CAROL CONCERTS

[hakunamatata]

Dog, if you have sung all those sacred pieces what is your problem with our harmless little concerts?

[mint]

[quote user="Judith"]I certainly believe that in the period which we are talking about a belief in what they were doing was part of the life - historically the church and religion played an immense part in everyday life - whether you liked it not, you could not escape it.  It was part of the culture, as watching TV is today.
[/quote]

But, you know, ostensibly and in public life, there might have been a close connection between religion and everyday life but, on an individual level, that was not always the case.

Off the top of my head, I can think of 2 composers straightaway who were atheists and yet wrote beautiful sacred music:  Verdi and Faure.

There must be many more, just need to do some research now.....[I]

[NormanH]

Of course.

These  choirs have nothing to do with the mainstream French tradition.

They come from private Catholic education, possibly funded by Opus dei.

Note even in the title the phrase

"Surprise surprise"

Doesn't that tell you something?

[NormanH]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

[quote user="NormanH"][quote user="Judith"][quote user="NormanH"]

I will have the Charpentier, or  the Berlioz "l'enfance du Christ

if I want to listen to French Christmas music, or of course the incomparable Christmas Oratorio

But I won't be imposing them on anybody

[/quote]

I think you'll find they were both penned by people who believed in what they were writing about - otherwise they would not have been anything like so beautiful. .

[/quote]

A common fallacy.

Do you think that a website designer has to have belief in the cause  to do a good job? a coutourier or photographer heterosexual to design clothes which make women look good, or take enticing photos?

It is a question of technique not of belief.

[/quote]

 Just sometimes Norman....

Which  photographer or courtourier  is totally without sexuality, which web site designer without an idea of the goal, which human without soul ?

Anyway if you had read the Wiki link I posted you would see it spoke of French carols from centuries ago, and carols from other European countries too......there doesn't seem to be much particuarly British about it overall.

[/quote]

If you had read it carefully, and compared it with what I said you will have noticed that those carols date from before the Revolution.

I pointed out that this tradition has been lost in France.

Ask any of the French people on this site, or those of us who live and work among the French.

[Dog]

[quote user="hakunamatata"]Dog, if you have sung all those sacred pieces what is your problem with our harmless little concerts?[/quote]

Absolutely none - I cannot understand why you think there is.

Singing releases endomorphines and cheers the soul even if you don't believe the words.

Let me know if you need a tenor.

[buelligan]

Now you've mentioned it, could you stretch to a pony.....or even a monkey...?[:D]

[Dog]

These Essex girls - it's all money money money.

[mint]

Specially for you, Norman.

Heard some of the new Messiah just out on CD on Radio 3 this morning.

Quite special and some innovative touches such as having the choir unaccompanied to start off the Amen Chorus (being a traditionalist, I myself didn't particularly care for this treatment).

CD by the Britten Sinfonia and Polyphony.  Enjoy!

[Babbles]

The concert was lovely, in a beautiful setting, a very enjoyable evening :-)

[Scooby]

Just to add - one of the most famous (and, I think, most beautiful carols) 'O Holy Night' was written by a French composer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGxAwDIW5iY - to spread some Christmas spirit.

[hakunamatata]

You were there! Fantastic, glad you enjoyed it. It will be even better next Sunday at Capestang and there are mince pies afterwards - an English thing I know, but yummy

[Gardengirl]

Glad to hear it went well, and wish you luck for next week. We're back in UK, so need to look for carol concerts near us.

[NormanH]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

Specially for you, Norman.

Heard some of the new Messiah just out on CD on Radio 3 this morning.

Quite special and some innovative touches such as having the choir unaccompanied to start off the Amen Chorus (being a traditionalist, I myself didn't particularly care for this treatment).

CD by the Britten Sinfonia and Polyphony.  Enjoy!

[/quote]

I caught up on this programme thanks to your post.

Stephen Layton is an excellent choral conductor, but I prefer his work with Polyphony to the sound he has made  withTrinity choir.

Loved the orchestral sound in the recording

Three choral links for you sweet.  an early Christmas present..

http://www.imeem.com/people/JH-A8M/music/soOxTLQv/morten-lauridsen-o-nata-lux/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2YuHS-vVn4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjIWwLFdI94&feature=related

[hakunamatata]

http://www.youtube.com/user/larrellou#p/u/7/p1HB8t2OuBU

Something else especially for you Norman

[NormanH]

I think the singing is even better on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYF9yj_uTIU

but not the music

[hakunamatata]

Did you see me Norman, winking at you, second from the right on the back row

[NormanH]

What a winker you are!  Very becoming

http://www.aroundmd.com/whitechristmas/

[Hoddy]

The BBC poll of the top five carols this year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8413194.stm

Hoddy

[suzy]

French carol sung by very English choir !!!

The Carols from Kings included 'Il est ne le divin enfant' in this year's 9 lessons and carols, very pleasing for me as it was our 'French' carol at school and I knew all the words - even after over 40 years !

Sue

[hakunamatata]

Yes I did it a school too about 40 years ago! It is actually quite difficult to sing. If anybody is interested The International Choir of Capestang is doing an African piece in the new year - I will let you know when. How many folks will be anti- African things I wonder????