Christmas music: alternate tunes

[resonant]

The only Christmas carol tune that I actively dislike is "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (St. Louis), which I think is horribly schmaltzy. But even where I like the standard tune, sometimes I want a little variety.

Reminder: I'm looking for the following:

- A good choral performance of the Parker/Shaw arrangement of "O Sanctissima"
- A good choral performance of "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella." English, French, I'm not picky.
- A carol called "Corpus Christi Carol," but not the Jeff Buckley one. It begins "The hen flew east and the hen flew west," and it was played on "Thistle and Shamrock" a long time ago.
- Carly and Lucy Simon doing "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." I don't think this album was ever released on CD, but I live in hope.

And check the comments; there are several more songs there.



Deller Consort, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear from "The Holly and the Ivy." Countertenor solo with flute counterpoint.

King's College Choir, O Little Town of Bethlehem from "O Come All Ye Faithful." Choir with organ.

Taverner Consort, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen from "The Carol Album." Waits-style choir (cockney accents and all) with band.

Christmas Revels, I Saw Three Ships from "Christmas Day in the Morning." Celtic-flavored choir and band.

Susan McKeown and Lindsey Horner, Auld Lang Syne from "Through the Bitter Frost and Snow" (given to me by jennyagain). Two female voices with acoustic band. The traditional tune is so overdone that you tend not to hear how sad the song is.

Mike and Peggy Seeger, The Twelve Days of Christmas from "American Folk Songs for Christmas." Female soloist, a capella, country gospel style. Honestly, this version is even more repetitive than the traditional one, but if you wanted variety, you've got it.

King's College Choir, Away in a Manger from "O Come All Ye Faithful." Boy choir, in an arrangement with lots of oohs in the background.

These last three are courtesy of ceciliaregent, who kindly sent me a stocking-load of new Christmas music.

The Albion Band, While Shepherds Watched from "A Christmas Present." A capella and appealingly imperfect.

Beeston Methodist Carol Choir, Angels From the Realms of Glory from "English Village Carols." A capella choir, clearly amateurs, clearly enjoying themselves.

Early Music New York, Paxton (Joy to the World) from "A Colonial Christmas." A capella men's choir.

Or get all of them in a zip file, 33MB.

Comments

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to hear it!