A Christmas Cornucopia is the fifth solo studio album and first Christmas album by Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox, released in November 2010. It was her first album after signing to Universal Music Group (Island Records in the UK, Decca in the US and Canada).
Overview
The album features Lennox's interpretations of 11 traditional Christmas hymns and carols, plus one original composition, "Universal Child," which was released as a digital single on 12 October 2010. A music video for "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" premiered on 4 November 2010 as the second digital single.
A tenth-anniversary special edition was released on 20 November 2020, including a new recording of "Dido's Lament" (from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas), performed with the London City Voices and donated to Greenpeace as a lament for the climate crisis.
Track Listing
- Angels from the Realms of Glory (4:00)
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (3:32)
- See Amid the Winter's Snow (3:31)
- Il est né le divin Enfant (3:37)
- The First Noel (4:40)
- Lullay Lullay (The Coventry Carol) (3:13)
- The Holly and the Ivy (3:37)
- In the Bleak Midwinter (3:31)
- As Joseph Was a Walking (The Cherry Tree Carol) (3:59)
- O Little Town of Bethlehem (3:33)
- Silent Night (3:49)
- Universal Child (4:14)
Total length: 45:16
Reception
On Metacritic, the album holds a weighted average score of 73/100 based on 9 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Ian Wade of BBC Music gave a very positive review, calling it a collection that "could find itself becoming as much a part of the holiday season as arguments with loved ones." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine awarded 3.5/5 stars, noting that "Lennox seems more inspired on A Christmas Cornucopia than she has in years."
Commercial Performance
- UK Albums Chart: Peaked at No. 16
- US Billboard 200: Peaked at No. 35
- US Top Holiday Albums: Peaked at No. 7
- Certification: Gold in the United Kingdom (100,000 units)
- US sales: 179,000 copies as of January 2011
Personnel
Lennox herself played an extensive array of instruments, including accordion, harmonium, piano, pipe organ, dulcimer, marimba, vibraphone, flute, pan pipes, and many others. She co-produced the album with Mike Stevens, who also contributed arrangements, guitar, keyboards, and orchestral work. The African Children's Choir provided vocals.
Note: There is also a separate book titled A Christmas Cornucopia: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Yuletide Traditions by Mark Forsyth, published in 2016, which explores the obscure and surprising origins of Christmas traditions.
