Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Some favorite music for the season (1)

Some favorite music for the season (1)

Last updated on: December 24, 2020 at 3:18 pm by Dan Peterson

Some favorite music for the season (1) 2020-12-24T15:18:12-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Wikimedia Commons public domain photograph of Wengen, in the Berner Oberland region of Switzerland (where I spent seven months of my youthful mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
Although I grew up in southern California and have spent considerable time over the years in Israel or Palestine (to say nothing of Egypt), my “Christmas sensibility” is curiously Alpine. We’ve already had our traditional seasonal meals of Raclette and of Bratwurst, Wienerschnitzel, Spätzle, Rotkohl, and Kartoffelsalat. So, tonight, we had Käsefondue (which we washed down with Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider, a quite acceptable approximation of Swiss “gespritzter Apfelsaft”).

Among the glories of the Christmas season is its music. I would like to share here a few of my favorite pieces. First, though, please permit me to remind you, yet again, of the magnificent eighteen-minute video The Christ Child, produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It ranks very high, in my judgment, among all of the filmic depictions of the Christmas story that I have ever seen, and I recommend it very enthusiastically. See it here:

“The Christ Child”

***

And now to the music.

First, something wonderfully beautiful, from one of the most amazing singers that I’ve ever heard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqm-hf1LDV4

The lyrics vary. (Actually, the song was originally written in French. So part of that is simply variation in translations.) But here’s one version:

1. Whence is the goodly fragrance flowing,
Stealing our senses all away,
never the like did come a-blowing,
Shepherds, in flow’ry fields of May,
Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing,
Stealing our senses all away.

2. What is that light so brilliant, breaking
Here in the night across our eyes.
Never so bright, the day-star waking,
Started to climb the morning skies!
What is that light so brilliant, breaking,
Here in the night across our eyes.

3. Bethlehem! there in manger lying,
Find your Redeemer haste away,
Run ye with eager footsteps vieing!
Worship the Saviour born today.
Bethlehem! there in manger lying,
Find your Redeemer haste away.

But of course we’re going to do Händel this Christmas!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f7jhk-IjDo

I love this piece, written by Chris Eaton and Amy Grant, that represents the voice (and the humble heroism) of Mary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOQRtYYERGo

I have travelled many moonless nights
Cold and weary, with a babe inside.
And I wonder what I’ve done.
Holy Father, you have come
And chosen me now
To carry your son.I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now.
Be with me now.[Chorus]
Breath of heaven,
Hold me together.
Be forever near me.
Breath of heaven,
Breath of heaven,
Light up my darkness.
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.

Breath of heaven,
Do you wonder as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place?
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be . . .
Help me . . .

[Chorus: x2]

Breath of heaven!
Breath of heaven!
Breath of heaven!

This is a Christian folk hymn from the American South. It was first published at Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1811, and has been called a “white spiritual””

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsVnvN3EVxY

And J. S. Bach’s O Jesulein süss (“O, sweet little Jesus”) powerfully evokes the spirit of an old German Christmas, from back in the days when Germany was still a more or less Christian land:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWuuT2-E0fE

I’ve always loved Miklos Rozsa’s score for the movie Ben Hur. And his “Star of Bethlehem” is, in my opinion, one of that film’s two musical highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0cFMotGzUs

And now, because I’m feeling rather nostalgic, not exactly for das Vaterland but for nearby German-speaking Switzerland and Austria (and, for similar reasons, for Bavaria), here’s a fairly schmalzy rendition of a nineteenth-century German Christmas carol that has happy memories for me. The song proper lasts only somewhat more than two minutes. The last minute or so of the recording is a very deliberately “cute” interview by one of the hosts with one of the choirboys. Feel free to skip it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-krz1QVLjsY

Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling,
kling, Glöckchen, kling!
Laßt mich ein, ihr Kinder,
ist so kalt der Winter,
öffnet mir die Türen,
lasst mich nicht erfrieren!
Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling,
kling, Glöckchen, kling!

Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling,
Kling, Glöckchen, kling!
Mädchen, hört, und Bübchen,
macht mir auf das Stübchen,
bring euch viele Gaben,
sollt euch dran erlaben.
Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling,
kling, Glöckchen, kling!

Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling,
kling, Glöckchen, kling!
Hell erglühn die Kerzen,
öffnet mir die Herzen!
Will drin wohnen fröhlich,
frommes Kind, wie selig.
Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling,
kling, Glöckchen, kling!

Ring, little bell, ringalingaling,
Ring, little bell, ring!
Let me in, you kids,
So cold is the winter,
Open the doors for me,
Don’t let me freeze!
Ring, little bell, ringalingaling,
Ring, little bell, ring!

Ring, little bell, ringalingaling,
Ring, little bell, ring!
Girls, listen, and boys,
Open up the room for me,
I bring you many gifts,
You should enjoy them!
Ring, little bell, ringalingaling,
Ring, little bell, ring!

Ring, little bell, ringalingaling,
Ring, little bell, ring!
Brightly glow the candles,
Open your hearts to me!
I want to live there happily,
Devout child, how blessed!
Ring, little bell, ringalingaling,
Ring, little bell, ring!

To be continued

Uncategorized

"Whence is the goodly fragrance flowing"

Johann Sebastian Bach

Unto Us a Child is Given

Previous Post

December 23, 2020

Two Hundred and Fifteen Years Ago, Today

Next Post

December 24, 2020 "Three witnesses who were representative of the human race"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Let there be light"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Moses God Paul Elijah