Music In My Ears: Christmas Edition!!
December 26, 2017
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| Christmas cookies!!! |
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!!!
(yes, yes, I know I'm over a day late. My apologies, but I thought it very appropriate to spend Christmas away from Blogger and be with Jesus and my family.)
By popular demand, I've decided to make a Christmas edition of Music in My Ears!!! For those that missed my first one during Advent, you can view it HERE!
Without further ado, let me share some of my favorite Christmas songs!
Choir Music
Before Midnight Mass every year for the past couple of years, the choir does about 30 minutes of caroling. This was my first time *officially* taking part of this tradition, and I was beyond excited.
The carols we did this year were: Once in Royal David's City, The First Nowell, Good Christian Men Rejoice, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, I Saw Three Ships, Silent Night and Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming.
During Mass, we sang Joy to the World, Quem Pastores (which I featured in my last Music post), and Angels We Have Heard on High.
There were a couple of others that my choir director/organist played that I wish we could have sung, one of which is one of my favorites:
Adeste Fideles
(of course, I had to include a classic 1950s singer in here somewhere....and I like Bing's version of it!)
At Home
One group that I've grown up listening to is Mannheim Steamroller. They're similar to Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but they have a more Renaissance influence and sound. My favorite album of theirs came out in 2005, simply entitled "Christmas". I'll include three of my favorites.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Rock)
Don't be fooled by the "Rock" on God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman. It still is the same song, just a lot more horns and percussion than their more Renaissance-y version on the same album. I included this version off a different album because the YouTube Topic one was not the one from the original album. Not sure how that happened.....
Wassail, Wassail
This is the most Renaissance-y out of my favorites.
Deck the Halls
Another "jazzed up" version off of one of my favorites.
Other Favorites from Home
Carol of the Bells
I included Peter Hollen's version because I like what he did to the song, and all the voices. I love the words to the song too.
The Chipmunk Song
Heehee, what is Christmas without a song from these three? (#I'msonota90skid)
Little Drummer Boy
Because my maternal grandmother's family is from Scotland (Isle of Skye, actually), I grew up listening to Scottish Highlands bagpipes. We found this album several years ago, and it's one of our favorite albums to listen to on Christmas.
Radio Favorites
I loved listening to these on the radio as a kid, and I was ecstatic to find them on Spotify. I don't listen to Christmas radio much anymore - due to the fact that they stop playing Christmas music on Christmas Day. Which to me, is absolutely stupid. I still remember when they would play Christmas music until New Years on the radio!!!!
12 Days of Christmas (Original Stage Version) - Straight No Chaser
This is actually a paraody of the original song (so please don't be alarmed). This group is a men's a cappella group originally formed at a university in Indiana. This was their breakout song. The original (which I think is a lot funnier than the studio one they did later) was the version that aired on the radio, where my family first heard it. We loved it, and have been fans of this group ever since.
Christmas Canon - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
This song is so pretty!!!!!
Believe - Josh Groban
I've never seen The Polar Express, but I've heard this song on the radio around Christmas time, and I really really liked it. (Lia - I had no idea that it was Josh Groban that did this song. Now I know why he sounded so familiar....).
New Favorites
Earlier this month, I was searching through various Christmas albums as I was compiling my Spotify Christmas playlists (yes, playlists. My original one grew to over 17 hours long....I still have to listen to it all and get rid of the repeats....so I made a favorites one - which is only 3 1/2 hours long). I found a couple of new favorites, and they are listed below.
Ding Dong Merrily on High - Celtic Woman
I really really like this version of this song by Celtic Woman. It is so light and joyful!!!
Gaudete - Anúna
I've heard this song being performed by a couple of church choirs, and I really like Anúna's version here. I was struggling to whether to include this one or "Ecce Quod Natura"...both are good. This one won, narrowly.
Well, that's enough for this post!!
How was your Christmas?? Do we share any favorites or are all of these new for you? Did anyone notice the number of songs? Would you like to see more "Music In My Ears" posts?? Chat with me in the comments!
Old-fashionably yours,
Catherine
5 comments
What a LOVELY blog you have! Thanks for introducing to to me! i believe we have a lot in common, except that you are a VERY skilled and we are umm... an ... interesting .... set of country bumpkins. I feel the need to come for a visit and check out your embroidery and such! Wow! AMAZING!!!! Signed up for emails! :D Merry Christmas!
ReplyDelete*face palms* Are you kidding me!!!! We never watched the Polor Express with you!!!!! *adds to list* You didn't realize that was Josh Groban???? Well now you know :D :D
ReplyDeleteLia
Oh, yes, I love that Polar Express song! (How have you never seen that movie??;) )
ReplyDeleteAnd, while I'm Protestant myself, I think the idea of a midnight service with the choir and everything sounds like a beautiful tradition!
My family doesn't really keep up with what movies are coming out - I never really was a movie person either until I was in college (Lia may or may not had something to do with that...)
DeleteI love Midnight Mass so much 💓, especially that it's mostly candlelit (we lower the lights everywhere except the choir loft because it's difficult to juggle a candle and music). It's so beautiful to see all the flickering candles 💓.
I can agree with the difficulty of a candle and music. A member of our choir once set the corner of her paper on fire but it was quickly blown out!!!
DeleteLia