We sometimes forget that voices are also instruments. I have always liked these songs but I thought I'd find the voices that touched me and sang them well. I know there are many other voices that do justice to the songs I've chosen but I like these.
I'm very eclectic when it comes to music. I listen to and enjoy all sorts music from hard rock to symphony, a simple voice to a multitude of voices in a chorus. All have their beauty.
The music of Gloria in Excelsis Deo, was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1743 and the words were originally in Latin, not his usual German. Bach wrote several cantatas and this is one of them. Cantatas were composed for vocal with an instrument accompaniment and usually involving a choir. Bach wrote this cantata for his Christmas Oratorio in Leipzig and it was performed in 1745. I thought that Bocelli captured the feel of Bach's composition--voice, instruments, and choir.
Handel's Hallelujah Chorus is also a favorite of mine. The music was composed, in 1747, by George Frideric Handel with scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens. It's a beautiful piece but I couldn't resist a bit of laughter with the song. Music should invoke all the emotions including laughter, doncha think?( I can guarantee these kids knew the words and the pacing of this song by the time they finished practicing this routine) :-)
One of my Dad's favorite holiday songs was Bing Crosby's Do You Hear What I Hear? It was a song created by a husband and wife team of musicians in 1962. Noel Regney wrote the lyrics for the song and his wife, Gloria Shayne, wrote the music. Admittedly, Bing sang it well and I love the feel of nostalgia when I hear it but I really like Third Day's arrangement and vocals of the song.
Happy Holidays!
