Christmas Carols

[englishangel]

I did think of putting this in the "Interesting or funny links" section, but with CH having such a rich musical history I thought it deserved a thread of its own.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8412999.stm

Includes Durham University Music Department choir singing "While shepherds watched...." to the tune of "On Ilkley Moor".

In about 1968/9 we had a competition at Hertford to write a tune for a Christmas Carol and the winner would have their tune sung at the carol service. The standard was extremely high but the competition was won by my room-mate Julie Howlett. I cannot remember the carol she used but I am sure it (and the tune) will come to me as the season advances and I hear the regular tune.

Incidentally my favourite is "It came upon a midnight clear" the words are just wonderful.

[Great Plum]

At the moment, I'm still in tune with advent carols - Lo He comes with clouds descending is just awesome!!

[Jo]

I learned a carol at primary school that I have never heard again since: Winds through the olive trees. I loved it. I can't find it on Youtube but as far as I can remember the words went:

WInds through the olive trees softly did blow
Round little Bethlehem long long ago
Sheep on the hillside lay white as the snow
Shepherds were watching them long long ago.

I think there were two or three more verses. Does anyone else know it?

At the other end of the spectrum, I still love the rousing singalong nature of Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I learned a carol at primary school that I have never heard again since: Winds through the olive trees. I loved it. I can't find it on Youtube but as far as I can remember the words went:

WInds through the olive trees softly did blow
Round little Bethlehem long long ago
Sheep on the hillside lay white as the snow
Shepherds were watching them long long ago.

I think there were two or three more verses. Does anyone else know it?

At the other end of the spectrum, I still love the rousing singalong nature of Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

Oh gosh, yes, and I still try to croak out the highest notes of the harmony on the last verse

xxx

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Alan ----- Change your "Circles" !!

I have always believed that God puts you in the Church in which He wants you ! and this can. sometimes be a shock !

[anniexf]

This is my all-time favourite, although it's classed as an anthem, not a carol. I was a soprano in the choir at Hertford when we sang it at the Carol Service and the acoustics, atmosphere and voices seemed to combine to make it perfect. I've never forgotten the thrill ( and relief!) of getting and holding that final top note! I believe it's by Peter Cornelius. It had the same sort of effect on me that Alan's carol did, but didn't last much longer than the train home next day; but I look forward to it every Christmas.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwBRLJt432U

[Fjgrogan]

It is also my all-time favourite and I get so frustrated these days when I am sitting in the congregation wanting to join in with the choir.

[anniexf]

It is also my all-time favourite and I get so frustrated these days when I am sitting in the congregation wanting to join in with the choir.

Lucky you though, Frances, still to have a singing voice! Mine has been ruined by "riotous living"....

[Fjgrogan]

Frankly, Annie, I don't - except after communion wine!

[englishangel]

All this was started when Howard Goodall was on Breakfast Time on the BBC yesterday with Enchanted Voices singing carols from his new album "Enchanted Christmas" (plug, plug), Chriostmas songs as you have never heard them before, well only if you went to Christ's Hospital Girls School.

[midget]

There was a lot of excitement when we first sang the Kings as we had never done anything like that when Mr Comely(sp?) was in charge. This must have been Christmas 1951 I think.

[anniexf]

We had Miss Weaver for choir, and she taught the organists as well as piano & violin. She was a super lady, always encouraging and kind, though determined, while she was putting the choir through its paces. I heard a rumour at the time that one of the "little men in brown coats" - the gatekeeper I think, the one who tolled the dreaded 7 am bell - had made scathing comments about our abilities & she was determined to prove him wrong by getting us to perform The Three Kings. It went like a dream, and word was that he'd grudgingly acknowledged it. This may be apocryphal though. Either way, it remains a beautiful memory, my last ever involvement in choral singing.

[Great Plum]

This is my all-time favourite, although it's classed as an anthem, not a carol. I was a soprano in the choir at Hertford when we sang it at the Carol Service and the acoustics, atmosphere and voices seemed to combine to make it perfect. I've never forgotten the thrill ( and relief!) of getting and holding that final top note! I believe it's by Peter Cornelius. It had the same sort of effect on me that Alan's carol did, but didn't last much longer than the train home next day; but I look forward to it every Christmas.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwBRLJt432U

How did you have a baritone soloist in an all girls choir? i love thagt anthem too...

Special mention must also be made of CS Lang's Eastern Monarchs - it only sounds really good with the organ that he designed with 850 voices raucously singing along...

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Alan --- at least you won't be described as "Square" !!

Is that now an old-fashioned term ?