Deb: Too early for our 2018 Advent Christmas music thread?

[AprilBaby]

My all time favorite, I’m listening to it today in full.

 

[AGBF]

My all time favorite, I’m listening to it today in full.

My husband and I used to go to a live performance of "The Messiah" every year. I remember our daughter, at age two, sitting through the production of it done at a local church. (I believe they did one half of it plus the Hallelujah Chorus). There is nothing more wonderful than attending a performance at night with candles lit on a cold day right before Christmas.... At least for me. I equate cold and snow with Christmas because of where i am from, but I realize not everybody does!

Deb

 

[AGBF]

Osmonds hallelujah

Thank you for posting this, AprilBaby. I do not think I ever heard this version of the Leonard Cohen song before and I really enjoyed it. I think the harmony is lovely.

Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

"White Christmas" by Human Nature

 

[AGBF]

Another piece of music my husband and I would go to see when we had the chance (it was not nearly as popular as "The Messiah" and, therefore, was not performed as frequently) was "Amahl and the Night Visitors" composed by Gian Carlo Menotti.

For those of you who are not familiar with the story, it is fairly simple. A poor widow and "crippled" son are alone at home with no food and no wood to make a fire. Three kings arrive. They are following a star which will lead them to a child, a king who will transform the world. The widow is tempted to steal one piece of the gold they are bringing to the new baby to feed her own son. She is caught attempting to rob the kings but she is let go. The kings tell her the child they seek has no need for gold and explain that he is strong and good and powerful and will make the world better. They tell the widow she can keep the gold.

The widow returns it, however, because this is the kind of child she has sought all her life. Then her crippled son, Amahl, decides to give his crutches to the baby in case he needs them. At that moment he is cured and can walk and run and dance. The kings say that he must go with them to deliver the crutches to the baby himself.

The music below is from where the kings are first telling the widow about the baby and she is thinking that her child has good qualities, too, and she loves him.

"Have You Seen A Child?" from "Amahl and the Night Visitors"

 

[AGBF]

I put this song onto the list of Christmas and Holiday music every year, but there are so many versions of it that it is not necessary to post the same version every year. This version is new to me, but I like it.

"Dona Nobis Pacem" sung by Julie Gaulke

 

[AprilBaby]

That guy singing white Christmas has an incredible voice!

 

[AGBF]

"Coventry Carol" sung by Pentatonix

 

[Ellen]

 

[Ellen]

So beautiful. Not just the lyrics, but this duo. Perfect.

 

[AGBF]

"Deck The Halls" by SHeDAISY"

 

[AGBF]

"We Three Kings" by "The Roches"

 

[HollyS]

So beautiful. Not just the lyrics, but this duo. Perfect.

My favorite version of this song. It's a bit dated, musically, but still lovely.

 

[HollyS]

I have 3 or 4 of the Winter Solstice albums from Windham Hill. They were my favorite Christmas CDs for many years.

 

[HollyS]

And another sublime version of the Wexford Carol:

 

[AGBF]

And another sublime version of the Wexford Carol:

This is ethereal, magical....

 

[AGBF]

"Let It Snow" sung by Human Nature

 

[AGBF]

"Light of the Stable" sung by Emmylou Harris (harmony provided by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Neil Young)

 

[AGBF]

Phoebe Bridgers "Christmas Song"

 

[AGBF]

"The Season's Upon Us" by The Dropkick Murphys

 

[AGBF]

"Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" by Praetorius

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

In searching for the perfect versions of The Carol of the Bells; I found this instead. Lovely.

cheers--Sharon

 

[AGBF]

An article in a recent issue of "The New York Times" led me to this video of "The Christmas Pastorale" performed by The Ensemble Correspondances. I am also posting a link to the article, which may interest some people.

Link to article in "The New York Times"...https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/...le-correspondances-charpentier-christmas.html

 

[AGBF]

I came across this announcement about a Christmas playlist that I thought might interest some readers of this thread. It purports to be the largest playlist in the world (or some such thing). I remembered that one member (Sharon?) was looking for a specific Hawaiian Christmas song last year or a couple of years ago and I wondered if it was on this list.

The link I went to that describes the list is below:

https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/12/23/18152040/christmas-music-playlist-best

The name of the list is:

FaLaLaLaLa GREAT BIG Christmas Variety Shuffle List.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it!