's Christmas Album. Troubador TR-0026

Rick and Judy. Christmas Is Coming. J&R 5JR-184 (cass)

Claude Robin and le Choeur Charles-Émile-Gadbois. Chantons Noël. Enterprises Culturelles LE-2-7614

Rovers. It Was a Night Like This. Attic LAT-1149

Kelly Russell. Kelly's Green Christmas. Pigeon Inlet PIP4-7323 (cass)

Christmas Music Recorded by Canadians S-U-

The Sackville All Star Christmas Record. Milt Hinton, Ralph Sutton, Gus Johnson, Jim Galloway. Sackville 3038

St Andrew and St Paul Church Choir, Montreal. Noel Nouvelet. London LOS-26637

St Andrew's Church Choir, Scarborough. Of the Father's Love. J-Mar J-23592

St George's Cathedral Choir, Kingston. Christmas Carols. CCL 33-120

St John's Church, Shaughnessy (Vancouver). A Procession with Carols and Lessons for Advent Sunday. Ensemble EPN-187

St Mary Magdalene Singers. Hodie: Motets and Carols for the Advent of the Christ Child. St Mary Magdalene QC-982

- Rorate Coeli - Plainsong for Advent and Christmas. SMM 7506

- Veni: Music for Advent and Christmas. SMM 7807

St Mathew's Church, Ottawa. A Babe is Born. World WRC1-4606

St Matthias' Church, Westmount. In Dulci Jubilo. SMC 1003

- Noel. SMC 1001

St Michael's Choir School, Toronto. Shout For Joy! DT-6651

Pete Schofield and the Canadians. Christmas Is Love. P.S. Records 1002

Connie Scott. Christmas in Your Heart. Image VII VII-7828

George Beverly Shea. Christmas Hymns. RCA Victor LPM-2064

- Christmas With... RCA Camden CAL-850

Nathalie Simard. (with René Simard) Joyeux Fêtes. Guy Clouthier GC-2207

- Joyeux Noël Nathalie. NOBEL 1979

- Joyeux Noël à tous les enfants. Guy Clouthier PGC-901

- Noël avec Nathalie et les Petits Chanteurs de Granby. No. 1 NTV-1822

- (with René Simard) 20 Souvenirs de Noël. No. 1 Guy Clouthier GC-2202

René Simard. See also Nathalie Simard and Les Disciples de Massenet

- Ave Maria. Nobel NBL-503

The Singing Post Family. Christmas Time in the Country. Marathon DX-5144

Gordon Slater. Peace Tower Christmas. Tapestry GD-7373

Solstice. A Winter Solstice. Solstice 1988

Spitfire Band. Home for the Holidays. RCA EP-102

The Stringbusters. Christmas in the Maritimes. Marathon DX-5148

Toronto Boys' Choir -The Hanson Singers. BC 101

Toronto Children's Chorus. Dancing Day. TCC 009 (CD)

- In Dulci Jubilo. TCC D-002

- Spirit of Christmas. TCC D-003

Toronto Consort. Nowell Sing We. Collegium Records COLK-8304

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. See also Festival Singers. Handel Messiah. Beaver LPS-1001

- Handel Messiah. 2-Angel DSB-49027/EMI CDS-7-49027 (CD)/(highlights) EMI CDC-7-49407-2 (CD)

Toto et Totounne. Chante Noël! TT T-200

Paul Trépanier. See Ensemble vocal Polymnie

Sylvia Tyson. A Cosmic Christmas. Nelvan NEL-7801

University Singers. Christmas With... University of Manitoba KC-182 (cass)

Christmas Music Recorded by Canadians V-Z-

Claude Valade. Chante Noël. Telson AE-1516

Vancouver Bach Choir. Music for Christmas.. VBC 001L

Vancouver Chamber Choir. Christmas Carols from Many Lands. CBC SM-338

- Sweet Was The Song. Marquis ERA-107

Richard Verreau (see also Disciples de Massenet). Chantons Noël. RCA LSC-2390

V'là l'bon vent. Noël en coeur. BV CD-30

Lois Walker and the Puppcorns. Invite a Puppcorn to Christmas Dinner. Puppcorn PUP-102

Westmorland Singers. Christmas in Canada with the Westmorland Singers. Rodeo RBS-1065

Rick Wilkins and the Mutual Understanding. Peace. CBC LM-80

Woodstock Choralaires. Christmas With the Choralaires. Fantasy Sound FS-23567

VARIOUS ARTISTS

A Country Christmas. CFMK Kingston 963-1988 (cass)

A Winnipeg Christmas. Armdale Z103-89-2 (cass)

Les Chorales du Québec chantent Noël. Telson AE-1523

Christmas in Canada. Toronto Chamber Choir, Montreal Bach Choir, et al. MMG CCT-2009 (cass)

Christmas in the Valley, Ottawa, 5 vols. Wayne Rostad and friends. Stag Creek SCLP-1113-14-15, CKBY 1052-2 (CD), CKBY 1053-2 (CD)

Christmas Jam. Bim, Michel Rivard, Colleen Peterson, et al. RCI 511

Christmas on the Coast. JR Country '88 (cass)

Christmas On the Island. CFCY/Q93 ACC-49141 (cass)

Christmaspak. Helen O'Ryan, Wendy West, et al. RDR Promotions RDRCD-182 (CD)

Collection de Noël. Ginette Reno, Michel Pagliaro, Renée Martel, Patrick Zabé, at al. 2-Polygram 840-579-1

Do Not Open Till Christmas. Grapes of Wrath, 54/40, et al. Garbonzo Bean Productions GARBO-3 (cass)

Noël d'antan. Fernand Gignac, Richard Verreau, et al. No. 1 NTV-1848

Nostalgie de Noël. Fernand Gignac, Nicole Martin, et al. Guy Clouthier GC-2205

The Singalong Jubilee Christmas Album. Catherine McKinnon, Bill Langstroth, et al. Arc AC-10

The 100 Huntley Street Christmas Album. Mainroads HSV-1062

Réveillon. Brighton Rock, George Fox, Blue Rodeo, et al. WEA CDP-632 (CD)

Tonight is for Christmas. Writer's Bloc. Snowy River SRR-S-18 (cass)

Further Reading