The Music of Christmas

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The Music of Christmas is the first Christmas album by the Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman. It was released on September 26, 1995.

Track listing

All songs written and/or arranged by Steven Curtis Chapman, except where noted.

1. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/The Music Of Christmas"(Charles Wesley, Felix Mendelson, Chapman) – 6:43
2. "Christmas Is All In The Heart" (feat. CeCe Winans) – 5:15
3. "Angels We Have Heard on High" (Edward Shippen Barnes) – 5:39
4. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" (John Mason Neale, Henry Sloane Coffin) – 3:28
5. "Our God Is With Us" (Chapman, Michael W. Smith) – 6:43
6. Interlude: "The Music Of Christmas" (Handel, Wesley, Mendelson, Barnes, Chapman, Buchanan) – 4:46
7. "This Baby" (William C. Dix, Chapman) – 4:35
8. "Silent Night/Away in a Manger/O Holy Night" (Franz Gruber, James R. Murray, Adolphe Adam, Chapman) – 6:03
9. "Carol Of The Bells" (Mykola Leontovych, arranged by Chapman) – 3:44
10. "O Come All Ye Faithful" (John Francis Wade, Chapman) – 4:18
11. "Going Home For Christmas" (Chapman, James Isaac Elliot) – 5:25
12. "Precious Promise" – 4:12

Personnel

Musicians

• Steven Curtis Chapman – lead vocals, background vocals (3, 7, 11), acoustic guitar (1, 2, 6, 7–12), hi-strung guitar (1, 9, 10), gut-string guitar (6, 8, 9), 12-string guitar (10, 11), E-coustic guitar (9), dobro (9), hammered dulcimer (9), mandolin (9, 11), Roland VG synth guitar (12)
• Steve Brewster – drums (1, 3, 5, 7, 11), programming (3, 7)
• Paul Leim – drums (2, 10)
• Leland Sklar – bass guitar (1, 3, 5, 7, 11)
• Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar (2, 10)
• Gordon Kennedy – electric guitar (1, 3, 7, 11), acoustic guitar (5), background vocals (1, 5, 10)
• Jerry McPherson – electric guitar (1, 2, 7, 10)
• Randy Pearce – electric guitar (3)
• Dann Huff – electric guitar (5)
• Paul Franklin – steel guitar (11)
• Shane Keister – piano (1, 4, 11), keyboards (2, 7, 10)
• Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 11), programming (6)
• Scott Sheriff – keyboards (8)
• Blair Masters – programming (9)
• Terry McMillan – jingle bells (7)
• The London Session Orchestra – strings (1, 3–6, 8–10, 12)
• Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
• Ronn Huff – string arrangements (1, 3–6, 8–10, 12, choral arrangement (4, 8)
• The Belmont Church Choir – choir (1)
• The Kids Connection Choir – kids choir (1)
• The Nashville String Machine – strings (2), additional strings (10)
• Don Hart – string arrangements (2,10)
• CeCe Winans – guest vocalist (2)
• Guest vocals (8) – Herb Chapman Sr. and Herb Chapman Jr.
• The American Boychoir – boychoir (4), intro choir (7)
• Additional intro vocals (7) – Alan Arak, Robert Carpenter, Charles Eversole and Barry Phillips
• Background vocals – Max Carl (1, 5, 7, 10), Bob Carlisle (1, 5, 10), Lisa Cochran (1, 5, 10), Robin Johnson (1, 5, 10), Michael Mellett (1, 5, 10), Bill Champlin (3), Tommy Funderburk (3, 7, 11) and Terry Wood (11)

Recording and production

• Brown Bannister and Steven Curtis Chapman – producers
• Peter York and Dan Raines – executive producers
• Traci Sterling Bishir – production coordinator
• Tracks and overdubs engineered by Steve Bishir, except "Christmas is All in the Heart" and "O Come All Ye Faithful", tracked by Jeff Balding.
• Tracked at The Dugout Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
• Overdubs recorded at The Dugout Studio, Nashville, Tennessee; Mole End Studio, Franklin, Tennessee; Quad Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; Omni Sound, Nashville, Tennessee; Devonshire Studio, North Hollywood, California; Ocean Studio, Burbank, California; Sound on Sound Recording, New York City.
• The London Session Orchestra and The Nashville String Machine recorded by Steve Bishir at The Bennett House, Franklin, Tennessee
• Brown Bannister, Guy Defazio, Martin Woodlee, Patrick Kelly – additional engineering
• Martin Woodlee, Joey Grimstead, Aaron Swihart – assistant engineers
• Mixed by Bill Schnee at Schnee Studio, North Hollywood, California
• John Hendrickson – mix assistant
• Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab, Hollywood, California

Additional credits

• Art direction – Karen Phillpott
• Cover – Franke Design
• Design – East West Design, Nashville, Tennessee
• Photography – David Maisel
• Hair and make-up – Johnny Villanueva
• Stylist – Jamie Kearney