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Assuming you like me have successfully avoided almost all the endless Christmas schmaltz soundtrack in public places, and you want to listen to some GOOD Christmas music to put you in a holiday mood. What do you like?
I have been listening to the MoTabs do Handel's Messiah. But today I tracked another MoTab cd called "This is Christmas" for the first time. Wow, it's amazing! I'm convinced that The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is schizophrenic. Half of their cds are beautifully and tastefully done, with arrangements and performances that take your breath away and bring tears to your eyes, and the other half are the cheesiest schmaltziest tripe you can imagine! <laughs> The performances are perfect, of course, but the arrangements are just in horribly bad taste! I promise you there is no middle ground here. All their cds that I have listened to so far fall into one or the other classification. I am happy to announce that "This is Christmas" falls into the former category. Please give it a listen!
One other cd I'm partial to that I have is by Bing Crosby. Of course he sings White Christmas. Okay, okay, it's pretty cheesy, especially the arrangements, but hey, it's Bing! (My grandmother loved him and two of my aunts and so did my mom so he's just part of my family now. When my mom was a kid they had a dog named Bing Crosby. Oh and two of my uncles are really funny when they get together and they remind me very much of Bob and Bing.)
What holiday music do you guys like to listen to? What am I overlooking that's good?
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The version of the 12 days of Christmas is like a big musical puzzle. It's so great! Each day seems to parody an extremely familiar piece of music. The liner notes give clues but don't tell the specific pieces. Here are the clues. I'm going nuts trying to figure out the original work each day is modeled upon.
1st day: A partridge near a monastery in sixth century Rome. This one sounds like a Gregorian chant, but not sure if it's a particularly well known one or not. They all sound pretty much the same to me.
2nd day: Two turtle doves from a royal court in 15th c. France. This just sounds like Renaissance music to me. If it's well known, then not by me.
3rd day: Three French hens from a cathedral in 15th c. Italy. This one is very familiar but no idea what is it. <wracks brain>
4th day: Four calling birds from a boarding school in 17th c. Italy. Ditto!
5th day: Five golden rings from a guild hall in 18th c. Germany. Double ditto!
6th day: Six geese a laying at Esterhaza in 18th c. Austria. No idea.
7th day: Seven swans a swimming on a palace pond in 19th c. France. This neither.
8th day: Eight maids a milking in the shadows of Beyreuth, Germany. This one is Wagner's Flight of the Valkyrie.
9th day: Nine ladies dancing at a Viennese ball. This one is definitely one of the very famousest Strauss waltzes. They used it in 2001. It's not the Blue Danube, though, but one of the others. I can sing it but don't know the name.
10th day: Ten lords a leaping in an Italian theatre. Maddeningly familiar from classical ballet, but I don't know what it is.
11th day: Eleven pipers piping from imperial Russia. This one is definitely the dance of the sugar plum fairies from the Nutcracker.
12th day: Twelve drummers drumming in a time and place you will all remember. A march that is totally familiar. You might hear it at any circus or parade, maybe on 4th of July or something. But what is it called? Who is it by? Sousa? Grrrrr!
Narnia! Somebody! Please help! Kayla, how do you google for maddeningly familiar instrumental songs by their melodies? <laughs> This is driving me bananas!
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It's Sousa. I LOVE this piece, it's so clever and hilarious. My favorite is the Wagner set (I think it's the 8th day?) I also love the 3rd day.
I was also going to comment on the schizophrenia of the MoTab. You need to look at the date on the recordings. Most Tab recordings done before 1998-99 are the schmaltzy crap. That's before Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg took over the choir, changed the audition standards, age limit, and repertoire that they started doing. They've become a new choir since then and I've had "a mighty change of heart" concerning them. The Christmas CD that you were listening too is fantastic!! I love that one!
For more good Christmas music, I really like Harry Connick Jr's album (the OLD one!!). It's tons of fun and has the beautiful song "When My Heart Finds Christmas" on it. I also love to listen to Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances. It's not specifically Christmas music, but it definitely goes well with a twinkly tree and wrapping presents. Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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Okay, the piece is called "A Musicological Journey through the Twelve Days of Christmas".
From google I was able to find out that the march on day 12 is John Phillip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever".
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"The WSO will perform Craig Courtney’s lighthearted (some say zany) Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas, a whirlwind musical journey—a sort of twelve-step History of Western Music. It begins with a plain-chant partridge, turtle doves set as a fifteenth-century motet, and French hens in madrigal style. Later sections pay amusing tributes to Handel, Mozart, Saint-Saens, Vivaldi (Gloria), and even Nutcracker."
I think the Vivaldi Gloria may be day 3. I'm going to look for it now to try and verify that.
This is driving me batty! If my father were still alive I would just ask him and he'd know them all. Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Oooh, Narnia, the Harry Connick Jr. one sounds good. I will look for that. Also the Respighi. Handel's Messiah isn't really Christmas music either but seems like everyone likes to play it then. I dunno how that happened.
