Michael Feinstein :: Christmas Classics with the Cabaret King

You could fill a sizable fleet of sleighs with the Christmas music that's been written and recorded since the beginning of the twentieth century: From obvious tinsel-grabs like Charo's "Mamacita Donde Esta Santa Claus?" and Kenny Chesney's "All I Want for Christmas Is A Really Good Tan," to more earnest offerings like the annual compositions by alt-darling Sufjan Stevens and the pretty terrific "We Three Kings" album from folkie sisters The Roches.

But in the estimation of Michael Feinstein, who brings a carefully considered holiday program his eponymous boite at the Hotel Nikko next week, there are barely enough truly great Christmas songs to stuff a stocking.

In fact, when the only Christmas album Feinstein himself has ever recorded was reissued in 2014, it arrived like a slimmed-down Santa, reduced from thirty tracks on two discs to a single CD with half as many songs.

"When I first recorded that album [in 2001], it was an exclusive item for the Home Shopping Network," Feinstein recalled during a phone conversation last week. "And frankly I was padding the list because they wanted a double album; you know, 'All of your favorites... and more!' I included some songs that I honestly didn't have a great enthusiasm for."

What distinguishes the songs that made the maestro's repertoire featured on the revamped "A Christmas" (originally titled "An Intimate Holiday with Michael Feinstein")?

"I prefer songs that they have real substance that goes beyond Santa, and sleigh bells, and reindeer. When you think about 'The Christmas Song' ['Chestnuts roasting'], and 'White Christmas,' and 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,' those are three in particular that have a genuine emotional expression."

Another aspect of Feinstein's favorite holiday songs is the fact that, in addition to festivity, they touch upon the feelings of wistfulness and melancholy that most adults will acknowledge is wrapped up in the Christmas season:

Irving Berlin's lyrics to "White Christmas" portray the perfect holiday as a sepia-tinged memory of a more innocent time, now almost beyond the narrator's reach.

Feinstein also points to "I'll Be Home For Christmas" as a song that captures a bit of the holiday season's attendant angst.

"The lyric is not as facile or elegant as some of the others," he says. "But it's still got some emotional heft."

And the lyrics to "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," originally written by Hugh Martin for Judy Garland to perform in the 1944 movie musical "Meet Me In St. Louis," have been gradually bullied toward happiness over the years.

Garland and Vincente Minnelli objected to the original opening lines, "Have yourself a merry little Christmas/It may be your last/Next year we may be living in the past," which Martin, working for hire, changed to "Have yourself a merry little Christmas/Let your heart be light/Next year all our troubles will be out of sight."

Thirteen years later, explained Feinstein, "When Frank Sinatra was recording the tune, he felt the line 'Until then we'll muddle through somehow' was too bleak, and Martin changed it to 'Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.' "

While Feinstein often shares such anecdotes about the music he performs in concert, he says that, amidst the news and politics of this year in particular, he'd be remiss to deny his audiences a chance to indulge in the happier aspects of Christmas music.

"The bottom line is that a lot of people love these songs," he says. "And in times like these, people's hearts have to be touched."

Michael Feinstein performs Home for the Holidays at Feinstein's at the Nikko. $64-$105. Nov. 29, 7pm. Nov 30-Dec 2, 8pm. Dec 3, 5pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. https://www.feinsteinsatthenikko.com