In recording It's A Wonderful Christmas, Michael enlisted David Hamilton's expertise with arrangements. Hamilton worked with Michael on his highly acclaimed instrumental album, Freedom, and has also toured with Michael.
It's A Wonderful Christmas features the winning singer-songwriter joining forces with four amazing choirs, among them a 100-voice choir and also a 16-member London boy's choir directed by John Tobin, and a 67-piece orchestra at London's Abbey Road studios. Also featured is a duet with American Idol's Mandisa. As the strings soar and the bells ring, you can almost feel winter's nip in the air and smell the fragrance of pine trees as Smith's music puts you in that holiday mood. Smith reveled in the opportunity to record with a 67-piece orchestra, "The arrangements were great. The room is legendary and the players were unbelievable," he enthuses.
In preparing for his new Christmas collection, he wanted to create an album with the lush arrangements and powerful orchestral sounds that he heard listening to his favorite Christmas records as a child. He began putting together a list of his favorite tunes, but in a burst of inspiration soon found he'd written more than enough new material to fill the album. The only cover tune is the timeless standard "What Child is This?" which sounds both familiar yet fresh thanks to Smitty's deft musical reinvention.
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It's a Wonderful Christmas| Posted November 17, 2011
Wow!...a third Christmas release from MWS. Featuring Mandisa on "Christmas Day" and lush orchestral and choral accompaniment, this album really has the feel of a grand scale musical. I think this release fits nicely with the other two Christmas CD's MWS has done and enjoyed this one very much. It was nice that this release didn't just contain a lot of the traditional Christmas songs you hear (or overhear) every holiday season, and provides something unique and different in that sense.
WOW!!!| Posted September 01, 2009
Michael W. Smith's album Christmastime has always been my favorite Christmas cd. as soon as i heard that he was coming out with another one, i said that it would have to be really good to even come close to Christmastime. i think Smitty did an awesome job with this one! it was better than i ever imagined it would be! Christmas Angels is now one of my new favorite Christmas songs!
WOW!| Posted September 09, 2008
wow,more of my fave christmas music!!! LOL .. love it !Michael W Smith has always been one of my favoite inspirational worship artists! He is wonderful and his music is powerful. Keep it up! God bless you!
Can't say enough about this album!| Posted January 13, 2008
This could end up being my favorite Christmas album ever. It isn't what you typically expect a Christas album to sound like, as it has almost no traditional Christmas songs on it. However, the music is powerfully arranged, and the orchastra is very good. I love how "Joy to the World" is combined with "Christmas Angels." Mandisa's duet with Michael is certainly a highlight. And "Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah" could be a classic in years to come.
3rd verse same as the first--actually not as good| Posted October 19, 2007
Is it just me, or is Smitty losing his touch. Every track seems to enter into the christmas hymn realm without the familiarity and endearing qualities. I sure hope he can return to his 90's roots--back when his music had depth and creativity. If you like standard fare, albeit a bit corny, new Christmas tunes, you may enjoy this, but everyone else will probably find this one disappointing.
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