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Favorite Christmas Song (Sacred and Secular)

T

tenor

New Member
Hello All!

As a Music Minister, I'm already hot and heavy into prepping for Christmas.

What are your favorite Christmas songs, both of a sacred and secular nature.

Mine are:

Sacred: Silent Night; Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People, Joy to the World

Secular: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas; Christmas Waltz (especialy Karen Carpenter's rendition of both); Christmas Song (Chestnuts...)

Well, what about it?

Enjoy the season,
Tim
 
P

PamelaK

New Member
Hey Tim,
I really don't like Christmas or the Christmas season so I'm probably not the best person to be responding here. Also, I think most of the Christmas carols sung in our churches are so far off doctrinally that it's pitiful.

BUT - I had to put in a plug for the entire "Messiah" by Handel!
thumbs.gif


Bah Humbug,
PamelaK ;)
 
T

tenor

New Member
Originally posted by PamelaK:
Hey Tim,

BUT - I had to put in a plug for the entire "Messiah" by Handel!
thumbs.gif


Bah Humbug,
PamelaK ;)
Click to expand...
Ideed it is agreat work. One of my faves.

Tim
 
B

Baptist in Richmond

Active Member
Christmas is my favorite season, and if I had to pick my favorites:

Sacred - "Silent Night" and Handel's Messiah
Secular - Either "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole, or anything on the Manhattan Transfer's Christmas album -> LOVE that four-part harmony.

Regards,
BiR
 
M

Mike McK

New Member
Anything by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Mac McAnally's "Stefan, the Alternative Lifestyle Reindeer".

Now Playing: John Hiatt – “The Tiki Bar is Open”
 
rsr

rsr

<b> 7,000 posts club</b>
Moderator
Originally posted by PamelaK:
I really don't like Christmas or the Christmas season so I'm probably not the best person to be responding here. Also, I think most of the Christmas carols sung in our churches are so far off doctrinally that it's pitiful.

BUT - I had to put in a plug for the entire "Messiah" by Handel!
thumbs.gif
;)
Click to expand...
My sentiments exactly; the vast majority of good Christian music is about Easter, not Christmas. I'd put Christ the Lord is Risen Today up against any Christmas song. In fact, it is the Christmas song.

Handel, although a musical genius, had great reverence for the text.

As Christopher Hogwood said in his liner notes for the recreation of the first London performance:

"Unlike most modern performing versions that find it expedient to cut whole sections, Handel would substitute three bars of recitative for an aria rather than lose those words."

If you can't get a tenor worked up over "Glory to God" or the final triple chorus, he ain't got it and ain't gonna get it.
 
rsr

rsr

<b> 7,000 posts club</b>
Moderator
No, except in my truck with the tape deck blaring.

I've been in a local Messiah for many years. (Missed the last couple, though.)

What's a "Sing It Yourself Messiah?"
 
P

PamelaK

New Member
Originally posted by rsr:
No, except in my truck with the tape deck blaring.

I've been in a local Messiah for many years. (Missed the last couple, though.)

What's a "Sing It Yourself Messiah?"
Click to expand...
rsr,
Full orchestra and professionals singing the solos, and you're in the audience sitting in whichever section you prefer (soprano, alto, tenor, etc), and the audience sings the chorus parts. And, everyone stands and ends with the Hallelujah chorus. Quite an experience. My husband and I went a couple times in San Francisco when we lived in CA and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of church groups/choirs bought discount group tickets and they filled a good part of the auditorium.
 
rsr

rsr

<b> 7,000 posts club</b>
Moderator
Originally posted by PamelaK:
Full orchestra and professionals singing the solos, and you're in the audience sitting in whichever section you prefer (soprano, alto, tenor, etc), and the audience sings the chorus parts. And, everyone stands and ends with the Hallelujah chorus. Quite an experience. My husband and I went a couple times in San Francisco when we lived in CA and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of church groups/choirs bought discount group tickets and they filled a good part of the auditorium.
Click to expand...
Totally cool.

But I must disagree with ending on the Hallelujah, although it's often done — and overdone. You really need to get to Since by man came death and The trumpet shall sound. Then the final triple chorus is icing on the cake.
 
T

tenor

New Member
Originally posted by rsr:
Totally cool.

But I must disagree with ending on the Hallelujah, although it's often done — and overdone. You really need to get to Since by man came death and The trumpet shall sound. Then the final triple chorus is icing on the cake.
Click to expand...
The final chorus "Worthy is the Lamb" and the "Amen" chorus are truly fabulous pieces. Great fun to sing!

I think many end with "Hallelujah" because of it's familiarity, or maybe due to cultural practice, it's an easy way to guarantee a standing ovation. (just kidding)I do find it interesting that in the U.S. we still follow a practice started by an English monarch.

A community Messiahsing is a wonderful way to share this great work. And it's fun too.

Aslo, don't forget Messiah is not just a Christmas work. Part I-Christmas,
Part II-Easter, and Part III-Eternity in heaven. It' sinteresting that this work is not performed any other time of year. I think this is a great disservice to this powerful piece.

Tim
 
K

Kidz-4-HIM

New Member
I love the Christmas season.

I enjoy The Messiah.
I don't know how much I will enjoy the Messiah later on this year, why? I am in the college choir here at Crown College, we are only 1 of 2 choirs in the world that sing selections from the Messiah from MEMORY!

And I want a hippo. for Christmas!
 
R

Rachel

New Member
Christian- "The Gift" by Randy Travis

Secular- "The Christmas Song" by Randy Travis (really the entire cd 'An Old Time Christmas'!) Also, I always really liked "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" :D
 
M

music4Him

New Member
To be honest, its so hard to pick a favorite, but here are a few.
Little drummer boy, Silient Night, and a newer Christmas song I heard last year called "He Is Here".

Secular...Alvin and the Chipmunks singing "Chrismas, Christmas, don't be late, "
laugh.gif
"Rocking around the Christmas tree", and "The Christmas Song".
 
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