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