I know the pedants will tell me ‘tis not Christmas time yet, and Christmas songs should not be sung, let alone mentioned...but here I go… ;-)
What Advent/Christmas songs do you love, loathe, laugh at??? My love list would be about 546,754 - so I’ll keep it short… ;-)
Advent:
[list]
[*]loves:
[list]
[*] O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - and I love the Mediaeval Baebes’ version of “Veni, Veni, Emmanuel"…
[*] On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry - though when I first heard it, I thought “Baptist’s” was plural and not possessive - so I thought of the Baptists down the road gathering around a river… ;-)
[/list:u]
[/list:u]
Christmas:
[list]
[*]loves:
[list]
[*] In Dulci Jubilo - German and Latin - what more could you want??? ;-)
[*] As With Gladness Men of Old - love the imagery, and the last two verses
[*] Stille Nacht - the story behind the carol is amazing; but the words are wondrous also
[*] Once in Royal David’s City - sure, the “Christian children all must be...” line seems like a bit of Victorian propaganda, but it starts “Carols at Kings” each year and I love the words - and the last two stanzas - WOW!
[*] Von Himmel kam der Engel Schar (From Heaven Came The Angel Host) - Germanic again, forgive me, but the words and melody please me, especially the ending to praise God forever - very touching
[/list:u]
[*]loathes:
[list]
[*] O Christmas Tree - bleh!
[*] Little Drummer Boy - sure, it’s cute - but it gets in your head and it won’t come out…
[*] Away In A Manger - “The little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes” - yeah, tell Mary that! ;-)
[/list:u]
[*]laughs:
[list]
[*] Cherry Tree Carol - any song that has cherry trees bowing down to Mary, a grumpy Joseph refusing to pick a cherry for Mary; and a baby Jesus prophesising his death and resurrection is fine by me…
[/list:u]
[/list:u]
I’m swimming in carols at the moment as I’m organising our church’s “Carols at Twilight” event this coming Sunday evening, so I’ve managed to form strong opinions in recent weeks on the pros and cons of the various songs.
Totally agree with you on Once In Royal David’s City - I too think that that particular verse sounds like Victorian child-rearing propaganda - we’ve actually cut that verse out for our carols event (apologies to those on this thread who don’t like people changing the words to old hymns!) and are concentrating instead on the other fantastic verses.
Also agree re: Away in a Manger - tends to diminish from the true and full humanity of Christ. He came to earth and took on human flesh in the full sense - i.e. of course he cried!! We’re singing it anyway, hard to avoid an old favourite like this. Perhaps the lyricist, rather than trying to suggest that Jesus never cried, just had one particular moment in mind where Jesus was not crying and Mary got a bit of a break!
Nothing gets my spine tingling more than Hark, The Herald Angels Sing . Every time we practice it has that same effect on me. I especially love the third verse. The words are a glorious reminder of the great gospel truths of Christmas, and when the descant part is sung/played well it makes this verse a soaring finale to the song:
[quote author="Charles Wesley"]Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
I have to say, I used to be a bit cynical about the whole Christmas thing, but am enjoying it more and more. It might have something to do with our daughter being born last year and getting to share the joy with her, but I think also I’m just more appreciative of what a wonderful thing it is to celebrate God coming to earth in human form to live amongst us, something the great Christmas carol writers capture wonderfully!
[quote author="Andrew Miers"]I’m swimming in carols at the moment as I’m organising our church’s “Carols at Twilight” event this coming Sunday evening, so I’ve managed to form strong opinions in recent weeks on the pros and cons of the various songs.
I pray it goes well. We have our Lessons and Carols that evening which I am looking forward to.
[quote author="Andrew Miers"]
Nothing gets my spine tingling more than Hark, The Herald Angels Sing . Every time we practice it has that same effect on me. I especially love the third verse. The words are a glorious reminder of the great gospel truths of Christmas, and when the descant part is sung/played well it makes this verse a soaring finale to the song:
[quote author="Charles Wesley"]Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Indeed! How could I have forgotten!?!?
But, and here I back-peddle from a post on another thread ;-) - I think I prefer the “updated version” rather than “Hark, how all the welkin rings”!!!
Can some kind soul tell an ignoramus what exactly a “descant” is? I’ve heard the term so often, and I keep forgetting to ask. I’m sure a Google would find it, but I’d rather a fellow person tell me in their own words what it is all about. Thanks!
[quote author="Andrew Miers"]
I have to say, I used to be a bit cynical about the whole Christmas thing, but am enjoying it more and more. It might have something to do with our daughter being born last year and getting to share the joy with her, but I think also I’m just more appreciative of what a wonderful thing it is to celebrate God coming to earth in human form to live amongst us, something the great Christmas carol writers capture wonderfully!
Wonderfully put! I too drifted a bit as I was constantly taken to “Carol” services that only included “Jingle Bells”, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and their ilk… I understand we pinched the Yule festival, and I’m all for letting people celebrate Yule if they like, but give me my “Christian” songs and I am happy - as Andrew said, the carol writers were gifted and blessed to be able to communicate such truths the way they have. They really do lift my spirits [says the man with (Nunc, Rowen & Matt look away) “Messiah” (you can look now), “Magnificat” and 3 Carol CDs in his car at the moment...]
