- Christmas with Gheorghe Zamfir by Gheorghe Zamfir CD Philips
- Artist: Gheorghe Zamfir
- Released: 1984
- Format: CD
- Record Label: Philips
- Genre: Christmas, Easy Listening
- UPC: 042282257123
- Printed in West Germany
Thanks to countless TV ads hawking collections of his music, Zamfir is almost universally recognized as the "Master of the Pan Flute." While that title may be cause for smirking in some quarters -- whether because of its overexposure or a general distaste for easy listening music -- it's true that Gheorghe Zamfir was single-handedly responsible for popularizing an ancient, traditional Eastern European instrument that was in danger of dying out for lack of interest. Made of bamboo, reeds, or wood, the pan flute (also known as the pan pipes or the nai) consists of a series of tubes, each of which sounds one individual note, and are fastened together side by side. It produces an ethereal, haunting sound, and since its construction makes the execution of up-tempo passages nearly impossible, it's ideal for the sort of slow, tranquil mood music that constituted Zamfir's stock in trade. At first focusing on Romanian folk melodies, classical material, and original compositions, Zamfir's popularity in Europe and America led him to cover pop songs, soundtrack themes, and the like, all supported by soft, lush orchestral arrangements.
Many of Zamfir's recordings aimed to create a sense of spiritual tranquility, and some of his compositions were religious in nature. That preoccupation resulted in his exile from Romania in 1982, when he violated official Communist doctrine by declaring at a concert that his music was dedicated to God. He emigrated to Montreal, where Western popular music crept ever more firmly into his choices of material. In the United States, ubiquitous TV commercials for his albums made Zamfir a household name. He played on much of Bill Conti's score for The Karate Kid in 1984, and that year also performed the theme for Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America. Zamfir subsequently settled into a comfortable, consistent recording schedule, turning out new product on a regular basis for a variety of labels.
Track Listing
1. O du Frohliche
2. Jingle Bells
3. Marie
4. O Tannenbaum (Mon Beau Sapin)
5. Six Colours
6. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
7. Noels Roumains [Medley]
8. White Christmas (Noel Blanc)
9. Little Drummer Boy (L'Enfant au Tambour)
10. Ave Maria
11. Petit Papa Noel
12. Pour Toi Jesus
13. Silent Night
14. Notre Pere
15. Angels We Have Heard on High (La Marche des Anges)
This CD is in like new condition, and includes all inserts and jewel case.
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