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If anyone happens to come across Christmas or Christmas related songs from the Baroque and Classicals periods, please feel free to post them here! 8)
This first song is by Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713). It is Concerto grosso in G minor, op.6 no. 8, affectionately known as The Christmas Concerto. My musician friends and I have played this concerto many times, mostly during the Christmas season. It was written around 1690, and published one year after Corelli's death, in 1714.
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j43/Davidindy/music/180px-Arcangelo_Corelli.jpg)
The Adagio-Allegro-Adagio (third movement) of the concerto may sound familiar to some of you. It was featured in the movie "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World".
This concerto is about 7 minutes in length.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4SLTdmJ5mI[/youtube]
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George Frideric Handel's "Hallelujiah Chorus" from The Messiah.
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j43/Davidindy/music/Handel.jpg)
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) first performed his famous oratorio The Messiah at the New Music Hall in Dublin, Ireland in 1742. Handel never intended The Messiah to be performed using large orchestras and large choirs. Handel also never intended The Messiah to be performed only during the Chrstmas season. In many parts of the world, The Messiah is heard year round but here in the United States it remains popular mostly during Christmas.
The Hallelujah Chorus from G.F. Handel's The Messiah
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNvo3-aRwEc[/youtube]
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For Unto Us A Child Is Born, from G.F. Handel's "The Messiah".
Robert Shaw conducts The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9kjqpvkESs[/youtube]
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Antonio Vivaldi's "Gloria"
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/TranThanhLe/vivaldi.jpg)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) both a Catholic priest and composer, wrote at least three versions of Gloria with only two existing in their entirety today. Although the date is disputed, this version of Gloria was probably written around 1708.
Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria (in part) performed by The Pacific Baroque Orchestra and Musica Intima
(about 3:30)
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIo3IlE577A[/youtube]
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Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j43/Davidindy/music/bach-hausmann.jpg)
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) wrote the Christmas Oratorio in 1734. It is a set of six cantatas celebrating the Christmas season.
Here is an 8 minute excerpt from Weihnachtsoratorium or Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248).
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg_uJawfU8Q[/youtube]
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This next song is called "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" by Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck (1714-1787)
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j43/Davidindy/music/ChristophWillibaldGluck.jpg)
"Dance of the Blessed Spirits" is from the opening of the second scene in Elysium, from the opera "Orfeo ed Euridice". Now before all you music aficionados start jumping on me and telling me this isn't Christmas music, let me tell you a little story about this particular piece. When I lived in Evansville, I once saw a Christmas music video on television. The video starts off by showing the outside of a quaint English Tudor cottage, far out in the country and away from civilization. Two sleeping children upstairs are awakened by the sound of beautiful music coming from outside. They get up out of bed, and quietly walk down the stairs, candle in hand and gaze through the leaded glass window. In the distance they can see something glowing in the woods. They quietly open the front door and walk out into the snowy lawn. As they approach closer, they can see figures dancing in a circle and glowing in a golden light. Suddenly all the trees in the woods begin to sparkle with light. At some point they get too close, because the spirits notice them and disappear. Saddened, the children walk back to the cottage, and as they enter through the front door, they notice a letter laying on a footstool in front of the fireplace. With only the dying fire's light to see by, they manage to read the note which says "A Blessed and Happy Christmas From Your Woodland Friends." Both children go back upstairs and climb into their beds as the clock strikes twelve and the forest sparkles around their cottage. It is now Christmas morning.
Now, if you can listen to this music and imagine the scene I just described, maybe you can associate it with Christmas. The video left me with a very peaceful, but haunted feeling. I wish I knew who produced that video. I saw it several times, but only one year. I've never seen it again.
The following clip is played by The Afflatus Flute Orchestra. In the past I've only heard "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" played using a full orchestra and the flute, and I wasn't too sure if I would like this. But I did. I thought the flute orchestra did an excellent job with this song.
"Dance of the Blessed Spirits" by Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o0klP1elxE[/youtube]
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Somebody just sent me a PM and said they were "baroque" this Christmas! :laugh: :laugh:
I am too, almost. Too much Christmas shopping!! :P
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Nigel Kennedy performs an excerpt of "Winter" (Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297) from Antonio Vivaldi's "Le Quattro Stagioni" (The Four Seasons) composed in 1723.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8dq9NodWDY[/youtube]
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Gloria In Excelsis Deo and Et In Terra Pax from J.S. Bach's Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) composed in 1733.
