A Song of Christmas is the third album of holiday music released by the
Pittsburgh Symphony Brass, a quintet organized in 1994 by trumpeter
George Vosburgh. This CD includes arrangements of traditional carols and holiday songs, selections from the classical repertoire, and an original piece. The arrangements, most of them by group members
Vosburgh and trumpeter
Neal Berntsen, are traditional and fairly conservative. An exception is
Vosburgh's zany A "Spike Jones" Jingle Bells, which is full of fun and unpredictable sound effects. Mezzo-soprano Tami Fire is featured in somewhat breathy versions of "O Holy Night" and "He shall feed His flock," from Messiah. It's difficult to tell whether it's the arrangements or the engineering that gives most of the tracks a thick sound, which is not necessarily unpleasant, but may be wearing for listeners who are not special fans of brass ensembles. The players turn in sturdy, spirited performances that successfully capture the festive or solemn moods of the selections.