01. O Come O Come Emmanuel (3:36)
02. Ding Dong Merrily On High (2:19)
03. Away In A Manger (3:36)
04. In dulci jubilo (2:31)
05. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (3:39)
06. Santa Baby (3:23)
07. Deck The Halls (2:19)
08. Sleep Quietly My Jesus (2:51)
09. I Wish You Christmas (4:25)
10. Angels From The Realms Of Glory (4:16)
11. Wexford Carol (5:08)
12. Hark The Herald Angels Sing (3:20)
13. Come What May (with Plácido Domingo) (4:35)
14. O Holy Night (feat. Nathan Pacheco) (4:17)
Credits:
Katherine Jenkins - Soprano Vocals
Plácido Domingo - Tenor Vocals (13)
Nathan Pacheco - Tenor Vocals (14)
Orchestrated, Arranged & Conducted by Sally Herbert
Arranged by Sally Herbert (1-9, 11, 13), Nicholas Dodd (10, 12), Leo Z (14)
Orchestra Contractor: Isobel Griffiths
Choir: Coro Choir
Chorus Master: Mark Griffiths
Additional Score & Piano: Colin Rae
Percussion: Frank Riccoti, Sam Walton, Joby Burgess, Gary Kettle
Timpani: Joby Burgess
Harp: Skalia Kanga
Tuba: Owen Slade
Tenor Bass: Andy Wood
Tenor Trombone: Richard Edwards, Dudley Bright
Trombone: Andy Wood
Trumpet: Andrew Crowley, John Barclay, Richard Berry
Horn: Richard Watkins, Martin Owen, Richard Berry
Bassoon: Stephen Maw
Clarinet: Nicholas Bucknall, David Fuest
Oboe: Gareth Hulse
Flute: Karen Jones, Anna Noakes
Bass: Chris Laurence, Lucy Shaw, Richard Pryce, Reiad Chibah
Double Bass: Chris Laurence, Lucy Shaw, Richard Pryce
Viola: Ian Rathbone, Claire Orsler, Vicci Wardman, Bruce White, Timothy Grant, Rachel Robson
Cello: Ian Burdge, Nick Cooper, Sophie Harris, Bozidar Vulotic, Tony Wollard, Chris Worsey
Violin: Alison Dodds, Peter Hanson, Tim Pigott-Smith, Richard George, Warren Zielinski, Patrick Kiernan, John Smart, Ian Belton, Nicky Sweeney, Liz Edwards, Ian Humphries, Deborah Widdup, Dai Emanuel, Everton Nelson, Emil Chakalov, Steve Morris, Sonia Slan, Julia Singleton, Cathy Thompson, Rita Manning, Natalia Bonner
Written by Christmas Traditional (1-4, 7, 10-12), Robert Wells (5), Melvin H. Tormé (5), Joan Jarvis (6), Phillip Springer (6), Tony Springer (6), Ruth Heller (8), John Milford Rutter (9), Kevin Gilbert (13), David Baerwald (13), Adolphe Adam (14), Placide Cappeau (14)
Produced by Mike Hedges, Rafa Sardina (13), Leo Z (14)
Recorded by Haydn Bendall
Engineered by Haydn Bendall, Guy Massey (Choir)
Recorded & Mixed by Haydn Bendall, Michael Brauer (14)
Mastered by Doug Sax (14)
Photography: Daniela Federici
Design: Peacock
Liner Notes: Katherine Jenkins
Release Notes:
Best known for her unique interpretations of popular songs, operatic arias and hymns, singer Katherine Jenkins embraces a new genre as the multi-million selling mezzo-soprano releases her first Christmas album, This is Christmas. This is the ninth studio album by world's most prolific classical crossover artist Katherine Jenkins and was released on 30 October in the US and Canada, and 26 November in the UK.
Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins' first official holiday album sounds exactly like what one would expect from the reigning queen of the classical crossover charts. Lush, languid, and lovingly orchestrated, the succinct, ten-track This Is Christmas is certainly bereft of surprises, catering to the comforts of the season by sticking with the standards ("Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "Deck the Halls," "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)," "Away in a Manger"), despite tossing in a sugar plum-encrusted curve ball with a swooning rendition of "Come What May" from Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge. Throughout it all, Jenkins further cements her reputation as one of the 21st century's vocal pop greats, instilling each familiar melody, whether it be sacred ("O Come O Come Emmanuel") or silly ("Santa Baby") with the warmth of a thousand fireplaces.
Charts:
UK Top 40 Albums - #26
Irish Top 100 Albums - #13
U.S. Billboard Classical Albums - #3
U.S. Billboard Heatseekers Albums - #1
While still in her mid-twenties, Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins emerged as Britain's all-time best-selling classical artist, although critics charged her success was more a result of physical beauty than musical talent. Born June 29, 1980, in Neath, West Glamorgan, Wales, Jenkins fell under the sway of classical music at age seven, studying piano and singing in her local choir throughout childhood. In 1990, she joined the Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers and also served with the National Youth Choir of Wales. At 17, Jenkins was accepted into London's Royal Academy of Music, tackling a series of operatic roles while studying Italian, German, French, and Russian. She continued pursuing opera as a postgraduate while moonlighting as a vocal instructor, but upon winning the Face of Wales modeling contest she instead supplemented her income as a fashion model. In 2003, Universal Classics signed Jenkins to a six-album, seven-figure recording contract, reputedly the largest deal in the U.K.'s classical music history. While at work on her debut LP, she performed at Westminster Cathedral in honor of Pope John Paul II and also made her inaugural appearance at the famed Sydney Opera House. Issued in the spring of 2004, Jenkins' debut, Premiere, immediately topped the classical music charts, and its success inspired a quickie follow-up, Second Nature. Together the albums vaulted the singer to a level of commercial success previously unknown in classical music circles, and she further exploited her growing mainstream popularity by recording a classical rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" for 2005's Living a Dream. Serenade topped both the U.K. classical and album charts in 2006, as did Rejoice the following year. Sacred Arias (2008) represented her last album for Universal before transitioning to Warner Bros. for the more contemporary Believe (2009) and Daydream (2011). The following year Jenkins released her first official holiday album, This Is Christmas. In 2013 she returned to Decca with the release of the L'Amour collection, while the same year raised over £25,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in the U.K. by running the London marathon. Her dedication to charity and the music industry was recognized in 2014 with an O.B.E. in that year's New Year's honors. That same year, Jenkins returned to her classical-crossover roots with the album Home Sweet Home, which featured a collection of rousing anthems with nods to her home country. Taking time away from the music industry to give birth to her first child in 2015, Jenkins returned in 2016 with her 11th studio album, Celebration. Released to coincide with Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday celebrations, the album featured a host of patriotic numbers, including the full three-verse version of the British national anthem, "God Save the Queen." In addition to winning various BRIT awards, the 32-year-old Welsh singer has sold more than seven million albums worldwide.
