The Christmas Attic
The Christmas Attic | ||||
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Studio album by Trans-Siberian Orchestra | ||||
Released | September 15, 1998 | |||
Genre | Symphonic rock, Christmas music | |||
Length | 73:19 | |||
Label | Lava Records | |||
Producer | Paul O'Neill and Robert Kinkel | |||
Trans-Siberian Orchestra chronology | ||||
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | link |
The Christmas Attic is the second album by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a rock opera, and the second installment of their Christmas Trilogy. Cover art created by Edgar Jerins.[1]
The story is about a young child exploring the attic in an old house on Christmas Eve. The opening poetry sets up the story;
In this room where shadows live
And ghost that fail learn time forgives
Welcome friends please stay a while
Our story starts with one small child
Who spend her nights in attics dark
Where dreams are stored like sleeping hearts
This album contains a mix of vocal and instrumental songs but as usual with TSO the story is the core of the album.
The track "Christmas Canon," one of the orchestra's most well-known songs, is a variation of Johann Pachelbel's famous Canon in D Major, with lyrics and new music added.
The album will be performed live for the first time during the band's 2014 Winter Tour.
Track listing
- "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve" – 2:15
- "Boughs of Holly" – 4:24 *
- "The World That She Sees" – 4:13
- "Midnight Christmas Eve" – 4:21 *
- "The March of the Kings / Hark The Herald Angels Sing" – 3:52 *
- "The Three Kings and I (What Really Happened)" – 6:29
- "Christmas Canon" – 4:19
- "Joy of Man's Desire / Angels We Have Heard on High" – 3:55
- "Find Our Way Home" – 3:45
- "Appalachian Snowfall" – 4:12 *
- "The Music Box" – 3:01
- "The Snow Came Down" – 5:43
- "Christmas in the Air" – 4:12
- "Dream Child (A Christmas Dream)" – 7:04
- "An Angel's Share" – 3:05
- "Music Box Blues" – 5:36
(*) indicates an instrumental
The album was re-released in 2002 with a companion track to "The World That She Sees" (which was shortened from 5:59 to 3:00 minutes) called "The World That He Sees" inserted into the track listing directly after "She Sees" and having a length of 4:45. The last track "Music Box Blues" was also truncated to 4:57; this version was previously used in their film "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve."
Personnel
- Paul O'Neill - Producer
- Robert Kinkel - Co-Producer
- Dave Wittman - Recording and Mix Engineer
Performers
Vocals
Solos:
- Jody Ashworth
- Joe Cerisano
- Katrina Chester
- Marlene Danielle
- Thomas Farese
- Peggy Harley
- Daryl B. Pediford
Back-Ups:
- Latisha Jordan - Background Coordinator
- Peggy Harley
- Robert Kinkel
- Maurice Lauchner
- Al Pitrelli
- Jon Oliva
- Timara Sanders
- Zak Stevens
- Doug Thoms
- Yolanda Wyns
Child choir
Conductor:
- Dan Moriarty
Choir:
- The Choristers, St. Bartholomew's Church, New York City
- Marilina Acosta
- Brendan Burgess
- Julian George
- Shoshana Frishberg
- Julia George
- Jack Gibson
- Nina Gottlieb
- Erick Hernandez
- Michelle Repella
- Anton Spivack
Orchestra
- Robert Kinkel - Piano and Keyboards
- Jon Oliva - Piano, Keyboards and Bass Guitars
- Al Pitrelli - Lead, Rhythm and Bass Guitars
- Paul O'Neill - Rhythm Guitars
- Johnny Lee Middleton - Bass
- Jeff Plate - Drums
- Chris Caffery - Rhythm Guitars[2]
References to other carols and works
- "Boughs of Holly" is a reworking of "Deck the Halls".
- "March of the Kings/Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," besides the obvious carol, is also a rock version of the Farandole from Bizet's L'Arlésienne's Suite No. 2.
- "The Three Kings and I (What Really Happened)" briefly quotes O Holy Night and the Hallelujah Chorus.
- "Christmas Canon" is based on Pachelbel's Canon.
- The "Joy" section of "Joy/Angels We Have Heard on High" is a reworking of Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."
References
- ↑ Interview with Edgar Jerins
- ↑ "Chris Caffery Interview". Music Legends. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
External links
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