I love Christian Christmas songs, hymns, music...! I would be so glad if you share your favourites! This is one I found recently and I really really like!
God rest ye merry gentlemen is another of my most most favourite carols: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM57M6NwJvw
Here is a nice Christmas concert by the group Celtic Woman. The concert has mostly Christian music. The clip is an hour. So--if you like their music--it is nice to listen to while at your computer over the next two weeks.
The title of this thread is Christmas music, not necessarily songs. Here are some of my favourites: Handel, then Bach!
Once in Royal David's City (Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Cambridge, 2011). The soaring last verse descant gives me goosebumps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOVhrKLqSqc Silent Night......Celtic style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmv22BOc9kM For a bit of revelry, Maddy Prior singing the Boar's Head Carol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZKLZM8yVeQ
Thank you Symphorian. Somehow pastoral 6/8-time music fits Christmas, as if that sort of rhythm automatically implies snow, dusk, and lights shining in the solemn night. It was really supposed to represent the Shepherds of Bethlehem! Fascinating cultural psychology.
Consular......funny you should say about that - I'm just in the process of selecting organ voluntaries for Midnight Mass (or should that be Midnight Communion!). 6/8 pastoral will be quite prominent!
Perhaps this info for services at our local high church parish might inspire you! Monday December 24 - Christmas Eve 10.30pm Special music prior to the 11 p.m. service on Christmas Eve will feature strings and organ performing works by Archangelo Corelli and other Baroque Masters. 11.00pm Choral Communion (with incense) Setting: Missa O Magnum mysterium - Tomàs Luis de Victoria (c.1548-1611) Communion Motet: O Magnum Mysterium - Tomàs Luis de Victoria (c.1548-1611) Hymns: Once in Royal David's City (Irby); Of the Father's heart begotten (Divinum mysterium); It came upon the midnight clear (Carol); Hark! the herald angels sing (Mendelssohn); O Little Town of Bethlehem (Forest Green); Silent night (Silent Night); O Come, all ye faithful (Adestes fideles) Postlude: Carillon de Westminster, Op 54 No. 6 - Louis Vierne Tuesday December 25 - Christmas Day 10.30am Choral Communion (with incense) Setting: Mass for four voices - William Byrd Hymns: Christians, awake, salute the happy morn (Yorkshire); The First Nowell (The First Nowell); Away in a manger (Cradle Song); In the bleak midwinter (Cranham); Joy to the world (Antioch) Communion Motet: Rocking (trad Czech); Infant holy, Infant lowly Voluntary: Quand Jesu naquit a Noel - Claude Balbastre (1724-99) Balbastre is one of the best for instrumental Christmas music, in my opinion. Such innocence, like unto the Christ Child!
Nice. Your service listing is very much like the fare offered by the Cathedral in my Diocese. I'm a big fan of Baroque music. Corelli is sublime. I shall be playing some French Baroque Noels at our Christmas services - not an easy feat on a small English Victorian pipe organ I can tell you! (I shall stick to the flutey stops).
I am so delighted! thank you all!! I love Baroque too! The Celtic one is very nice! Edit: I just heard The Boar's head carol for the first time in my life, it is so funny!!!!!!
love this song! Here's a translation of the lyrics btw: ,http://www.users.on.net/~algernon/gaudete/translation.html Rejoice, Rejoice! Christ is born Of the virgin Mary, Rejoice! It is now the time of grace That we have desired; Let us sing songs of joy, Let us give devotion. God was made man, And nature marvels; The world was renewed By Christ who is King. The closed gate of Ezechiel Has been passed through; From where the light rises Salvation is found. Therefore let our assembly now sing, Sing the Psalms to purify us; Let it praise the Lord: Greetings to our King.
Wow, they sure mangled that Latin pronunciation! One of my favourite Christmas pastorale-songs is Italian, approx. 1700. It has been attributed to St. Alphonsus Liguori, but that's probably only popular piety. Wait for the full strings to come in... it's lovely! Quanno nascette Ninno a Betlemme, Era notte e pareva miezojuorno... Maje le stelle, Lustre e belle, Se vedettero accussí... E ’a cchiù lucente, Jette a chiammà li Magge a ll’Uriente. Non c’erano nemice pe’ la terra: La pecora pasceva co’ ’o lione Co’ ’o capretto se vedette ’o liupardo pazzeá... Ll'urzo e 'o vetiello e, co’ lo lupo, ’mpace ’o pecoriello. Guardavano le ppecore ’e Pasture... E n’Angelo, sbrennente cchiù d’ ’o sole, Comparette e lle decette: - No ve spaventate, no! Contento e riso! la terra è addeventata Paraviso! - When the Child was born in Bethlehem, It was night but looked like noon; Never were the stars So brilliant and beautiful, So visible! And the most sparkling star Went to summon the Magi in the East. There were no enemies on earth: The sheep pastured with the lion, The leopard was seen Playing with the kid goat, The bear with the calf And the wolf with the lamb were in peace. The sheep looked at the shepherds And an angel, more resplendent than the sun, Appeared and told them, “Don’t be afraid, no! Happiness and laughter! Earth has become Paradise!”