For some recent comments I made I've been accused of being a bit of a Scrooge. While there may actually be some validity to that statement, I'd like to protest that Christmas is FUN. There's a lot of good stuff that happens this time of year that I absolutely love.
To prove it, here are some of my favorite Christmas musics:
5 - John Denver and the Muppets - A Christmas Together
4 - A Muppet Christmas Carol
I don't know how it happened that so much of my holiday cheer comes from the Muppets, but here you go. The John Denver collection has some genuinely touching Christmas music that I haven't heard many other places. And (I can't believe I'm admitting this on THE INTERNET of all places) I get just a little teary-eyed while watching A Muppet Christmas Carol and listening to "One More Sleep 'til Christmas" or "It Feels Like Christmas." Both are great soundtracks well-worth checking out.
3 - "The Hallelujah Chorus"
This is probably a leftover from my old high school choir days, but I think there's almost nothing else that captures the glory, the hope, and the promise that are supposed to accompany the birth of the Savior quite like Handel's Messiah. Good, good stuff.
2 - Mannheim Steamroller
Doesn't matter which one. Take your pick.
Growing up, Christmas meant falling asleep in the back seat of my parents' car while Mannheim Steamroller played Christmas music on the radio. If I seem a little jaded at Christmastime anymore, it's because I don't get to sleep in back seats anymore.
1 - A Candlelight Christmas
I don't know that anyone out side of Mr. Moore's high school choirs would know this particular collection of music, but it's some of the most beautiful music I've heard. The music tells the story of the nativity, from the angelic announcement to Mary's prayer to the birth of the Savior. The whole set culminates with a fantastic medley of "Silent Night" and "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" that STILL gets me choked up.
Most of the love I have for this collection comes from the fun I had singing it - which, to me, is totally fine. I mean, I think it's a little better to SING Christmas music than it is to LISTEN to it. That way, the Christmas spirit isn't something you passively enjoy - it's something you fully experience.
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2 comments:
I feel as if I somewhat inspired this post:-) Let me feel that way, even if I didn't - I'm entitled to my feelings.
I'm going to see a Steamroller concert on the 28th in Ohio I think. Random.
Love the list. I need to revisit those muppets.
The best part about performing the Hallelujah Chorus is that someone in the audience always knows the song well enough to sing with the choir.
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