A Christmas Treasure is the sixth studio album and first Christmas album by English singer and actress Julie Andrews. It was released in 1967 by RCA Victor and features the participation of André Previn's orchestra.[1] Music on the album is made up of British, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Christmas songs.[2]

The album was recorded in the summer of 1966 at the RCA studios in Beverly Hills, and was merchandised through Firestone outlets in the US and Canada, initially titled Your Favorite Christmas Carols, Volume 5.[2] The track listing of the Firestone release is shortened by two songs, "The Lamb of God" and "Greensleeves", resulting in a total of 12 tracks.[3] Rights to the Firestone record have reverted to RCA Victor, and the album was one of the seven new Christmas albums released by the company in 1967, as part of a major Christmas advertising campaign, which included newspaper ads, promotional materials for stores, and prominent placement at points of sale.[4]

In 2000, a new CD by Andrews titled Greatest Christmas Songs was released with the same track listing of A Christmas Treasure plus three new songs that came from Andrews's 1958's album Julie Andrews Sings: "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Cheek to Cheek" and "Falling in Love with Love". Heather Phares from AllMusic rated this album three out of five stars.[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
BillboardFavorable[7]
Record WorldFavorable[8]

The critic William Ruhlmann from AllMusic website rated the album four out of five stars and describes it as Julie Andrews' first musical project since The Sound of Music and her first non-soundtrack album in four years. He noted the album features traditional and lesser-known Christmas hymns, some with unfamiliar arrangements, such as "Angels from the Realms of Glory". According to him, André Previn's contributions, including unique instrumental versions of classics like "O Little Town of Bethlehem", add a cinematic flair. While praising Andrews' warm yet proper vocals, Ruhlmann characterizes the album as appealing but somewhat formal in its approach to holiday music.[6]

The Billboard review was favorable. The critic praised Andrews' voice, describing it as "sweet and joyful," perfectly suited to the holiday spirit. Additionally, the review highlighted André Previn's arrangements and orchestral accompaniment, noting that they seamlessly complemented the festive mood. The review ultimately concluded that the album is truly a "Christmas treasure," reinforcing its positive assessment.[7]

The same opinion was shared by the critic from Record World. Describing Julie Andrews as singing "like the angel on the highest bough," the review praised her rendition of both familiar and lesser-known carols. It also highlighted André Previn’s arrangements, which were crafted into a "gorgeous Christmas cantata." The critic concluded by calling the album a "stunning, beautiful Christmas gift," reinforcing its highly positive reception.[8]

Commercial performance

The album was expected to be a major success, as Andrews had recently achieved great acclaim with both the soundtrack and the film The Sound of Music, released in 1965.[9] The original Firestone album, Your Favorite Christmas Carols Volume 5, was one of the largest sellers in the company's history of similarly handled recordings.[2]

On November 18, 1967, Cashbox magazine featured the album in its review section, highlighting its strong selection of musical tracks and predicting its presence on the charts.[10] The album performed well on Billboard's charts. However, since it was a Christmas release, it was not eligible to appear on the Billboard 200 and was instead featured on the Christmas LP's chart,[11] peaking at #9.[12]

On July 8, 1967, Cashbox magazine published a list of the best-selling albums in Australia over the past 12 months. A Christmas Treasure was featured among RCA's top-selling albums during that period.[13]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Joy to the World"Lowell Mason / Isaac Watts2:56
2."Irish Carol"Traditional3:19
3."O Little Town of Bethlehem"Phillips Brooks / Lewis Redner2:46
4."Deck the Halls"Thomas Oliphant2:26
5."Angels from the Realms of Glory"James Montgomery2:33
6."The Lamb of God" 3:27
7."Away in a Manger"James R. Murray / Traditional3:32
8."Sunny Bank (I Saw Three Ships)" 2:29
9."It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"Edmund Sears / Richard Storrs Willis3:15
10."Greensleeves (What Child Is This?)"William Chatterton Dix / Traditional3:06
11."The Bells of Christmas"Traditional3:01
12."God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"Traditional3:05
13."Wexford Carol" 3:46
14."Jingle Bells"James Pierpont3:04

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of A Christmas Treasure record.[14]

  • Arranged and Harpsichord by André Previn
  • Produced by Neely Plumb, Richard M. Bradshaw
  • Engineered by Dick Bogart
  • Liner Notes by André Previn
  • Photographed (the album cover) by Ken Whitmore

Charts

Weekly chart performance for A Christmas Treasure
Chart (1967) Peak
position
US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard)[15] 9

References

  1. ^ "New Album Releases". Billboard. Vol. 79, no. 46. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 18 November 1967. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Andrews-Previn LP To RCA" (PDF). Cashbox. July 29, 1967. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  3. ^ Arntz & Wilson 1995, p. 231
  4. ^ "RCA readies massive Xmas campaign" (PDF). Cashbox. 25 November 1967. p. 46. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  5. ^ Phares, Heather. "Greatest Christmas Songs - Julie Andrews". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  6. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "A Christmas Treasure - Julie Andrews | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 18 November 1967. p. 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Christmas Albums" (PDF). Record World. 18 November 1967. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Australia" (PDF). Cashbox. 10 December 1967. p. 54. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  10. ^ "Christmas album reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. 18 November 1967. p. 56. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  11. ^ Grein, Paul (8 June 2022). "AFI Honoree Julie Andrews' 'Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious' History on the Billboard Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  12. ^ "Best bets for Christmas" (PDF). Billboard. 2 December 1967. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  13. ^ "Australia's best selling records during the past 12 months" (PDF). Cashbox. 8 July 1967. p. 56. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  14. ^ Julie Andrews (1967). A Christmas Treasure (liner notes). RCA Victor. LSP 3829.
  15. ^ "Billboard Best Bets for Christmas". Billboard. Vol. 79, no. 48. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 2 December 1967. p. 8. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 13 March 2025.

Bibliography

  • Arntz, James; Wilson, Thomas S. (1995). Julie Andrews. Two Prudential Plaza, Chicago. Illinois: Contemporary Books, Inc. ISBN 0-8092-3267-7.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Treasure
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