One of the delights of the season is getting out my Christmas CDs especially these 4 Thijs Van Leer offerings from 1976, 1982, 1996 and 2000. Each of the albums is slightly different in its approach and they include a variety of musicians accompanying Thijs's flute. Some 54 tracks are presented altogether, mostly Christmas carols. Several tracks are repeated - Ave Maria, Away in a manger (on 3 of the 4), Gloria in excelsis Deo, Hark the herald, Joy to the world, Mary had a baby, O Jesulein Suss, Silent Night.
Also there are the Adeste Fideles, Coventry Carol, Ding Dong Merrily on High, Er is een Kindeke geboren op aard´, Es ist ein Ros´ entsprungen, For unto us a Child is born, God rest ye merry Gentlemen, Hoe leit dit Kindeke, Ich steh´ an deiner Krippen hier, In the bleak midwinter, Maria die zoude naar Bethlehem gaan, Mary's Boychild, Mary Sing Alleluia, Schlummert Ein, Süsser Trost Mein Jesus Kommt, The First Noel, The Royal Line, Tous Les Bourgeois de Chatre, Vom Himmel hoch and What child is this (Greensleeves).
There are more secular Christmas songs on the two later albums - Deck the halls, I'll be home for Christmas, When a child is born and White Christmas - and some tracks that have no obvious Christmas connection (Rondo 1, Fin de Siecle, House of the King, I have a dream, Tango, pieces by Corelli and Vinci).
Things can get a little muzacky at times but all in all these are great albums mainly highlighting the solo flute skills of a great musician.
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