Just when you thought the classical charts couldn’t get more depressing….

Just when you thought the classical charts couldn’t get more depressing….

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norman lebrecht

November 26, 2014

One release sold more copies last week than any classical album in any week in the past year.

Almost twice as many as the next contender.

Over 9,000 copies sold in the US, according to the infallible Nielsen Soundscan. 9,106 to be precise.

Cause for celebration?

It’s Christmas at Downton Abbey.

xmas at downton2

Comments

  • Robert Holmén says:

    You get to hear Mr. Carson do “’twas the night before Christmas”

  • JAMA11 says:

    Norman, THIS is why nobody is churning out recordings of Schnittke string quartets.

  • Christy says:

    I love this album. A very traditional album, featuring beautiful songs by Dame Kiri te Kanawa and the Choir of King’s College, as well as other traditional hymns from the Downton Abby actors.

    In an album of 45 (!!) songs, the only two I skip are those by Elizabeth McGovern, who tried, but…. 😉

    I suggest anyone saying this doesn’t deserve 9,000 sales should listen to it. It’s certainly a more authentic, impressive work than many classical CDs (Netrebko’s Four Last Songs anyone?). And at a time in the world when many things don’t look wonderful, this is uplifting and joyful.

    • GEll says:

      Or the even worse and unbearably awful “Christmas in New York” by Fleming.

      • Christy says:

        Thank you, Gell, although I like that CD. I appreciate that it’s jazz so don’t expect a classical sound at all. I am also a jazz fan. I simply take each CD for its intent, and I especially appreciate the jazz masters who are also on the CD. It’s a bit too intentionally “artsy” in places, but it’s very enjoyable for the season.

  • Elizabeth Lesar says:

    Look… anything with Dame te Kanawa and the Choir of King’s College has my vote.

  • Christy says:

    I suspect jazz greats Wynton Marsalis, Gregory Porter, and Kurt Elling – all of whom appear more than once and worked on the arrangements – would disagree.

  • Milka says:

    Who said ” there’s a sucker born every minute “?
    having hit a gold mine they are milking
    it for all it’s worth .Kanawa !!!!?????

  • secret guy says:

    This is a Christmas album, so it’s not to be blamed. The failure of the rest of the classical recording market is the problem.

    Would you prefer to live in a world where even the best selling Chritsmas record was full of MIDI and pop stars?

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