Steven Curtis Chapman has captured the gentle love, the exuberant joy and the warmth of family in his Christmas CD The Music of Christmas. Released in 1995 by Sparrow Records the CD is a compilation of favorite classic Christmas songs and hymns, as well as, original Christmas songs that will soon become your favorites.

The Music of Christmas is the first CD I put on, usually the first day after Thanksgiving, and I play it many times a day. It lifts me up, it mellows me out and it just gives me a warm feeling as I listen to Steven Curtis Chapman's smooth, powerful voice rejoice in the Christmas season. My children love to listen to this CD and we will play it in the car as we drive to our various shopping and visitation destinations over the holidays.

The following are the tracks on The Music of Christmas and a brief description of each , as well as, my personal thoughts on each:

1)Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/ The Music Of Christmas
This combination of a classic hymn and the title track mixes the magnificent joy of the angels proclaiming the birth of Jesus and the meassage that the true music of Christmas can be heard in a child's voice, in a baby's cry or in nature which is all around us.

2)Christmas Is All In The Heart
The lyrics in this song remind us all that the music of Christmas comes from each one of us, it is all in the heart!

3)Angels We Have Heard On High
Anyone who has ever been to church at Christmas time know this hymn to be a favorite of all. Steven Curtis Chapman has allowed this hymn to stand on it's own.

4)O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Another classic hymn transposed into a slower version. It evokes feeling of power and greatness in the strong lyrics and the orchestration adds to the power with a wonderful horn solo.

5)Our God Is With Us
The story of loneliness and how each one of is never alone because God sent His Son to earth to be with us always."We will never face life alone now that God has made Himself know. Father and Friend with us through the end, Emmanuel" What an uplifting thought!

6)Interlude: The Music Of Christmas
The interlude is an instrumental version of Joy To The World, The First Noel,Angels We Have Heard On High and The Music Of Christmas. It is a nice separation between vocal selections.

7)This Baby
One of my favorite tracks on the entire CD. It speaks of how Jesus was just like any other baby. He cried, he laughed, people cheered when he took his first steps, but this baby made angels sing, this baby was God's own Son. And as He grew He experienced all the things a boy and a young man normally do, but He was different......He had come to change the world.

8)Silent Night/Away In A Manger/O Holy Night
Cherished songs of Sunday School Days! Singing along with these three songs brings back memories of Christmas pageants, Sunday School class and pre-school skits. They will take you down memory lane!

9)Carol Of The Bells
Another fine instrumental of a timeless classic. The acoustic guitar and percussion combination is magnificent. I wouldn't classify it as over the top guitar playing, but it has some interesting moments.


10)O Come All Ye Faithful
A chorus of voices join with Steven Curtis Chapman as he sings with conviction this hymn of old. His voice is so melodic and gentle, yet so incredibly powerful. He has the voice of an angel, at least I am hoping the angels will sound this way. He adds a small chorus to the middle of the song and a chorus of small children join with him and the adult choir to give a "Vienna Boys Choir" feel to the song. Truly makes me think of Christmas when I hear small children singing, "Come O Let Us Adore Him".

11)Going Home For Christmas
Christmas and the holidays are usually a time for family and traveling home. This song tells a story of a woman who is growing old and can no longer celebrate with her family at the holidays. She is growing old and is dying. She tells them she is going home for Christmas. The home she is speaking of is Heaven. She tells her family that she will be with the ones she misses and loves and she will be face to face with Jesus as her family celebrates His birth. The family is sad at their loss, but they know she is singing with the angels.

12)Precious Promise
The final track on The Music of Christmas speaks of Mary and the promise that God made to her. She had an overwhelming joy that God chose her to bear His Son, but worries what those people around her will say. It shows the human side of Mary, one who is held in such high esteem. It also tells of Joseph, who took Mary as his wife and gave her and her son a home, even though this child was not his.
The Precious Promise that God made the whole earth when He gave us His gift of love, His Son, Jesus.


I am so glad I was able to tell you about my favorite Christmas album of all time. It has been a part of my Christmas celebration for the past 5 years and I know it will continue to be the first and most played CD in my holiday collection.


~~~~~~This review is part of the Favorite Christmas Album Write-Off. Please visit the other writers in this write-off and read their wonderful reviews. You just may find a album to add to your holiday music collection.

acdc711, beckish, bops_mom, bmcnichol, BIGELLOW, Cate1956, cbgresh,
chrisceb, chrisjarmick, ChriseyB, Debbie26, djsplendid, elorraine, ginaav,
hhire, HITZfann, JeannieKerns, JENNI1396, KMINER, lonelyladyk, marislet,
panterad00d, phineaskcl, Pilotgirl, Presleysmama, prfstars, Shooglenifty,
sweetcece, tchoate~~~~~~




Recommended: Yes