(no subject)

[ceebeegee]

I'm listening to the Muppet Christmas album right now. During "Silent Night," John Denver tells the story of how it was written (organ was out for the Xmas Eve service, had to write a song that could be accompanied on guitar) and he says "Gruber wrote the melody to a song which has become the most beloved of all Christmas carols." Do y'all agree with that? I've never found "Silent Night" all that interesting, frankly. It kind of...drags. I'm sorry, it just doesn't do much for me.

My favorites are:

Hark and O Come (because they're soooo traditional, plus I know some kickass descants for them and I can really soar)
Sleigh Ride (technically a winter song, not Xmas, although you only hear it at this time of year--I love it because it's so rollicking and cozy)
Good King Wenceslaus (it's kind of esoteric)
Carol of the Bells (I love happy songs in minor keys--CotB sounds like it was composed by Maurice Sendak, so dark and weird and cool)
The Coventry Carol (VERY esoteric, also modal which I love)
The Ralph Vaughan Williams version of O Little Town (it's set to an old English tune called "Forest Green"-just lovely, very lilting)
I also love the song that ends the medley on the Muppet Xmas album "It's in Every One of Us"

In really good news:

My radiator is fixed and my apartment is snuggly warm.

Comments

[king-duncan.livejournal.com]

I don't think Silent Night is all that interesting, either, though it does capture the simple quietness of a Silent night, in it's way.

I love Good King Wenceslas.