Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
4 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,807 Year: 3,064/9,624 Month: 909/1,588 Week: 92/223 Day: 3/17 Hour: 1/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Christmas music
Faith 
Suspended Member (Idle past 1444 days)
Posts: 35298
From: Nevada, USA
Joined: 10-06-2001


Message 1 of 72 (272574)
12-24-2005 10:01 PM


I've been enjoying some Christmas music and wanted to pass it on.
Zec 2:10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
IanO mentioned the lump in the throat Christmas carols can give us believers: I remember my first Christmas as a believer, tears streaming down my face as I listened to the same carols I'd heard all my life but was really hearing for the very first time, knowing them true. Later, there was another new believer, a guy in his thirties or so, dissolved in tears at the Christmas party as we were all singing the carols. This music is truth, happiness, tears of joy.
Even if you aren't a Christian you can enjoy them. But listen to the words. Really listen to them. Or read them as the case may be. Christmas carols preach the gospel. They are full of traditional theology, lots of what we argue about at EvC.
This is just some electronic music and the written words. I felt like quoting and bolding a few lines that seem to me to be full of meaning.
O Holy Night
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,

Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Angels We Have Heard on High
We beheld”it is no fable”
God incarnate, King of bliss,

Swathed and cradled in a stable,
And the angel strain was this:
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Joy to the World
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
“Fear not, then,” said the angel, “Let nothing you afright
This day is born a Savior of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him from Satan’s power and might.”
And here is an online Handel's Messiah. This online one is not the best production but still ecstatic music in my opinion. Seems to me nothing short of the arrival of God on earth could inspire such music.
Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by Asgara, posted 12-24-2005 11:24 PM Faith has replied
 Message 6 by Parasomnium, posted 12-25-2005 10:52 AM Faith has replied
 Message 8 by berberry, posted 12-25-2005 3:59 PM Faith has not replied
 Message 62 by sidelined, posted 12-28-2005 1:17 AM Faith has not replied
 Message 72 by TechnoCore, posted 01-05-2006 9:48 PM Faith has not replied

  
Asgara
Member (Idle past 2302 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 2 of 72 (272576)
12-24-2005 11:24 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Faith
12-24-2005 10:01 PM


Thank you Faith,
While I don't believe what you do, there is no denying the belief that led to these songs being written.
Handel's Messiah and the Ave Maria will do it to me everytime.

Asgara
"I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now"
Save lives! Click here!
Join the World Community Grid with Team EvC!
http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com
http://perditionsgate.bravepages.com

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Faith, posted 12-24-2005 10:01 PM Faith has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by Faith, posted 12-24-2005 11:33 PM Asgara has replied

  
Faith 
Suspended Member (Idle past 1444 days)
Posts: 35298
From: Nevada, USA
Joined: 10-06-2001


Message 3 of 72 (272578)
12-24-2005 11:33 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by Asgara
12-24-2005 11:24 PM


there is no denying the belief that led to these songs being written.
Thanks, Asgara. That's pretty much the point. Not everybody will believe it, but there have certainly been a lot of people who have believed it and written impassioned songs expressing it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by Asgara, posted 12-24-2005 11:24 PM Asgara has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 4 by Asgara, posted 12-25-2005 12:45 AM Faith has replied

  
Asgara
Member (Idle past 2302 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 4 of 72 (272602)
12-25-2005 12:45 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by Faith
12-24-2005 11:33 PM


Just for Christmas,
http://adminasgara./music.htm

Asgara
"I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now"
Save lives! Click here!
Join the World Community Grid with Team EvC!
http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com
http://perditionsgate.bravepages.com

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by Faith, posted 12-24-2005 11:33 PM Faith has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 5 by Faith, posted 12-25-2005 10:48 AM Asgara has not replied

  
Faith 
Suspended Member (Idle past 1444 days)
Posts: 35298
From: Nevada, USA
Joined: 10-06-2001


Message 5 of 72 (272605)
12-25-2005 10:48 AM
Reply to: Message 4 by Asgara
12-25-2005 12:45 AM


Thank you. For some reason that kind of broadcast always breaks up on my old system. I'm pretty low-tech but have a cassette of the Messiah that I just about wear out every Christmas.
This message has been edited by Faith, 12-25-2005 10:49 AM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by Asgara, posted 12-25-2005 12:45 AM Asgara has not replied

  
Parasomnium
Member
Posts: 2224
Joined: 07-15-2003


Message 6 of 72 (272606)
12-25-2005 10:52 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Faith
12-24-2005 10:01 PM


