Favorite Christmas music

[Diana]

I'm not a fan of Christmas music, especially since retailers start playing it in October. But, I bought a new CD with a lovely song on it. Josh Groban's version of Ave Maria is beautiful and moving and actually brought tears to my eyes the first time I heard it.

My all-time favorite Christmas song is Grown-Up Christmas List by any artist:

Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee;
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies.

Well, I'm all grown-up now,
And still need help somehow.
I'm not a child,
But my heart still can dream.

So here's my lifelong wish,
My grown-up Christmas list.
Not for myself,
But for a world in need.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree.

Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end, oh.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
This is my only lifelong wish .
This is my grown-up Christmas list.


Merry Christmas everyone. Tom and I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday season with friends and family.

 

[Everskyward]

I've never heard that song, Diana, but the sentiment is nice. I'm not much of a Christmas person, nor am I even a religious person, but I've always liked "If It Wasn't For the Night" by David Wilcox. I'm not sure that it's even supposed to be a Christmas song but he works it in there.

If it wasn't for the night
So cold this time of year
The stars would never shine so bright
So beautiful and clear

I have walked this road alone
My thin coat against the chill
When the light in me was gone
And my winter house was stilled

When I grieved for all I'd made
Out of all I had to give
On the eve of Christmas day
With no reason left to live

Even then somehow in the bitter wind and cold
Impossibly strong I know
Even then a bloom as tender as a rose
Was breaking through the snow
In the dark night of the soul
In the dark night of the soul

If it wasn't for the babe
Lying helpless on the straw
There would be no Christmas day
And the night would just go on

When it seem that death has won
Buried deep beneath the snow
Where the summer leaves have gone
The seed of hope will grow

Everyone have a safe and happy holiday!

 

[deafsound]

Hark of the Bells (I think that's what it's called)
Sleigh Ride
and The Charlie Brown Christmas

 

[Lawreston]

The Christmas music selections corral some of the greatest melodic moments ever written. To hear the Boston Pops, or other great orchestras, perform the magnificent and varied arrangements of the old standards is a wondrous sound. But take away the orchestra and what might there be? The Alfred Burt Carols. Who, and what?

Another marvelous world contribution from the University of Michigan's famed music department. As a performer one of my most revered concerts was performing in a 20 member mixed chorale performing the Alfred Burt Carols. If you're not familiar with them you've probably heard them while shopping. Somewhere around the house I have a recording of our chorale's concert of 20+ years ago.

Minus the great brass, the soaring strings, the lulling sound of woodwinds, and the thunder of the tympani, what could be left to inspire the musical experience? That would be the ultimate musical instrument, the human voice(in plurality) in a nearly always a cappella performance. Alfred S. Burt's arrangements are so meticulous that the proper mix of SATB voices becomes an orchestra in itself.
http://www.alfredburtcarols.com/burt/Web Pages/burt_family.htm
(there are samples in the above site)

. . . . . and Merry Christmas to y'all.

HR