Downton Abbey Christmas album featuring Elizabeth McGovern to be released in November
Downton at Christmas includes classic carols and exclusive recordings
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Kelly Rissman
US News Reporter
There’s some good news if the Christmas special just isn’t enough for you - the producers of Downton Abbey are releasing a festive CD.
Christmas at Downton Abbey features seasonal hymns and classic carols that evoke the era in which the likes of Lady Mary and Mr Carson lived.
The 45-track double album contains performances by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the Choir of Kings College, Cambridge, as well as seven exclusive recordings by cast members Elizabeth McGovern ( Lady Cora) and Julian Ovendon (Charles Blake).
McGovern sings “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”, as well as a duet of “The First Noel” with Ovenden. In turn, he sings tracks including “Silent Night”.
Additionally, Jim Carter (Carson) delivers an eloquently spoken version of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas".
US actress McGovern, who sings regularly with her folk band Sadie and the Hotheads, said: “It was so exciting for me to have been given the opportunity to sing two songs in a totally different context to that which I'm accustomed. Without my guitar, without my band! And I didn't write them!
“But thank heaven for the extraordinary talent and expertise of Julian Ovenden. The Budapest City Orchestra, Kipper Eldridge, Nick Patrick and the Warner Brothers production team. I'm very proud to be a part of this record.”
Meanwhile Ovenden, who is also a professional singer and performer in his own right, added: “I’m a huge music fan and like Elizabeth I have a separate music career that runs alongside the acting. To do this album is therefore a massive honour and something I’ve really enjoyed doing.”
Composer John Lunn has penned an extended festive suite version of the Downton theme, which is performed in two parts by The Budapest City Orchestra and The Budapest Choral Voices.
Christmas at Downton Abbey is released by Warner Music on 10 November. Preorder it here: http://smarturl.it/DowntonAbbey
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