Although I grew up in southern California and have spent considerable time over the years in Israel or Palestine (to say nothing of Egypt), my “Christmas sensibility” is curiously Alpine. We’ve already had our traditional seasonal meals of Raclette and of Bratwurst, Wienerschnitzel, Spätzle, Rotkohl, and Kartoffelsalat. So, tonight, we had Käsefondue (which we washed down with Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider, a quite acceptable approximation of Swiss “gespritzter Apfelsaft”).
Among the glories of the Christmas season is its music. I would like to share here a few of my favorite pieces. First, though, please permit me to remind you, yet again, of the magnificent eighteen-minute video The Christ Child, produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It ranks very high, in my judgment, among all of the filmic depictions of the Christmas story that I have ever seen, and I recommend it very enthusiastically. See it here:
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And now to the music.
First, something wonderfully beautiful, from one of the most amazing singers that I’ve ever heard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqm-hf1LDV4
The lyrics vary. (Actually, the song was originally written in French. So part of that is simply variation in translations.) But here’s one version:
1. Whence is the goodly fragrance flowing,
Stealing our senses all away,
never the like did come a-blowing,
Shepherds, in flow’ry fields of May,
Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing,
Stealing our senses all away.
2. What is that light so brilliant, breaking
Here in the night across our eyes.
Never so bright, the day-star waking,
Started to climb the morning skies!
What is that light so brilliant, breaking,
Here in the night across our eyes.
3. Bethlehem! there in manger lying,
Find your Redeemer haste away,
Run ye with eager footsteps vieing!
Worship the Saviour born today.
Bethlehem! there in manger lying,
Find your Redeemer haste away.
But of course we’re going to do Händel this Christmas!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f7jhk-IjDo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOQRtYYERGo
Cold and weary, with a babe inside.
And I wonder what I’ve done.
Holy Father, you have come
And chosen me now
To carry your son.I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now.
Be with me now.[Chorus]
Breath of heaven,
Hold me together.
Be forever near me.
Breath of heaven,
Breath of heaven,
Light up my darkness.
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven,
Do you wonder as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place?
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be . . .
Help me . . .
[Chorus: x2]
Breath of heaven!
Breath of heaven!
Breath of heaven!
This is a Christian folk hymn from the American South. It was first published at Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1811, and has been called a “white spiritual””
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsVnvN3EVxY
And J. S. Bach’s O Jesulein süss (“O, sweet little Jesus”) powerfully evokes the spirit of an old German Christmas, from back in the days when Germany was still a more or less Christian land:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWuuT2-E0fE
I’ve always loved Miklos Rozsa’s score for the movie Ben Hur. And his “Star of Bethlehem” is, in my opinion, one of that film’s two musical highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0cFMotGzUs
And now, because I’m feeling rather nostalgic, not exactly for das Vaterland but for nearby German-speaking Switzerland and Austria (and, for similar reasons, for Bavaria), here’s a fairly schmalzy rendition of a nineteenth-century German Christmas carol that has happy memories for me. The song proper lasts only somewhat more than two minutes. The last minute or so of the recording is a very deliberately “cute” interview by one of the hosts with one of the choirboys. Feel free to skip it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-krz1QVLjsY
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Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, |
Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, |
To be continued
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