Merry Christmas
Hello Faith,
You are right about the music. I've said it some time ago, and I'll repeat it here: even though religion isn't my cup of tea, the music that religion has brought forth is some of the most beautiful music I know. As I am writing this I am listening to Bach's Weinachts Oratorium.
Merry Christmas to you, and to all.
This message has been edited by Parasomnium, 25-Dec-2005 03:54 PM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Faith, posted 12-24-2005 10:01 PM Faith has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by Faith, posted 12-25-2005 10:54 AM Parasomnium has not replied

  
Faith 
Suspended Member (Idle past 1444 days)
Posts: 35298
From: Nevada, USA
Joined: 10-06-2001


Message 7 of 72 (272608)
12-25-2005 10:54 AM
Reply to: Message 6 by Parasomnium
12-25-2005 10:52 AM


And to you Para.
That site I linked for the Messiah also has loads of Bach.
I'd be careful about the "religion" generalization though. It was Christ who inspired all this, not "religion."

This message is a reply to:
 Message 6 by Parasomnium, posted 12-25-2005 10:52 AM Parasomnium has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 10 by Omnivorous, posted 12-25-2005 4:26 PM Faith has replied

  
berberry
Inactive Member


Message 8 of 72 (272657)
12-25-2005 3:59 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Faith
12-24-2005 10:01 PM


Those are lovely songs, Faith. I have two particular favorites among religious Christmas songs: Oh Holy Night by Carl Anderson and Sweet Little Jesus Boy (one that'll surely bring tears to your eyes) by Mahalia Jackson.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Faith, posted 12-24-2005 10:01 PM Faith has not replied

  
Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 9 of 72 (272658)
12-25-2005 4:15 PM


OK - Even Moose breaks down and puts on a Christmas CD
Purchased it many years ago, and I don't know if I've ever listened to it before:
The Chieftains - The Bells of Dublin - w/ Jackson Broiwn, Elvis Costello, Marianne Faithfull, Nanci Griffith, Rickie Le Jones, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, and Burgess Meredith.
Moose
ps: Sheesh - In looking at the AMG entry, I find the cd came out in 1991. I think I purchased it when it first came out. About time I listened to it.

Replies to this message:
 Message 17 by Faith, posted 12-25-2005 10:36 PM Minnemooseus has not replied

  
Omnivorous
Member
Posts: 3978
From: Adirondackia
Joined: 07-21-2005
Member Rating: 7.3


Message 10 of 72 (272659)
12-25-2005 4:26 PM
Reply to: Message 7 by Faith
12-25-2005 10:54 AM


Narrow, generally speaking
Faith writes:
I'd be careful about the "religion" generalization though. It was Christ who inspired all this, not "religion."
I'd be careful about the "Christ" narrowness though. Religions other and older than Christianity inspired most of the world's music, and human cultures invented music millenia before Christianity existed.
With that out of the way, O Holy Night and Silent Night are goose-bumpy beautiful songs. Everything Bach wrote is sublime. You won't be surprised to hear that I find Handel oversentimentalized and boring.

Save lives! Click here!
Join the World Community Grid with Team EvC!

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by Faith, posted 12-25-2005 10:54 AM Faith has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 11 by berberry, posted 12-25-2005 5:07 PM Omnivorous has replied
 Message 16 by Faith, posted 12-25-2005 10:07 PM Omnivorous has replied

  
berberry
Inactive Member


Message 11 of 72 (272662)
12-25-2005 5:07 PM
Reply to: Message 10 by Omnivorous
12-25-2005 4:26 PM


Re: Narrow, generally speaking
Omnivorous writes:
quote:
I'd be careful about the "Christ" narrowness though.
Oh come on! We are talking about Christmas, after all. I'm no warrior on "happy holidays" or anything, but where we're talking about Christmas I think even Faith is justified in being a little bit Christo-centric.
Sitting here alone I put on that Mahalia Jackson song I mentioned earlier, Sweet Little Jesus Boy. It's every bit as affecting as it ever was; she makes every word rip your heart out. If you listen to it, remember that she first recorded it back in the 50s, during the civil rights struggle for African-Americans. There are very few songs of any type that hit me the way this beautiful Christmas spiritual hits me.
SWEET LITTLE JESUS BOY - Traditional
Sweet little Jesus boy
They made you be born in a manger
Sweet little holy child
We didn't know who you were
Didn't know you'd come to save us Lawd
To take our sins away
Our eyes was blind, we could not see
We didn't know who you were
Long time ago you were born
Born in a manger Lawd
Sweet little Jesus boy
The world treat you mean, Lawd
It treat me mean too
But that's how things are down here
We don't know who you are
You have told us how
We are trying
Master you have shown us how
Even when you were dying
Just seems like we can't do no right
Look how we treated you
But please Sir forgive us Lawd
We didn't know it was you
Sweet little Jesus boy
Born a long time ago
Sweet little holy child
We didn't know who you were

