Christmas Music! Do you have a favorite?

[WildBill]

I have become rather attached to this performance lately. Andrea Bocelli singing "Gloria in Excelsis Deo".



Couldn't get it to work as a Youtube video.

You have to imbed as a [youtube][/youtube] not . Also you have to delete "www." and change "https:" to "http:"

Wonderful performance!

[Vol Texan]

I know, I know...I already responded to this thread, but I just found a new favorite one (courtesy of Mike Huckabee):

12 Days of Obamacare

[TLE2]

My favorite Christmas song has been "O Holy.Night" for years. I've sung it and heard it sung many times.

My favorite "holiday song" this year is "Christmas Cookies" by George Strait.

My favorite comedy song this year is "Grandma got.molested at the airport" (by the TSA)..

[Charles L. Cotton]

[RKirkwood]

[nightmare]

Has anyone posted this yet? http://bit.ly/1czx1Gh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dadtodabone]

I have become rather attached to this performance lately. Andrea Bocelli singing "Gloria in Excelsis Deo".

This carol is actually "Angels We Have Heard On High!". It is a traditional French carol from the late Middle Ages that celebrates The Shepherd's Angelic encounter as told in the Gospel of St. Luke. The English translation was accomplished in the 1860s by a Cornish Catholic Bishop Chadwick and the music expanded and arranged by Yale organist Edwin S. Barnes prior to 1916. The refrain is taken directly from Handel's "Gloria" which he composed as a portion of his oratorio "Messiah".

"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is a hymn sung during the praise portion of the Catholic and Byzantine Mass as well as being part of the Anglican Book of Common Worship.
"Gloria" has it's roots in the 2nd century AD with a Latin translation from the Greek accomplished in the 4th century. While the lyrics have changed very little over the centuries, that is not the case for the music. There are over 200 known accompaniments composed for "Gloria". The aforementioned Handel, Bach, Vivaldi and many other classical composers as well as modern compositions and plainchant melodies.
Here's a Bach composition, part of his Mass in B minor:


As an aside; During a performance of the chorus "Hallelujah" from Handel's "Messiah" it is traditional for the audience to stand. This supposedly began when George II, at "Messiah"s premier in London 1743, was so moved, he rose to his feet. The Court and Commons, of course, were soon upon theirs in response!
edited to add an as.

[Dadtodabone]

Has anyone posted this yet? http://bit.ly/1czx1Gh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I had just told my wife how blessed I was to not have heard "Jingle Dogs" yet this year. Then, I clicked on your link!
Thanks for making the Holiday complete!

[WildBill]

Has anyone posted this yet? http://bit.ly/1czx1Gh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I had just told my wife how blessed I was to not have heard "Jingle Dogs" yet this year. Then, I clicked on your link!
Thanks for making the Holiday complete!

This and my grandma got run over by a reindeer make my list of the top ten worst Christmas songs.

[Dadtodabone]

In 1942 Irving Berlin penned and Bing Crosby performed what would become the #1 selling single recording of all time, "White Christmas". Mr. Crosby performed the song in the musical film "Holiday Inn"(yes, the hotel chain's name was inspired by the film title) which featured 12 songs written by Berlin for the production, as well as retreading "Easter Parade".
This Academy Award winning film(best original song winner with nomination for score and book) is rarely, if ever shown in the U.S. due to Mr. Crosby's performance of the song "Abraham" in minstrel black face. Ironically the song commemorates Lincoln's Birthday and was written by a man of Jewish descent. In the 1954 remake the tune remains as an instrumental for a Vera-Ellen jazz dance scene, while the Minstrel Show number, sans blackface, was a new song "Mandy".
So most folks believe(only argument with my wife I've ever won)that "White Christmas" débuted in the 1954 film of same name that starred Mr. Crosby with Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen, and Rosemary Clooney.

Here is a link to the 1942 film version Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds:

New Link!


Another little known/remembered fact about "White Christmas" is that it was broadcast on the radio on April 30, 1975, as a signal to begin the U.S. evacuation of Saigon

[WildBill]

Another little known/remembered fact about "White Christmas" is that it was broadcast on the radio on April 30, 1975, as a signal to begin the U.S. evacuation of Saigon

I didn't know that. Very interesting. I guess they figured the radio station wouldn't have "White Christmas" in the play rotation in April.

[Abraham]

"Toccata and fugue in d minor" always puts me in the Christmas spirit.

[bigbang]

"Toccata and fugue in d minor" always puts me in the Christmas spirit.

Ode to Joy makes me think of Christmas ever since John McClane went to Los Angeles 25 years ago.

[WildBill]

A medley of Christmas Songs by John Fahey

[WildBill]

A classic Christmas Song by Nat "King" Cole