Sunday, December 18, 2022

Sunday morning music

 

Two Christmas carols for you this morning:  one very powerful and moving, the other so bad it's actually good.  Be prepared to grind your teeth!

First, here's Brazilian heavy metal singer Dan Vasconcelos (known professionally as Dan Vasc).  I'd never heard of him until his multilingual rendition of "Angels We Have Heard On High" began circulating on social media a few weeks ago.  I was prepared to dismiss it as just another metal cover of a classic carol, but it's extremely well performed - much better than the average modern cover.  He sings in Italian, German, Portuguese and English.




The second piece is... well... glorious in its ghastliness!  It's Wham's notorious seasonal song, "Last Christmas", but in full orchestral performance with the Vienna Philharmonic, complete with solo singers and choir.  I can't bear it as music, but it's somewhat redeemed by the obvious mirth among the musicians and singers as they try to do a serious performance, but can't help breaking out in giggles now and again.




I long for the days when Christmas carols reflected the reason for the season, the birth of Christ.  It's a deeply meaningful season to me for religious and spiritual reasons, but is often ruined by commercialism and pagan dreck.

If you want a modern Christmas carol, here's one of my favorites, which I've featured in these pages before.




May this season of grace be real for all of us.

Peter


6 comments:

glasslass said...

Dan Vasc - That was a beautiful rendition.

Old NFO said...

That... I have no words for that Vienna version... sigh

Hamsterman said...

Flipping through the hymnal last week, trying to find the right hymn number, and ran across "There's a Balm in Gilead". Well, some things just never change...

Paul M said...

Vasc - brilliant. He must have had classical training. Stunning rendition and depth of voice.

Proves one should never underestimate a book by its musical cover, never know from whence they came or what they can provide.

Guy Jean said...

There are so many good ones. In exchange for these (and all the other musical) goodies, here's a couple that I like for their sweet innocence:
1 - John McLaughlin - O Come Emmanuel https://youtu.be/1xN0QGtVKdA
2 - Tracy Chapman - O Holy Night https://youtu.be/yIQBSueFBzk

Guy Jean said...

2 more, from Sting: 1) Gabriel's Message https://youtu.be/IZvEN20ZB_w
2) I Saw Three Ships https://youtu.be/PdrL-GUxCuw (in an unapologetic and broad Geordie accent)