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j43/Davidindy/music/bach.jpg)
Helmuth Rilling conducts The Stuttagart Gachinger Kantorei and Bach Collegium.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9apaltyluT4[/youtube]
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Somebody just sent me a PM and said they were "baroque" this Christmas! :laugh: :laugh:
I am too, almost. Too much Christmas shopping!! :P
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Shopping is too much fun!!
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David, thanks so much for this lovely thread! I didn't realize you were a musician. What's your instrument? 8)
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David, thanks so much for this lovely thread! I didn't realize you were a musician. What's your instrument? 8)
Hi Meryl! You're welcome! I'll try to find some more music to post!
I play violin, cello and piano. I also play a little guitar and banjo. I've played the violin, cello and piano since I was a youngster. The cello is my favorite instrument I think. :)
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"Every Valley Shall Be Exalted" from G. F. Handel's The Messiah (1742).
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j43/Davidindy/music/handel_6.jpg)
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra ( ;) to my friend Richard (lonleebee) ) and Chamber Chorus with Robert Shaw conducting.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNs_3xRz9Dw[/youtube]
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"The Trumpet Shall Sound" from G.F. Handel's The Messiah (1742) performed by Teddy T. Rhodes.
Yeah, he looks a bit like Jim Carrey, but what a voice!!! :D
And the guy playing the trumpet sure is gorgeous, isn't he?
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC4_rwbZ2GU[/youtube]
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Hi Meryl! You're welcome! I'll try to find some more music to post!
I play violin, cello and piano. I also play a little guitar and banjo. I've played the violin, cello and piano since I was a youngster. The cello is my favorite instrument I think. :)
Wow, cool beans! 8)
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Hi David, what a great thread! :D
I have always liked classical Christmas (related) concerts and songs in particular, so I think it’s nice to have all these classical Christmas songs together in one place like this.
Btw, I really liked the “Dance of the Blessed Spirits” played by the flute orchestra, too.
The flute is one of my favourite instruments (after the cello, of course ;)). I usually don’t like several flutes playing together, because it sounds never quite even or clean, but they did a very good job there. :)
The following two are “Adventslieder” (Advent songs). They are sung during Advent time and while most people just refer to them as Christmas songs, there are differences in topics which is why the church still knows this distinction between Christmas and Advent songs.
(I’m not sure if that was interesting to anyone, I only know this because I attended a Catholic school. :-\)
I’m sorry that these are all in German, but I’m not familiar with English Christmas songs (and the ones that I know are most likely not Baroque or Classical).
The tunes are the same, after all. :)
The first one is called “Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen”. I can’t give a literal translation of the title, because it’s a somewhat “poetic title” (by that I mean it’s not grammatically correct). Roughly translated the first two lines mean something like “There comes a ship, fully laden.”
I hope you don’t mind that I won’t say more about the lyrics, they are very long and complicated to translate and personally I think there is not that much of an actual message to the song.
It’s very early Baroque, from about 1626 and the tune is from 1608, according to Wikipedia.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofGU640JeUw[/youtube]
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The second is “Tochter Zion, freue dich”. The tune is by Handel (1747), the lyrics from about 1820/1826 (Wikipedia again).
I feel like I'm really missing something about this one, like there's something I should absolutely mention, but I don't know what it is that I'm missing. Any thoughts?
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3y9u-dGDOg[/youtube]
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Then there’s "Ich steh’ an deiner Krippen hier" (1736) by J.S. Bach. It’s part of the 6th cantata of the "Weihnachtsoratorium", but it’s also sung as a regular (alone standing) Christmas song here.
The lyrics are by Paul Gerhardt (1653), who is one of the most important German chant writers (I hope my dictionary is right and a chant is actually a "church song"?).
I posted that one in the Christmas songs thread already and I’m still not happy with the vibrato in this version, but the only other one I found on youtube is very, very slow, so here it is anyways:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWFbTXYoBk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWFbTXYoBk) (embedding is disabled)
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And I just discovered "Once in Royal David’s City". I didn’t know this song (as I said I’m quite ignorant about English Christmas songs). Wikipedia says it’s from the late 1840ies, that’s not really Classical anymore, I know.
