The First Alfred Burt Christmas LP

My friend David F. shared his compilation of Alfred Burt's carols last year, but I thought some of you might want to have a transfer of and scans from the original 10-inch album that brought Burt's superb Christmas compositions to public notice.

Burt's best-known song is undoubtedly "Caroling, Caroling," but "Some Children See Him" and "The Star Carol" also are well-loved. All were first heard on this 1954 LP issued by Columbia after the composer's early death.

Alfred Burt and Anne Shortt Burt, 1945

Burt produced his carols for a circle of friends and family, one song each season from 1942 to 1954, when he succumbed to cancer at age 33. Writing carols was a family tradition begun by his father, the Rev. Bates Burt, rector of an Episcopal church in Pontiac, Mich. The two Burts wrote the lyrics to Alfred's earliest carols. After the Rev. Burt died in 1948, Alfred collaborated with Wihla Hutson, the organist at his father's church.

Alfred Burt attended the University of Michigan before and after Army service during World War II. After graduation, he become a professional musician, eventually working as a California-based trumpeter and arranger for Alvino Rey, Hal Richards and Horace Heidt.

Burt's carols had come to the attention of Columbia executive Jim Conkling, who was married to Donna King, one of the King Sisters who performed with Rey's orchestra. When Burt became sick in 1953, Conkling moved ahead with plans for a record. The first sessions took place late that year in Los Angeles area churches. Burt wrote one of his final carols for his Christmas card that year, "O Hearken Ye," followed by one of his most beloved works, "The Star Carol" early the next year. He died in February 1954.

The producer of this record was Buddy Cole, the well-known pianist. He was married at the time to another of the King Sisters, Yvonne. The performances are ascribed to the Columbia Choir, a group of studio singers. The conductor was Bud Linn, himself a well-known tenor who was a member of the King's Men and the Ken Darby Singers. The only other performer credited is soprano Norma Zimmer, even then a noted studio vocalist who appeared with the Ken Darby group, the Norman Luboff Choir, the Voices of Walter Schumann and the Pete King Chorale. She later had a long association with Lawrence Welk's television program.

My transfer is from the first issue (cover at top). The sound is excellent.

Reissue cover

Christmas Music from the Renaissance, Plus Alfred Burt's Holiday Compositions

We reach back to the 16th and 17th centuries for today's Christmas program, which comes to us from the Renaissance Singers and the Choristers of Ely Cathedral, circa 1958. As a bonus, our friend David Federman has contributed two LPs devoted to the music of Christmas composer Alfred Burt.

Let's look at David's selections first.

The Irving Berlin of American Sacred Christmas Music: Alfred Burt

Alfred Burt

David explains that "in 1942, big band trumpet player and arranger Alfred Burt wrote the first of the 15 Christmas carols, 'Christmas Cometh Caroling,' he would write yearly until the end of his life in February 1954, aged 34, from lung cancer."

David has compiled two LPs dedicated to presenting Burt's craft, one conducted by Ralph Carmichael in 1954, the other by Jimmy Joyce in 1963. "You owe these albums a listen," says David. "My second-favorite carol, after 'Silent Night,' is 'Some Children See Him,' from 1951."

Music for the Feast of Christmas

Michael Howard

Argo Records' holiday issue for 1958 was a collection of primarily Renaissance music presented by the Choristers of Ely Cathedral and the Renaissance Singers, directed by Michael Howard.

The choral items are by Caustun, Gibbons, Amner, Palestrina, Sweelinck, Byrd, Handl, Victoria and Dufay, with two plainsong selections and the Coventry Carol from 1591. Argo added - incongruously - a Messiaen organ work, "Les Anges," following the Amner anthem, the connection being that both the 17th and 20th century composers depict angels attending the birth of Christ. No fluttering wings for Messiaen - the din from his angels would have awakened half of Bethlehem.

The performances are very good. Michael Howard was founder and director of the Renaissance Singers as well as music director of Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire. He played a significant role in the revival of Renaissance music in post-war Britain.

Nave of Ely Cathedral

According to the contemporary Gramophone review (included in the download), Howard utilized women's voices for the Singers' London concerts, replacing them with the boys of the Ely Cathedral choir for this recording. The organist was Arthur Wills, who replaced Howard as the Ely music director soon after this record was made, remaining there for 32 years.

Composer John Amner was himself an Ely Cathedral music director, in the 17th century. By that time, the Cathedral, an astonishingly beautiful place, had already been in existence for more than five centuries.

The sound is reasonably good, although the pitch was about a quarter tone off. My copy is mono. Argo also issued a stereo version (see ad below). Decca would soon take over Argo, and my record is a slightly later pressing on Decca's London label made for export to the US.

The cover art above is by the wonderful Arthur Wragg, who did many designs for Argo in its early years. You can see a selection of his work for the label here.

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Ad from December 1958 Gramophone (click to enlarge)