Christmas Variations: Rick Wakeman: Amazon.co.uk: Music

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Track Listings

1. Silent Night

2. Hark The Herald Angels Sing

3. Christians Awake Salute The Happy Morn

4. Away In A Manger

5. While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks By Night

6. O Little Town Of Bethlehem

7. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

8. Once In Royal David's City

9. O Come All Ye Faithful

10. Angels From The Realms Of Glory

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progressive rock(2)

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4 Reviews

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4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best, 27 Dec 2007

By	Dr. Martin Graham Duke (uk) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Christmas Variations (Audio CD)

without doubt, this is one of the best piano / Christmas albums for listening to whilst opening presents and having Christmas lunch. Buy it for Next Christmas - you will not be disappointed

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4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Rick's favourite albums!, 13 Nov 2007

By	Jon Kirkman - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Christmas Variations (Audio CD)

Rick Wakeman's interest in music began at an early age and it was originally thought that a career as a classical pianist lay in store for Rick and a spell at the Royal College Of Music would seem to support this theory. Unfortunately Rick preferred playing in bands and appearing on the lucrative session circuit than studying as a classical pianist and decided to leave the Royal College of Music or was perhaps gently pushed in that direction depending on whose story you believe.

Whatever the facts one thing is certain Rick Wakeman was in heavy demand playing sessions for some of the biggest names in pop music at this time (Late sixties/early seventies) and as such played on many hit singles including records by Brotherhood Of Man, Cat Stevens, T.Rex and also played on the David Bowie single Space Oddity.

Around this time Rick also decided to join the British folk rock band the Strawbs and it was with this band that Rick first caught the attention of the band with whom he is most closely associated...Yes.

Rick left the Strawbs following a well received live album (Just A Collection Of Antiques and Curios) and a studio album (From The Witchwood) and joined Yes in time to record the bands fourth album Fragile and the single from that album (Roundabout) went on to achieve great success in America.

Rick would achieve great success with Yes recording a number of highly successful albums with the band including Close To The Edge, Tales From Topographic Oceans and the live Yessongs.

It was also around this time that Rick released his own debut solo album The Six Wives Of Henry The Eighth. Rick decided to leave Yes following disagreements over the bands album Tales From Topographic Oceans and went solo full time recording his second album a musical interpretation of Jules Verne's Journey To The Centre Of The Earth.

With this album Rick became a bona fide superstar and recorded more themed albums including The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and The Knights Of The Round Table. He also recorded two well-received film soundtracks for the films White Rock and Ken Russell's Lisztomania in which he also had a small role.

Returning to Yes in 1977 Rick managed to juggle both the responsibilities of a solo career and also his obligations to Yes although once again in 1979 Rick departed Yes for a solo career. Rick would return to Yes again on a number of occasions and at the time of writing is still a member of the premier British progressive rock band.

This album has been unavailable for some time and is indeed one of Rick's favourite albums. Comprising ten traditional Christmas Carols performed in the inimitable style of Rick Wakeman Christmas Variations is that rare thing a Christmas album that you can play all year round. This version of the album has been re mastered for release.

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2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ready For A Funeral?, 23 Mar 2000

By	Peter H. Kistemaker (Helmond, Noord Brabant Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The New Gospels [VHS] [2000] (VHS Tape)

Oh, boy. What was I dissapointed after receiving both the video and the CD. High expectations after reading his book "say Yes" drove me to buy this work of Rick Wakeman, but after 5 minutes my expectations decended to a new low record. With the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar in my mind, which can move me even today with lyrics and music, I put on the tape. Sound and Vision are O.K. That's very important for a Video I think but the music was in one word boring. No outstanding pieces of music that i,m used from Rick and the leadsinger has a beautiful voice, no doubt about that, but was out of place in this production and should sing in Opera or Operette. The Choir was dominately present and the keyboard play of the Wakemans was very background in the whole play. If you are a fan of Opera etc. and like music that lingers on without any highs or lows, than you should buy this Video or CD. Otherwise save your money and look for something more vivid.The video gets 1 star more than the CD because the Sound and Vision of it makes it more attractive than the CD alone.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Rick Wakeman Christmas
This is a really soothing alternative Christmas album so much so i am still listening to it at the end of Jan.

Published 5 months ago by Bee

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	67% buy the item featured on this page: Christmas Variations 4.5 out of 5 stars (4)
	15% buy Rick Wakeman - Amazing Grace [DVD] [NTSC] 3.0 out of 5 stars (2) �11.98
	7% buy The Six Wives of Henry VIII 4.2 out of 5 stars (8) �10.49
	6% buy Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3.7 out of 5 stars (7) �10.29


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