This message is a reply to:
 Message 10 by Omnivorous, posted 12-25-2005 4:26 PM Omnivorous has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 13 by Omnivorous, posted 12-25-2005 6:10 PM berberry has replied

  
Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 12 of 72 (272663)
12-25-2005 5:08 PM


Good taste very well may not be involved
"Christmas Bells" done chicken style:
http://www.fullervoice.com/cluck/play.html
And various selections from:
WFMU :: The Cherry Blossom Clinic - December 24, 2005
Don't know what the live wfmu.org feed is covering, but I suspect there's Christmas music of uncertain taste there also:
Stream and Archive Info
Moose

Replies to this message:
 Message 15 by macaroniandcheese, posted 12-25-2005 8:23 PM Minnemooseus has not replied
 Message 18 by Faith, posted 12-25-2005 10:45 PM Minnemooseus has not replied

  
Omnivorous
Member
Posts: 3978
From: Adirondackia
Joined: 07-21-2005
Member Rating: 7.3


Message 13 of 72 (272678)
12-25-2005 6:10 PM
Reply to: Message 11 by berberry
12-25-2005 5:07 PM


Re: Narrow, generally speaking
berberry writes:
Oh come on! We are talking about Christmas, after all. I'm no warrior on "happy holidays" or anything, but where we're talking about Christmas I think even Faith is justified in being a little bit Christo-centric.
Well, sure she is, berberry, but that didn't happen in a vacuum. Faith felt compelled to correct someone else's entirely accurate statement with her Christobigotry.
When she insists on seizing upon someone else's complimentary comments about religion's deep influence on music to claim credit for all Christmas music for Christ--an assumption about Christmas music composers she cannot possibly defend, given the long secular Christmas tradition and the unknowable beliefs of even ostensibly Christan composers--even a mild-mannered pagan like me has to protest...
...in a loving, Christian-like way, of course.
And I'm not a Happy Holiday warrior either--it's Christmas, let's just say Merry Christmas. My employers are Jewish, and I tell them Merry Christmas for Christmas, and they reply the same--they host a Christmas party where one of them dons a Santa hat and distributes gifts to us all; they tell me Happy Hannukah, and I reply the same, and I present gifts each year to one or more of the six of them; one of my newly-hired fellow employees, a Jordanian Muslim, wishes us all both Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah: I look forward to learning and sharing his own religion's blessing wishes.
Unfortunately, my fellow employees who are "Christian" rarely miss an opportunity to disrespect and insult both Judaism and Islam. I wish them a Merry Christmas, as I have Faith, but I also voice my diagreement and disapproval, every time they indulge in that little bit of hatefulness. I'm funny that way. I've taken lumps from racists, homophobes, and zealots all my life for my penchant for speaking out, and I won't stop now.
So, no, I'm not cutting Faith any more slack here than anywhere else.
Nonetheless, the Christmas spirit moves me to love her just as much as she loves me.
BTW, anything Mahalia sings moves me.
Merry Christmas, berberry, to you and all of yours!
This message has been edited by Omnivorous, 12-25-2005 06:11 PM

Save lives! Click here!
Join the World Community Grid with Team EvC!

This message is a reply to:
 Message 11 by berberry, posted 12-25-2005 5:07 PM berberry has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 14 by berberry, posted 12-25-2005 6:24 PM Omnivorous has not replied
 Message 19 by Faith, posted 12-25-2005 10:49 PM Omnivorous has replied

  
berberry
Inactive Member


Message 14 of 72 (272680)
12-25-2005 6:24 PM
Reply to: Message 13 by Omnivorous
12-25-2005 6:10 PM


Re: Narrow, generally speaking
Omni writes me:
quote:
Faith felt compelled to correct someone else's entirely accurate statement with her Christobigotry.
Okay, I see what you're talking about. Somehow that slipped past me my first time through the thread. I stand corrected.
quote:
BTW, anything Mahalia sings moves me.
Me too, but nothing quite like that one.
quote:
Merry Christmas, berberry, to you and all of yours!
And to you as well.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 13 by Omnivorous, posted 12-25-2005 6:10 PM Omnivorous has not replied

  
macaroniandcheese 
Suspended Member (Idle past 3927 days)
Posts: 4258
Joined: 05-24-2004


Message 15 of 72 (272690)
12-25-2005 8:23 PM
Reply to: Message 12 by Minnemooseus
12-25-2005 5:08 PM


Re: Good taste very well may not be involved
joy of joys.
i have a cd (well. my mother's house ate it.) that has all kinds of tracks of animal christmas carols.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 12 by Minnemooseus, posted 12-25-2005 5:08 PM Minnemooseus has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024