OK. My friends all know how I feel about another 3 #%&# T's thing BUT my Tower opera department has a huge listening section and the 3T Christmas CD was there and I couldn't resist.

I started with "Pregaria" with guess who singing alone. Hmm... He's singing wonderfully, there were no strange ballpark accoustics, no planes,...OH look here it was recorded at a real opera venue, the Konzerthaus in Vienna. Looking better. I listened to a few more cuts ... something was wrong.... where was all the goofy applause in the wrong places, where was the applause at all?? I'm not sure how they did it. Maybe they convinced all those Austrians that "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was a sacred song. Anyway, even though I enjoy the spontaneous applause of a live opera recording, the lack of the "get 'em going boys" applause usually present at the 3T's was a relief on a Christmas album. Things were beginning to look very good. I bought the CD.

I've listened to it through about four times now. I'm sure my neigbors think I'm a bit nuts playing "Winter Wonderland" in San Diego in early November, but I have to admit that this is a really good Christmas CD. Some of the cuts are extraordinarily beautiful. One surprise to me was "Amazing Grace" done with real grace. Others are the above mentioned "Pregaria", Domingo's "Ave Maria, Dolce Maria", and all 3T's together on "Dormi, O Bambino".