Musical Musings... all over the world

Here I am where we are nearing 80+ degrees during the day and we are supposed to be feeling in the spirit of preparing for Christmas. I wish I could blow some of this weather the way of folks who are so very cold right now and vice versa - it's just plain strange to be turning the air conditioning on in December.

On to the topic of today. I don't have to tell you there is more music for the holiday season than can possibly be played and enjoyed. I have the music to prove it. However, I have a few I offer to you that you may not have as part of your collection that I enjoy. And... I hope you will also.

Back in May, I shared a Maddy Prior CD of hymns - she has a flavor all of her own and her Carols and Capers CD is no different. Think contra dancing. Think singing in a pub. Prior and her Carnival Band are entertaining. Those of you familiar with the group Steeleye Span will be familiar with Prior's music. I going to tell you the CD is pricey right now because it's an import - but head over to ITUNES and it is much more affordable.

A Feast of Songs: Holiday Music from the Middle Agesis a lively collection of familiar and unusual traditional songs and dances from the middle ages that celebrate the winter season and its associated festivals and holidays. Songs from the British Isles, Ireland, Germany, France, Poland and Sweden blend medieval and renaissance tonalities with a festive folk energy that awakens the spirits of past ages. Notice how they don't use the words Advent or Christmas? Well, they should - these should be mostly familiar to you if you have been around listening to lots of Christmas music. Shoot, we even sing some of these in church and you probably do too!

What I REALLY like is the variety of instruments they have accompanying the singers. These include lute, dulcimer, viola, violin, mandolin, guitar, sitar, flute, recorders, French horn, herald trumpet, doumbek, tar, bodhrán, tabor, tambourine, and cymbals, Moroccan and African drums, and many other percussion instruments.

Anonymous 4 have a beautiful Christmas CD Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols - Anonymous 4 with Andrew Lawrence-King I don't think they will disappoint any listener. Their voices consistently sound as one and are as pure as I have heard.

And if you like Anonymous 4 and with music which throws in a New Age flavor and spice into it, you may like Mistletoe and Wine: A Seasonal Collection by Mediaeval Babes. Here is one of the selections on the Mistletoe and Wine CD:

And, in addition, Wednesday Festival is a part of the comment section here. If you would like to post and provide a link, use this to help you along:
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Remember, you can go to the Amazon links to listen to excerpts of the above CDs. Please remember, if you are shopping, you can use the search box and RGBP will benefit.

Ok, I have shared some of my collection of music for the season- won't you share some of your favorites?