My favourite carols at the moment are O Holy Night, but you have to sing all the verses to make that song really worthwhile! I just love it and am happy to say that we’ll be singing it at carolas in the domain tomorrow night- yay! :)
and then Do you hear what I hear? I love the way that carol tells a story, moving from one witness to another in the Christ-child’s birth. :)
Oh, and on the note of Christ-centred songs at Christmas carols… Carols in the Domain looks set to be a very Christ-focussed event! In terms of congregational/group singing anyways. Out of the ten or so group singing songs in the program only Jingle Bells appears with no reference to Christ.
[quote author="Becaila"]My favourite carols at the moment are O Holy Night, but you have to sing all the verses to make that song really worthwhile! I just love it and am happy to say that we’ll be singing it at carolas in the domain tomorrow night- yay! :)
I have a version of that sung by Ella Fitzgerald: ‘tis beautiful!
[quote author="Becaila"]
and then Do you hear what I hear? I love the way that carol tells a story, moving from one witness to another in the Christ-child’s birth. :)
* Childhood memories! * A great song...that will be stuck in my head for the rest of the day…
Nice to hear “Carols in the Domain” has some of the traditional favourites!
Can some kind soul tell an ignoramus what exactly a “descant” is?
The term “descant” is related to the Latin verb cantare - to sing. It is also related to the medieval/renaissance concept of the discantus: that part which is sung above or around a cantus firmus (think plainsong melody in very long notes) which was usually given to the tenor.
The idea of the descant is related to the concept of fauxbourdon, whereby the melody goes to the tenor voice, while the sopranos and altos do alternate harmonies.
These days composers write descants for penultimate or final verses of hymns, which are basically counter melodies which weave in and around and above the given melodic line. They do this for variety, among other things. It’s the equivalent (and often entails) pulling out all the stops; it signals “this is the end so sing your guts out”. Most final verses in hymns sum up the previous verses, and they also tend to be if not triumphant, looking forward to the glory of heaven. I guess descants are part of this process.
*Which is why hymns are so much BETTER than many crappy choruses that pass as your average church music in Sydney… Hymns have a much greater purpose in summarising the christian experience in a meaningful, teleological way, than singing endless rubbishy things about “jesus is my buddy in my back pocket; all I have to do is turn to him and everything will be fine”, or “oh how much I love you jesus”. *rolleyes**
Well, Carols in the Domain was absolutely wonderful last night! Despite the weather which rained down on us all!! With the exception of a few ex-popstar types the singing was excellent and the Christ-child cheer was too! Yay for Christmas carolling! :)
And Nunc- I have to say i’m a fan of both hymns and “crappy choruses”! :) Hymns help me share the narrative undergirding my faith with my brothers and sisters at church. They’re stories which bind us together. The choruses I find tap into an emotional place. I like a healthy and well-proportioned dose of both! :)
To really get into the traditional spirit here are the words to Adeste Fideles (’O Come All Ye Faithful’) in Latin. Hey Nunc, even you get a mention in the 5th verse.
Adeste Fideles,
laeti triumphantes.
Venite, venite in Bethlehem.
Natum videte regem angelorum.
Thanks Nunc! I always wondered what that was called. And thanks for the historical context also.
Joe: you reminded me of my one (and only! :( ) Christmas in Dublin: Midnight Mass, and the choir processed in singing “Adeste Fideles”. I weep with joy even now…
Bec: great to hear you had a good time! Did you tape it so you can look for yourself?
I can’t believe I’ve lived 26.833333333… years and missed this! It was our recessional hymn at our Lessons & Carols service. The melody; the words...aaaaahhhhhh…
[And it was made amusing by the clergy & choir, for the first time I know of at my church, processing out between the penutlimate and ultimate verse while the organist played some ad-hoc music [Nunc: what is the term for that???] - resulting in a number of congregation members sitting down or starting to walk out...until the choir started the final verse! ;-) ;-) ;-) ]
Definitely “O Holy Night” and also I remember loving “Do you hear what I hear?” the first time I heard it, which from memory was at a Scripture Union Christmas do many years ago… the words (which I don’t even recall at present) were what struck me the most.
Have you heard Josh Groban sing O Holy Night? ‘Tis beautiful… :)
I’ve really enjoyed reading everyone’s responses on this thread. In the mishmash of music we get at this time of year, it’s been lovely to pick out everyones’ favourites and reflect on the words (or look them up in some cases!).
[quote author="Hannah Gordon"]Have you heard Josh Groban sing O Holy Night? ‘Tis beautiful… :)
Indeed! Mr Groban has a wonderful voice...I did not know of him until a month or so ago when my friend’s fiancée played the CD in the car: what a voice!
Like you Sophie, I have enjoyed reading and looking up people’s favourites...each carol/song/hymn speaks of so much…
The opinions expressed in this forum belong to the individual posting the message and may not represent the view of the Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church. Click here to read the Posting Policy.
Everyone is welcome on our forums, but please keep comments on-topic and civil. Any flaming or general nastiness will be deleted. No unsolicited advertising is allowed. All comments, suggestions, bug reports, etc. related to the forums should be directed to Robert Moller. Click here to read our complete Posting Policy.
Get the latest Sydney stories, Culture and Indepth on your mobile device. Visit sydang.mobi
