what is your favorite Christmas song(s) ?

[ladypirate]

I forgot about Same Old Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg--a little cheesy, but I love it.

 

[AGBF]

Pat a Pan (by Mannheim Steamroller)


This is a beautiful, traditional carol. I love to hear it sung as a madrigal, but YouTube had a dearth of madrigal versions available. The Mannheim Steamroller version is pleasing to the ear (at least mine), but doesn''t give even a hint of what a truly beautiful piece this can be when sung.

I would love to keep this thread on page one of Hangout until Christmas. There are so many beautiful pieces of Christmas music that it seems to me that it belongs there! I don''t think it needs to be filled with fluff to be kept there. There is so much beauty yet to be tapped that can be shared in this thread!


Deborah

 

[HollyS]

Date: 12/3/2008 10:37:44 AM
Author: ksinger

Date: 12/3/2008 9:42:25 AM
Author: AGBF




I have all my favorites on my iPod, but I lost the hard drive from my computer and, thus, my computer account with all the songs on it. One of my favorites is certainly, ''Dona Nobis Pacem''. I even lose track of some of the beautiful versions I have of songs because I have collected so many of them. (In the case of ''Dona Nobis Pacem'' I had at least ten different versions of it.) That is why I really want to restore all my music to my computer!

''Dona Nobis Pacem'' is by no means my only favorite carol, but I tend to favor the real carols, those that are based on medieval and Renaissance tunes and on music by Handel and Baroque composers, not usually the popular music about snowmen. Sometimes I do love a modern song, though. One example is the song (I do not know the correct name) that has the refrain, ''Do you hear what I hear?''. I think Anita Bryant sang it. I know I have a recording of it somewhere!

This is a link to a beautiful version of, ''Dona Nobis Pacem'', although certainly not a traditional one! I just found it while looking for one to post here and I really enjoyed it; I hope that you do, too!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZoiZ09rjQY


Deborah

Hmmm....irreligious as I am, I am a ''high church'' girl when it comes to Christmas. I want chant. In LATIN, thank you very much.
And I have enough albums of Anonymous 4 to prove it. I know the Latin text of the Gloria of the ordinary mass as well as any Catholic, because I''ve sung it so many times by various composers. (My mom said I had Catholic genes that expressed in this penchant for Latin hymns) I even hunted down some of the actual texts of the pieces done on Anonymous 4''s ''English Ladymass'' album, and have the actual music...(never have found anyone to sing it with me though, so I just learn all the parts myself, lol!)

Lessee, Gesu Bambino (sung by Luciano), Ave Maria (Bach-Gounoud version), to hear and to sing myself, and Silent Night. I have an accompaniment CD that has far and away the coolest arrangement of that for piano and voice, that I''ve ever heard. Very sparse, and coooooold!

I love your taste in high church music! I hadn''t heard of Anonymous 4, but I''ll be sure to go look for their CDs. I''ve always been teased, except by DH, who thinks I''m coolly eclectic, about my penchant for Gregorian chant.

 

[HollyS]

Secular: The Christmas Song by Mel Torme, as sung by Nat King Cole

Religious: Any lovely version of The Coventry Carol. It is quiet and contemplative. Everything religious Christmas music should be.


There are many, many others that I love; but if I have to choose, those are my favorites.


But it isn''t Christmas without Linus and Lucy.

 

[AGBF]

"The Christmas Song" sung by Nat King Cole

This is for you, Holly. YouTube has several videos of Nat King Cole singing, "The Christmas Song" (slide shows, really), but I thought that this one was the most evocative. I hope you like it.

Merry Christmas!

Hugs,
Deb

 

[HollyS]

Date: 12/19/2008 2:25:39 PM
Author: AGBF



'The Christmas Song' sung by Nat King Cole

This is for you, Holly. YouTube has several videos of Nat King Cole singing, 'The Christmas Song' (slide shows, really), but I thought that this one was the most evocative. I hope you like it.

Merry Christmas!

Hugs,
Deb

Thank you! Merry Christmas to you! Doesn't that song just say everything about how Christmas felt to us as kids? And I really like the video someone (you?) put up for the Coventry Carol.

 

[October2008bride]

I know someone mentioned this, but this is BY FAR my favourite Christmas song!!!

I listen to a radio station that only plays Christmas songs right now and wait just for this song to come on!!

If I''m at the grocery store when it comes on, I am apt to dance and buy Christmas goodies (no, candy cane ice cream is NOT always a good idea



Mariah Carey - All I Want for Christmas

 

[AGBF]

Date: 12/19/2008 2:45:59 PM
Author: HollyS

Thank you! Merry Christmas to you! Doesn''t that song just say everything about how Christmas felt to us as kids? And I really like the video someone (you?) put up for the Coventry Carol.