Hah, it would help me to figure out this puzzle if I had any idea when and where various people were. Who was in 16th c. Italy, for instance? Would that even be right for Vivaldi? This one sounds sort of like Bach to me but I mean he was in Germany, right?
Day 4 sounds like Mozart to me.
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The 5th and 6th days are Haydn and Mozart respectively. (In my close, music history guestimation. That's just how they sound.)
The 7th day is Saint Saens (sp?) "The Swan", which is the romantic period (so 19th century France sounds right.)
I'm positive that the 3rd day is Palestrina or Josquin de Prez. I don't think it's any specific composition with the first 6. The last 6 are based on real compositions.
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I haven't listened to the piece in a while, but Vivaldi sounds about right for the 1600s in Italy.
Now I'll have to listen to the piece again. I have it on CD with the USU chamber choir and symphony performing it. Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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I love this piece!! I sang it in high school. No idea on the second day (it's probably not a specific song, or even a specific composer), but the fourth is based on Vivaldi's Gloria (the opening measures are a direct quote -- I think it's even in the same key). Day 3 is a Renaissance madrigal, but Narnia, it's NOT Palestrina, nor is it really very Josquin -- it would probably be earlier than both if it's at all accurate to any period or composer. I'll echo 5 and 6 as Haydn and Mozart. No Bach in the entire work, though. I miss him.
As for Christmas music, one of my old standbys is Mannheim Steamroller -- their first Christmas album. They've done lots that I don't care for, but this particular album has a few real gems on it, like their rendition of Silent Night which I think is still the most touching I've ever heard.
Edit: My mistake, day 4 is not in the same key as the Gloria.
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I'm now going to enter this thread and sully it with bourgeois blasphemy.
We've been listening to atrocious Christmas music at work for the past few weeks, and yesterday my manager brought in some new CDs and snuck them into the rotation. I have pleasantly surprised by the following:
The soundtrack to The Polar Express. The main sappy theme is pretty lame and sappy, but the other tracks, especially the hot chocolate song, are great.
The Barenaked Ladies' holiday album. It's schmaltzy crap, but they know it's schmaltzy crap, just like they know their music is schmaltzy pop and thus the transcend it. A couple of the songs are played on one of those electric organs with built-in synthesized rhythms. It's campy and it's funny. They sing "Deck the Halls," using the names "Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young," as the lyrics. And then they (giggle) sing "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Jesus, Happy Birthday to you!"
I guess that's all I had to talk about. You may now resume your regularly scheduled cultured discourse.
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Summarizing the solution we have so far to the puzzle.
1st day: Clue: A partridge near a monastery in sixth century Rome. Answer: A gregorian chant that we think is not based on any particular piece of music.
2nd day: Clue: Two turtle doves from a royal court in 15th c. France. Answer: Nothing on this one except we think it's not based on any particular piece.
3rd day: Clue: Three French hens from a cathedral in 15th c. Italy. Answer: A Renaissance madrigal, possibly Palestrina or Josquin de Prez.... or not.
4th day: Clue: Four calling birds from a boarding school in 17th c. Italy. Answer: Vivaldi's Gloria. Which part?
5th day: Clue: Five golden rings from a guild hall in 18th c. Germany. Answer: Hadyn. Anyone know what piece?
6th day: Clue: Six geese a laying at Esterhaza in 18th c. Austria. Answer: Mozart, but we don't know what piece yet here either.
7th day: Clue: Seven swans a swimming on a palace pond in 19th c. France. Answer: Saint Saens, The Swan.
8th day: Clue: Eight maids a milking in the shadows of Beyreuth, Germany. Answer: Wagner's Flight of the Valkyrie. What opera is that from? The ring cycle?
9th day: Clue: Nine ladies dancing at a Viennese ball. Answer: A Strauss waltz but we don't have a name yet.
10th day: Clue: Ten lords a leaping in an Italian theatre. Answer: La Gioconda-Dance of the Hours, by Amilcare Ponchielli.
11th day: Clue: Eleven pipers piping from imperial Russia. Answer: Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, Dance of the Reed Pipes.
12th day: Clue: Twelve drummers drumming in a time and place you will all remember. Answer: John Phillip Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever.
I suspect they are all based on specific pieces, just because it would be cooler that way, for the work as a whole be designed upon the same scheme. But maybe the pieces just get less and less obscure as you progress, so that the "joke" gradually hits everyone before the end. Then the more knowledgable you are about music, the earlier in the song you get the joke, perhaps. It was day 8 before I got it.
Man, this is driving me nuts. Now I want to play this for every musician friend I know and ask them. We definitely need to be able to google for melodies somehow. <laughs> How would that work?
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Here is a link to a free mp3 of some glee club singing it. I think you can right click on this to download it or just click it to listen. Okay that version just has piano as accomaniment. The full orchestra version is much easier to go by. I'll look for a better link. No luck!
