Charlotte Church - Dream a Dream (2000)

The little girl with the big voice is back for a selection of popular Christmas songs and carols, ranging from the medieval "Coventry Carol" to the brand new title track, whose chorus will be recognized by classical music fans as the "Pavan" of Gabriel Faure. In between are pop standards like "Winter Wonderland" and Mel Torme's "Christmas Song" as well as some less familiar fare such as the delicate calypso "Mary's Boy Child" and the Welsh "Draw Tua Bethlehem". Much of the program features big, lush orechestral arrangements with Church's voice at full throttle, but several tracks deliver less most effectively, such as the lovely, simple choral accompaniment to Michael Praetorius' "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" or the opening verse of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," sung solo with no instruments at all.