Nat King Cole was with me throughout my childhood, Holly! And, yes, I posted a version of, "The Coventry Carol" by the Rankin Sisters, whom I discovered this year. I ordered a CD by the Rankin Family after hearing them on YouTube. It seems that every year I discover at least one, new, beautiful group that sings Christmas carols like angels!


Deborah

 

[AGBF]

"Green Growth The Holly"



Yesterday I received a CD I had ordered called, "A Feast of Songs: holiday music from the middle ages" in the mail. One of the songs on it was, "Green Growth the Holly". YouTube has a vocal version of it which I think is absolutely a knockout. I hope you enjoy it.




Deborah

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 12/16/2008 11:07:11 PM
Author: AGBF

Date: 12/16/2008 9:01:52 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Aww, Deb, you have such good taste that I was almost afraid to post it!

Oh, my gosh, DS! The other day I found I could send a video of the Sugar Plum Fairy as a Christmas card on YouTube. Having learned that I could use YouTube videos as cards, I decided to use the Joy Williams song and the nativity video you posted with it as a Christmas e-card to some of my close family members and friends. I copied down e-mail addresses today and plan to send out that video in card form because I find it so moving!

I really cannot tell you how much the song has touched me; I want to reach out with it and touch others, too! Thank you again.

Deb

Oh, Deb, I am just now seeing this! We must be kindred spirits, because I had the exact same idea!!!! You are ahead of me, because I just haven''t done it yet! Maybe if I''d get off PS I''d have time!

 

[Skippy123]

Can someone help me? I love Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem but there is a new country sounding one out? Anyone know what I am talking about??? I don't usually like country but it is so pretty and sounds like 2 men singing.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 12/21/2008 6:46:11 PM
Author: Skippy123

Can someone help me? I love Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem but there is a new country sounding one out? Anyone know what I am talking about??? I don't usually like country but it is so pretty and sounds like 2 men singing.

I love country music, but I have not kept up! I do not know what is new and when I looked, I saw that several male country singers (including Vince Gill and Willie Nelson) had recorded, "O, Little Town of Bethlehem"! Might it be the Kenny Chesney version? (Probably not. I see that that was released in 2003 and you said that this is a new version!!!)


http://www.amazon.com/O-Little-Town-Of-Bethlehem/dp/B00137MQYW/ref=sr_f2_5?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1229910461&sr=102-5


Deb

 

[AGBF]

Date: 12/21/2008 6:46:11 PM
Author: Skippy123

Can someone help me? I love Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem but there is a new country sounding one out? Anyone know what I am talking about??? I don't usually like country but it is so pretty and sounds like 2 men singing.

How about this version, Skippy? This is the Gaither Vocal Band and the CD was released on September 30, 2008.


http://www.amazon.com/O-Little-Town-Of-Bethlehem/dp/B001KSQ1T0/ref=sr_f2_9?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1229911206&sr=102-9


I can't hear much of it from this little clip, but you may know if it's the version you like!


Deb

 

[Skippy123]

Those are beautiful but this one is a little less instrumental. I need to just call the radio station; it was so beautiful. Thank you!!! I enjoyed the links to the ones you posted.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 12/21/2008 10:58:33 PM
Author: Skippy123

Those are beautiful but this one is a little less instrumental. I need to just call the radio station; it was so beautiful. Thank you!!! I enjoyed the links to the ones you posted.

Well, when you find out, Skippy, you will now have to post the information about the CD! I have been buying Christmas CDs as if they were going out of style and enriching the music industry while impoverishing my family! Have we discussed enabling recently? All anyone has to do is to post a pretty song to this thread and I have to own the CD! It is getting ridiculous! At first it was just Renaissance music and madrigals, but now I fear that I may be about to branch out into country music. Oh, I hope it is some of the stuff I really don''t care for! (And there is a lot of country that I don''t care for...or at least some!)


Deb

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 12/21/2008 11:23:37 PM
Author: AGBF





Well, when you find out, Skippy, you will now have to post the information about the CD! I have been buying Christmas CDs as if they were going out of style and enriching the music industry while impoverishing my family! Have we discussed enabling recently? All anyone has to do is to post a pretty song to this thread and I have to own the CD! It is getting ridiculous! At first it was just Renaissance music and madrigals, but now I fear that I may be about to branch out into country music. Oh, I hope it is some of the stuff I really don''t care for! (And there is a lot of country that I don''t care for...or at least some!)