Another song I love is on a mindless "Ultimate Christmas" mix. It's Santana playing "Posada (pilgrimage to Bethlehem." Brilliant! Unfortunately, it's one of three songs on the album that iTunes won't let me buy by itself, and there's no way I'm getting TLC's rendition of "Sleigh Ride" just to get the Santana song.
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That sounds right so far. Like I said, I haven't listened to it in a while...but if day three is before Palestrina...it could be Montiverdi. Couldn't it? (or am I getting my dates screwed up?)
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I don't really know music names very well... but could #10 be from the Marriage of Figaro? Grr... I should know what it is.
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No, it's too late in the chronology. But I seem to remember thinking that there were TWO quotations from the nutcracker in that piece, 10 and 11. Is that crazy? *still hasn't listened to it again* That probably isn't true, but it's the romantic period, post Beethoven, pre or contemporary Tchaikovsky....
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Drat. Now I've got to go listen to it if that's the case. You're probably right.
My guess is Verdi for that one then. he's the right time period and the most famous composer of Italian opera at the time. Puccini is a possibility, but I don't think it was his style.
Now it's too bad I don't know WHICH Verdi it's from, or if I'm simply up in the night.
My obsession may seem funny, but it's actually a blast to brush up my very rusty music history knowledge. I've actually sent an email off to one of my music major friends who has performed this piece to see if he knew any of the days for sure. Haven't heard back yet.
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Oooh, thanks for the Reed Pipes, Annie! I'm updating my post with the answers as they come in.
Narnia, my first thought on 10 was Nutcracker too! I wonder if that could be it.
Do y'all think it's possible that all 10 days are based on something specific, just that the earlier ones are more and more obscure?
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I didn't mean to guess Figaro - I know it's not Mozart. I must be thinking of something else.
I'm on iTunes listening to bits of Puccini and Verdi trying to figure this out and I really should be getting dressed for work.
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How did I not notice those clues before? here I am spouting off incorrect crap, and you guys are LETTING me?? Sorry. Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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It's not the part of Barber of Seville that Bugs Bunny sings.. you know the Laaaaaaaa la la la la la la la la la Laaa Laaaaaaaaa, but I don't know if it's another part.
It goes Dooot! do do do do do do Doot! do do do do do do Doot! do do Doot! do do do-do do-do do-do do-do
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If it's the hippo ballerinas, the Fantasia DVD card lists it as "Dance of the Hours" by Amilcare Ponchielli.
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Okay, I just listened again to Bing Crosby's White Christmas cd and I must have blocked on how cheesy it truly is. MAJOR CHEESE ALERT!@!!!!! The arrangements and particularly the background vocals are seriously hokey and hilarious. Of course, that's why it's so great! You just gotta love Bing.
"I'll Be Home for Christmas" is so wonderful! I think of the soldiers being gone during WW2 when it was written, and also now, of course. My mom's two brothers were in the occupying force in Japan when that song was popular, and they missed them a lot.
The other one I can't help but love is "Silver Bells." I have no idea why. It's majorly hokey and smarmy. But it's just so great!
Merry Christmas everyone! Happy Holidays, I mean, for those who don't celebrate Christmas. And hey, for everyone on earth, happy solstice! The days are getting longer again now (for all of us right side up people in the northern hemisphere, at least). That's certainly something worth celebrating! Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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After (or technically durring, since I'm still talking to her now ) talking to Annie (darling ) and listening to my version, as conducted by Sir Georg Solti, the song was indeed, La Gioconda-Dance of the Hours, as composed by Amilcare Ponchielli.
quote:Day 3 is a Renaissance madrigal, but Narnia, it's NOT Palestrina, nor is it really very Josquin -- it would probably be earlier than both if it's at all accurate to any period or composer.
I remember when this was first posted I thought "geez, who IS this person reprimanding me about my music history blunders?" Now that I know, it's extremely VERY funny.
(That last sentence sounded like it would be said by Strongbad. "Virus=very yes!")
Oh, and way to research guys. I think we cracked the clues on all 12 days...didn't we?
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We got composers on most, but not the names of all the actual pieces, yet. Which Strauss waltz, for instance, or the Hayden and Mozart, if those are based on actual pieces and not just done in the style of those composers. I keep wondering if even the first few days aren't based on specific works, you know?
I wish we could ask the dude who did it, but I bet he's not telling, for fear of spoiling the fun.
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(My grandmother loved him and two of my aunts and so did my mom so he's just part of my family now. When my mom was a kid they had a dog named Bing Crosby. Oh and two of my uncles are really funny when they get together and they remind me very much of Bob and Bing.)
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I LOVE this piece, it's so clever and hilarious. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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Narnia, good! I'm glad I'm not the only one who's obsessed with this.
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Sorry. ![[Dont Know]](graemlins/dontknow.gif)
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) and listening to my version, as conducted by Sir Georg Solti, the song was indeed, La Gioconda-Dance of the Hours, as composed by Amilcare Ponchielli.