I hope it’s okay to post it anyway (it’s only about 30 years to young to be Classical after all ;)).
I was so impressed by the little boy who sings the solo parts. I mean, I don’t think I would have been able to get out a single note in front of so many people at his age.
[youtube=425,350]http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=plNCeQJmswE[/youtube]
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Hi Meryl! You're welcome! I'll try to find some more music to post!
I play violin, cello and piano. I also play a little guitar and banjo. I've played the violin, cello and piano since I was a youngster. The cello is my favorite instrument I think. :)
Wow, isn't it great to learn this about one of our favourite people? How did we not know this before? David I would like to introduce you to LauraGigs, an excellent fiddler as well as our Ennis on the Performance Thread!!
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Thank you for your contributions Lhuthiel!! I loved all of them! :D
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This next one is the Overture from Handel's Messiah. It is absolutely beautiful and a lot of fun to play! :D
Enjoy this beautiful overture. It has a little bit of everything in it. :)
The City of Preston Orchestra performs at Preston Guildhall with Chris Gill conducting.
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e102/musikmann123/handel.jpg)
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=komOxVNewIk[/youtube]
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Wow, isn't it great to learn this about one of our favourite people? How did we not know this before? David I would like to introduce you to LauraGigs, an excellent fiddler as well as our Ennis on the Performance Thread!!
Hi Lee!
Yes, I knew Laura played the violin. Somebody posted a video of Laura playing the violin. The video was up in the banner and I watched it. She's very good! I enjoyed it. :D
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I posted this in Andrew's music thread many moons ago, but John Gallagher just sent it to me again. I think it belongs here for a little light fun. ;D
[youtube=425,350]http://youtube.com/watch?v=D09DCZryG2U[/youtube]
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Meryl that is so funny. :D Maybe more choruses should incorporate this as I attended a performance and my friend couldn't understand what they were singing in the Hallelujah. Of course, I've heard it so many times, I got the jist of it.
I guess they could do it with a TelePrompTer as it would be less distracting. Thanks for posting that.
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That was hilarious Meryl... and well done!!! No complaints from me.
Here is Caccini's Ave Maria, which I would normally prefer to be sung by a Soprano, but Slava Kagan (one of the world's greatest counter-tenors in the past decade) sings it extraordinarily well.
[youtube=425,350]4SuBRsPt1Mo[/youtube]
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Wow, that was exquisite, Daniel. Thank you.
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This next one is the Overture from Handel's Messiah. It is absolutely beautiful and a lot of fun to play! :D
Enjoy this beautiful overture. It has a little bit of everything in it. :)
The City of Preston Orchestra performs at Preston Guildhall with Chris Gill conducting.
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e102/musikmann123/handel.jpg)
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=komOxVNewIk[/youtube]
Hey David. How many Messiah's did you do this year? I'm done with my spate of them, and the count for this Xmas season is 6, and for the year 2007...14. Most were truncated version with only the Christmas section, but they always include the Hallelujah chorus...which I never got, since it comes from the Easter section
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Hey David. How many Messiah's did you do this year? I'm done with my spate of them, and the count for this Xmas season is 6, and for the year 2007...14. Most were truncated version with only the Christmas section, but they always include the Hallelujah chorus...which I never got, since it comes from the Easter section
Maybe because audiences expect that if they're attending a Messiah, there will be the Hallelujah Chorus? I mean, even if they don't know the recitatives, everyone knows the Hallelujah Chorus.
Some Christmas music trivia: The familiar tune used for the Christmas carol "Joy to the World" was cobbled together from various themes from Messiah. The tune was popularized in the U.S. by the hymn composer Lowell Mason, who included it in a collection of tunes that he published in 1836. Mason named the tune "Antioch" for reasons apparently unknown.
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Maybe because audiences expect that if they're attending a Messiah, there will be the Hallelujah Chorus? I mean, even if they don't know the recitatives, everyone knows the Hallelujah Chorus.
But every time I do tha damn thing and they all start singing it...I keep saying..."Wait...he ain't dead yet...he ain't even born yet!" LOL
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Wow, that was exquisite, Daniel. Thank you.
I am glad you enjoyed it. He has been labeled "the Diamond Voice", and apparently has a huge following in Japan. He himself is Russian. With my new headphones, I can actually hear it quite clearly, and I am beginning to think his voice is more than exquisiite. Exquisite just doesn't seem to be enough for me.