Deb

I just now listened to a lot of versions of Oh Little town of Bethlehem just now and I can''t find it. I will need to do more searching! Don''t buy any cd''s of country versions, they could be bad Deb and I would feel bad enabling you with bad music.

 

[Ellen]

Ok, Deb was making me feel guilty for posting non classical xmas songs, so I was holding off on one of my favorites. But then I read she liked some country, though not all. Me either, but this one has just a slight country touch with a hint of jazz, and I just really like it. So I''m hoping she won''t be too repulsed.

 

[HollyS]

Date: 12/21/2008 4:05:19 PM
Author: AGBF




''Green Growth The Holly''



Yesterday I received a CD I had ordered called, ''A Feast of Songs: holiday music from the middle ages'' in the mail. One of the songs on it was, ''Green Growth the Holly''. YouTube has a vocal version of it which I think is absolutely a knockout. I hope you enjoy it.




Deborah

Beautiful! Our local public radio station has a broadcast called "Ancient Voices"; I just love this stuff! They''re playing a lot of Christmas music now; things you would never hear on the average station.

 

[HollyS]

Speaking of country and Christmas songs, does anyone besides me like Wynonna and Kenny Rogers'' version of "Mary, Did You Know"? I''ve heard others, but this version is my favorite. www.bonniesplace1.com/Marydid.html

 

[Skippy123]

Deb, I thought this one was very cute so I thought I would share http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM5iiuQOMyg&feature=related Merry Christmas

 

[Linda W]

I also love The Little Drummer Boy combo sung by David Bowie and Bing Crosby

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I love O Holy Night and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.

 

[AGBF]

"Christmas Canon Rock" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra


This thread introduced me to this version of Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. On our drive from Virginia to Connecticut for Christmas yesterday, my daughter allowed me to put in a new TSO Christmas CD I had bought and she was therefore able to hear this version of it, too. She, as well as I, loved it and we listened to it many times together. Today I searched this thread to see if there was another link posted anywhere to a musical version of this piece, but I didn't see one so I am posting one. I really enjoy listening to it and watching it be performed.


Deborah

 

[ksinger]

Date: 12/9/2008 7:08:12 PM
Author: AGBF





I had really hoped to keep this thread front and center until Christmas, and have been doing my best to do so. I love the recording of, ''The Trumpet Shall Sound'' to which I posted a link. Any ''Messiah'' aficionados who have never heard Teddy Tahu Rhodes sing this aria will, I think, be pleasantly surprised. (I was swept off my feet!) I had never heard of the singer, though; I am not an opera buff. It turns out that he has been turning heads in the opera world! Some of the pictures on Google Images were too risqué and too controvrsial to post here, but this one was, I thought, just enticing. I thought it might make some of you want to go watch that clip of him singing the aria from, ''The Messiah''! He is being called a, ''Barihunk'' and the Brad Pitt of the opera world.


Deborah

Well, as the self-appointed "opera snob" of the board, I''ll say...not bad, at least as a recitalist. Might be worth a further listen. For any other opera buffs, see my posts over in Thing2of2''s thread, on who I think is operatically "hunky". Hvrovstovsky and Florez are my faves this decade...

 

[AGBF]

"Carol of the Bells" another version


This morning I was looking for a song to put in Lorelei's holiday greeting card thread as a YouTube musical greeting card. My daughter had come into the guest room in which I am staying at my father' house in Connecticut (for Christmas). She lay down on the bed as I sat at the computer. When she heard this, she perked up and asked to hear it again, saying how beautiful it was. I had forgotten that I raised a musical child once a very, very long time ago! She has been listening to rap music for so many dreadful years, playing it on the radio whenever we are together.... I lost all hope! But at age two she was able to sit through, "The Messiah" listening raptly. She played the piano for a few years when she was young; started the cello in third grade and then added the clarinet in fourth; etcetera. So maybe it wasn't so surprising that when she heard, "The Coventry Carol" she said, "I know that! What's that song?"

At any rate, we had a lovely morning together. I saw all her strengths, like her love of languages as well as her love of music . Her response to, "Dona Nobis Pacem" was, "What language is that?" and while I wish she had known, I was happy that she asked what "nobis" meant and immediately went about trying to figure out how the language was structured and how "pacem" was spelled. If this is my Christmas present, I will take it .


Merry Christmas to all of you.


