Monday Musical Musings

I am sure you all have heard plenty of Christmas music throughout the stores, television, church, you name it. Some of the music is quite nice and puts us in the spirit. Some of your fellow bloggers want to share the ones that they have watched (as in the DVD) or listened to during the season. I think there is a little bit for every one here, from Renaissance to classical, to the popular music of today.

Quotidian Grace shares this DVD with us:
Rejoice & Be Merry with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the King's Singers, this DVD has what was shown on PBS for the 2007 year, plus another hour and a half of extra music. Quotidian Grace highly recommends it!
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Michelle from Quantum Theology shares this:
I'm listening to Avro Part's Magnificat. It's ethereal, and makes a lovely backdrop for my meditations without being so forceful I end up where the composer had in mind, rather than God!

For the entire CD you can find it here: Pärt: Da pacem
For the Magnificat only: Pärt: Magnificat
Youtube video: Magnificat (Arvo Pärt)

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Leah Sophia contributes her preferences for the season.

First, lyrical beauty from Amy Grant, "I Need a Silent Night" from Grant's album The Christmas Collection

Youtube video here.

With our frequent multitasking and sensory overload, still we realize we need the kind of deep peace only the Son of Peace can bring us, yet at times we imagine we can buy it rather than awaiting it as gracious gift; nonetheless, the Savior's birth arrives again and brings along with it an end of fear and the song of the angels, messengers of gospeled good news, and we receive a silent night conclusion to this particular choatically noisy crazy day (and to tomorrow's craziness, too).

I first really discovered "Valley Winter Song" by Fountains of Wayne on the current LL Bean commercial and found a very fitting, sepia-toned winter in New England video
on Youtube.

This song evokes the New England winters I've experienced and endured, with their gray, salted, slushy snow, wind chill temps below zero, trying to write papers, anticipating final exams, lessons and carols at Harvard's Memorial Church, house parties with eggnog and hot spicey glögg along with the assurance "summer's coming soon" because the winter solstice is finally here, coming "to those who wait"...what else to do but to bring to you a creative gift, a valley winter song?

"You know the summer's coming soon
Though the interstate is choking under salt and dirty sand
And it seems the sun is hiding from the moon

"And the snow is coming down
On our New England town
And it's been falling all day long
What else is new
What could I do
I wrote a valley winter song
To play for you
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During the course of the season, I do try to limit myself to two albums a year for Christmas music. I mean, one can only listen to so much during a season, right??? Well, I exceeded the amount I intended to limit myself to, but no regrets, as the ones I selected have been what I would terms "keepers".

Enya came out with a lovely album And Winter Came. As typical, her music soothes the savage beast after a long day at work. What I call good "night night" music too! Listen to one of her selections here on a music video of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Mannheim Steamroller usually has good Christmas albums and I found one that was released ten years ago that caught my attention this year. Renaissance Holiday offers the best of Christmas music played so it keeps the beauty of the music from the early music era, but does enough nuking to make it enjoyable for the common listener.

So... what are you listening to this season? Have you found some "you need to have this"!!
Share it in the comments with us. I want to know what you are listening to as this season of Advent comes to a close and brings in the season of Christmas. Bring it on!