Christmas Music – It’s Everywhere!
So, it’s entirely possible that by now you are heartily sick of Christmas music. That would be too bad, since it is such an integral part of the celebration. I mean the carols and nativity songs, of course, not the Frosty, Grinch, Deck the Halls, and snow celebration songs that serve as seasonal distractions. Here are some facts about the Carols that are central to the true story:
*Christmas carols are based on Christian lyrics and relate, in the main, to the Nativity. Christmas carols were introduced into church services by St. Francis of Assisi in the 12th century.
*Almost all the well-known carols were not sung in church until the second half of the 19th century. Isaac Watts, the “father of English hymnody”, composed “Joy to the World”, which has become a popular Christmas carol even though it is widely believed that Watts did not write it to be sung only at Christmas.
*Charles Wesley wrote texts for at least three Christmas carols, of which the best known was “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”.
*”Silent Night” comes from Austria. The carol was first performed in the Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, Austria on December 24, 1818. Mohr had composed the words in 1816, but on Christmas Eve brought them to Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for the church service.
Click the link below to hear my absolute favorite medley of Christmas songs and carols. Notice, towards the end, when the frenetic pace of “Jingle Bells” gives way to the grounding stability of “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” That brings me right back to the reason for the season every time. Makes me a little misty, too.
I chose this rendering because of it’s visual beauty – and because it has kittens in it! (Don’t worry: it has dogs, too. And horses, birds, a squirrel and reindeer!)
Oh, and it’s pretty lengthy. You might want to grab a cup of tea or cocoa before you listen!