Deborah

 

[AGBF]

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" sung by Joan Sutherland


Don't be afraid of this recording; it is very cute! First, of all, the video is cute. It is very nicely done-a slide show done by a lover of Joan Sutherland who put together some childlike pictures of turtledoves and milkmaids and so forth! Second of all, Joan Sutherland moves very, very quickly through the song, getting the whole thing done in around three minutes. Third of all, Dame Joan does not sing alone; some of the verses are sung by a group of others. The song moves along. It is festive and bright. I cannot guarantee you will like it, but do not fear trying it!


Deborah

 

[ksinger]

Date: 12/24/2008 11:18:20 AM
Author: AGBF




''The Twelve Days of Christmas'' sung by Joan Sutherland


Don''t be afraid of this recording; it is very cute! First, of all, the video is cute. It is very nicely done-a slide show done by a lover of Joan Sutherland who put together some childlike pictures of turtledoves and milkmaids and so forth! Second of all, Joan Sutherland moves very, very quickly through the song, getting the whole thing done in around three minutes. Third of all, Dame Joan does not sing alone; some of the verses are sung by a group of others. The song moves along. It is festive and bright. I cannot guarantee you will like it, but do not fear trying it!


Deborah

How sad that we have to encourage people to not pass up such a brilliant artist...!

Still, anytime you don''t actually have to WATCH Sutherland sing, it''s a good thing. I love this woman''s voice, but watching her sing is/was a painful proposition.

If it''s the version I''m thinking of (it is: I just listened), I have it on a CD of opera singers singing Christmas songs. I think her husband Richard Bonynge is conducting and I seem to recall reading that he did the arrangement just for her. Great stuff.

 

[ksinger]

Date: 12/19/2008 1:16:56 PM
Author: HollyS

Date: 12/3/2008 10:37:44 AM
Author: ksinger

Date: 12/3/2008 9:42:25 AM
Author: AGBF




I have all my favorites on my iPod, but I lost the hard drive from my computer and, thus, my computer account with all the songs on it. One of my favorites is certainly, ''Dona Nobis Pacem''. I even lose track of some of the beautiful versions I have of songs because I have collected so many of them. (In the case of ''Dona Nobis Pacem'' I had at least ten different versions of it.) That is why I really want to restore all my music to my computer!

''Dona Nobis Pacem'' is by no means my only favorite carol, but I tend to favor the real carols, those that are based on medieval and Renaissance tunes and on music by Handel and Baroque composers, not usually the popular music about snowmen. Sometimes I do love a modern song, though. One example is the song (I do not know the correct name) that has the refrain, ''Do you hear what I hear?''. I think Anita Bryant sang it. I know I have a recording of it somewhere!

This is a link to a beautiful version of, ''Dona Nobis Pacem'', although certainly not a traditional one! I just found it while looking for one to post here and I really enjoyed it; I hope that you do, too!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZoiZ09rjQY


Deborah

Hmmm....irreligious as I am, I am a ''high church'' girl when it comes to Christmas. I want chant. In LATIN, thank you very much.
And I have enough albums of Anonymous 4 to prove it. I know the Latin text of the Gloria of the ordinary mass as well as any Catholic, because I''ve sung it so many times by various composers. (My mom said I had Catholic genes that expressed in this penchant for Latin hymns) I even hunted down some of the actual texts of the pieces done on Anonymous 4''s ''English Ladymass'' album, and have the actual music...(never have found anyone to sing it with me though, so I just learn all the parts myself, lol!)

Lessee, Gesu Bambino (sung by Luciano), Ave Maria (Bach-Gounoud version), to hear and to sing myself, and Silent Night. I have an accompaniment CD that has far and away the coolest arrangement of that for piano and voice, that I''ve ever heard. Very sparse, and coooooold!

I love your taste in high church music! I hadn''t heard of Anonymous 4, but I''ll be sure to go look for their CDs. I''ve always been teased, except by DH, who thinks I''m coolly eclectic, about my penchant for Gregorian chant.

If you REALLY like Latin stuff, and like interesting music, try Frank Ferko - The Hildegard Motets. Not for the musically faint of heart, but will grow on you if have a penchant for the stuff. I''ve sung 3 of them. Some of the most challenging music I''ve ever sung - a tuning and breathing marathon. But worth the effort.

 

[AGBF]

"Oh, Holy Night" / "Cantique de Noël" sung by Joan Baez


Many people have said that this is their favorite Christmas carol, but I do not believe that anyone else has linked a version to this thread. Tonight (Christmas Eve) seems an appropriate time to post a version of, "Oh Holy Night" which describes, in the English version, the night when, "Christ was born".

I think that this is beautifully sung.

Deborah