Your Favourite Christmas Music
We asked you to share your favourite Christmas music with us and these are your choices! Dive into the IDAGIO community’s best-loved Christmas tracks, including traditional carols and sacred music as well as symphonic and concertante works. For some of the stories behind your choices, scroll down and discover a selection of comments shared with us!
Read more…Il est né le divin enfant: “I had a wonderful French language teacher all 4 years of High School, Madame Bousquet, and every year she had us sing French Christmas music in class during the holidays. Now, every time I hear the song, Il est né le divin enfant, I feel a special joy for the season.”
Another user writes about the same piece: “I would like to suggest 'Il est ne le divin enfant' from the album Cantique de Noel. I’m selecting it to dedicate to my husband who has French Canadian heritage and doesn’t get to hear many French carols on the radio in Vancouver where we live.”
The Infant King: “It's a favorite because of the wonderful bass part, which I first sung about five years ago, and for how the piece combines the sincere feeling of a lullaby with the terror and triumph of the infant's life to come.”
Healey Willan: The Three Kings: “It's an amazing little nativity operetta disguised as a carol, and a terrific ending as the great kings are invited in to ‘kiss the feet of God.’”
Percy Fletcher: Ring out wild bells: “Absolutely love this track which I had the great privilege of being part of in the chorus. The whole CD was recorded live at a concert at Sage Gateshead - a truly joyful occasion!”
Hector Berlioz: The Shepherds Farewell: “My choice is The Shepherds Farewell by Hector Berlioz. The original inspiration for L'enfance du Christ and composed in 1850. The Cambridge Singers conducted by John Rutter sing it beautifully. I have enjoyed singing this with different choirs over many years, I was even asked to join one church choir on the morning of their annual Carol Concert because I knew the Alto part and they needed another voice. Sadly my choral singing days are over, but I shall still enjoy listening to this and many other beautiful carols over the Christmas period.”
Gunild Keetman & Carl Orff: Die Weihnachtsgeschichte: “I will probably sing along with a few tears in my eyes, and the march of the kings will put a huge smile on my face. This piece was my first big choir performance when I was 7 or 8 and launched me into a journey of singing that continues today. I am immensely grateful to all the teachers who made a great effort to bring music-making to me and my peers when we were young.”
Camille Saint Saëns: Organ Symphony: “My favourite music at Christmas: Camille Saint Saëns‘s Organ Symphony. Why? Because the moment the long awaited organ sounds finally ring out brings heaven closer to me!”