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That was hilarious Meryl... and well done!!! No complaints from me.
Here is Caccini's Ave Maria, which I would normally prefer to be sung by a Soprano, but Slava Kagan (one of the world's greatest counter-tenors in the past decade) sings it extraordinarily well.
[youtube=425,350]4SuBRsPt1Mo[/youtube]
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Oh my Daniel, that defies the power to praise. He is utterly magnificent.
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Thank you everyone for your contributions! :D
The following video clip is a bit different. It is Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria in Excelsis Deo . Read along with the sheet music as you listen to the song! :)
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c193/TurkeyVulture75/TG-Related/vivaldi.jpg)
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzx2BOMo9tY[/youtube]
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Oh my Daniel, that defies the power to praise. He is utterly magnificent.
"Utterly Magnificent".... That might work. Still sounds, a little.... earthbound?
Slava Kagan sings Rakhmananov's The Quet Melody accapella, in multiple layers. I was going to save this video for an appropriate moment on the PT, but it might get some appreciation here...
[youtube=425,350]LQqZF3HPMuQ[/youtube]
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Bach's Air on the G String is not really a Christmas melody, but Slava Kagan's layered recording of this musical feast may very well become a part of my Christmas traditions.
[youtube=425,350]wN0T4E9uDTI[/youtube]
And I'd better stop with this one... before this thread turns into the Slava Kagan admiration board.
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bumping for a Baroque-Bach Christmas
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[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNt1Qj4MA6M[/youtube]
"Rejoice Greatly" with the great Renee Fleming
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[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Us_E551Z4[/youtube]
Reposting "The Trumpet Shall Sound" from G.F. Handel's The Messiah (1742) performed by Teddy T. Rhodes. (link above not working; different trumpeter)
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Beautiful!!!! 8)
G. F. Handel's "Messiah" in its entirety! It's a real shame we don't play this year round in the U.S. Because it is soooooo so beautiful!
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdbB36x15mE[/youtube]
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[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Us_E551Z4[/youtube]
Reposting "The Trumpet Shall Sound" from G.F. Handel's The Messiah (1742) performed by Teddy T. Rhodes. (link above not working; different trumpeter)
That is really beautiful, Paul!! Thanks! "The Trumpet Shall Sound" is one of my favorites from The Messiah. I always look forward to it.
I wonder why some people have a problem with embedded videos though? If I uploaded something to youtube, I'd want as many people to watch it as possible! :-\
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[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixmNZQH0NjU[/youtube]
"All We Like Sheep" with an interesting video. :laugh:
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[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixmNZQH0NjU[/youtube]
"All We Like Sheep" with an interesting video. :laugh:
Jake looking a bit Christ-like, there, don't you think??
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Hln2AEigAz4/SfSVPTUNp0I/AAAAAAAASkw/XJBXvlWoq6c/s1600/sheep+3.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Hln2AEigAz4/SfSVPPgWqII/AAAAAAAASkY/AsiXLJtyjmc/s1600/sheep.jpg)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Hln2AEigAz4/SfSUdHtFiCI/AAAAAAAASkA/T7ZYmxxqvso/s1600/Jack+and+sheep.jpg)
But maybe here, not so much! ::) :laugh: :laugh:
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Hln2AEigAz4/SfSVPbtFS3I/AAAAAAAASko/l3N3wcjGbr0/s1600/sheep6.JPG)
;D ;D ;D ;D
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"The Trumpet Shall Sound" from G.F. Handel's The Messiah (1742) performed by Teddy T. Rhodes.
Yeah, he looks a bit like Jim Carrey, but what a voice!!! :D
And the guy playing the trumpet sure is gorgeous, isn't he?
We need to see Teddy again, I think!
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqi-5N6FKWo[/youtube]
Uploaded on Mar 9, 2009 gensecboy
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"All We Like Sheep"
That's what the coyotes say, too. 8)
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The coyotes will love this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIUCRXMM4pE
Pretty music, sheep, Jesus, the planets, mountains. It's all good. 8)
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The coyotes will love this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIUCRXMM4pE
Pretty music, sheep, Jesus, the planets, mountains. It's all good. 8)
Quite lovely, Meryl!
And some of that scenery looks quite BBM-ish!