Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol as a small novella in 1843.  If you’re not familiar with the story, it recounts the spiritual awakening occurring on Christmas Eve of an old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge.  Mr. Scrooge has a hardened heart and refuses anything to do with the celebration of Christmas.  Mainly because it takes away from the duties of his work.  He extends this sentiment onto his staff, greatly impacting their lives as he chastises them into feeling guilty for taking Christmas Day off to be with their families.  The story focuses on one particular employee, Bob Cratchit.

As the story progresses, Ebenezer Scrooge is first visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley.  Jacob Marley warns Ebenezer Scrooge to change his ways now before it’s too late.  Jacob Marley scolds Ebenezer Scrooge for thinking that business comes before family.  He tells Ebenezer, “Mankind should have been my business!”  Jacob Marley tells Ebenezer Scrooge that he will be visited by three ghosts during the night: Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future.

Throughout the night, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the three ghosts who take him on a journey, one at a time, into his past, present and future.  Throughout the experiences, Ebenezer Scrooge gets more and more fearful of what lies ahead.  During the trip with the ghost of Christmas Future, downright fear engulfs Ebenezer as he sees what his fate might become.

By Christmas morning, Ebenezer has become a changed man.  The townsfolk, who are familiar with his miserly ways and unfriendly disposition, don’t know what to think of this “new” Ebenezer Scrooge.  They think he is drunk.  Ebenezer instructs the local errand boy to buy him the largest Christmas goose he can find and deliver it to Bob Cratchit’s house.  Ebenezer Scrooge goes over to Bob Cratchit’s house and celebrates Christmas with the Cratchit family, which includes Bob Cratchit’s disadvantaged child, Tiny Tim.  Ebenezer Scrooge gives Bob Cratchit a large raise and befriends Tiny Tim.

A Christmas Carol – Wikipedia

The story was met with immediate success.  It was performed on stage as early as 1844 and is still performed as a play around the world every year.  Many movie and TV adaptations have been produced as well.  Moreso, many adaptations have been broadcast on the radio and recorded for audio presentations.  The Merry Music of Christmas focuses on audio interpretations of Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol.  Some are soundtracks from movie adaptations, some are taken directly from radio broadcasts, and some are recordings made specifically for listening pleasure only.

One of the first radio broadcasts featured Lionel Barrymore as Scrooge and he first performed this on the CBS Radio Network in 1934.  Lionel Barrymore would repeat this role on the radio for the next 19 years.  Other actors played the role of Ebenezer Scrooge on the radio as well; Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone and Alec Guinness.  I have collected as many recorded performances of A Christmas Carol as I could find.  I’m sure I will discover many more, and as I do, I will add them to my ever-growing collection.

(More details about each recording can be found in the reviews of the CD or LP when they are written.  I apologize for how long it may take to review the many offerings I own.  )