Carols

[poliphilo]

According to the BBC- which was broadcasting a concert of the nations top ten carols from The Albert Hall- the nation's number one favourite is "O Holy Night". What! Where on earth did that come from? It wasn't anybody's favourite when I was a vicar. Ailz and my mother said they'd never even heard of it.

Michael Ball sang it . He turned it into musical theatre. Mostly it sounded like Lloyd Webber but with a twiddly bit in the middle that was pure Arthur Sullivan.

I don't hate it, but it's too syrupy for my taste.

My favourite carols (in no particular order)

The Coventry Carol
Adam Lay Ybounden
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (which really is Arthur Sullivan)
The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came (aka Most Highly Flavoured Lady)
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
I Saw Three Ships
The Holly and the Ivy

My least favourite carol- because it's interminable- is While Shepherds Watched.

Comments

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

Oh Holy Night is a great song. It was probably Michael Ball that ruined it by overloading it with a snowshelf of saccharine.

I tend to agree with you when it comes to the songs, rather than the hymns. I have a love hate relationship with Rutter, mostly hate, but some of his songs are rather nice to sing, though he wouldn't be winning a prize for inventive alto lines.

I like Est ist ein Ros entsprungen by Praetorius;
For Unto Us a Child is Born from Messiah;
The Wexford Carol;
And the choral arrangement of Angelus et Virginem which I can't find on Youtube.

I hate anything that mentions Santa. Or some kitsch musical shite.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Personally I don't think any carol benefits from being sung in the Albert Hall with full orchestral accompaniment.

I'm with you on Santa.