What are the best classic, religious Christmas songs?

[Sanders]

Inspired by this thread (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=495478), and my own growing weariness for the Christmas carols that I've been hearing over and over in the stores, I'm wondering if anybody can recommend some classic religious Christmas songs?

Stuff along the lines of Silent Night and Angels We Have Heard On High, but in any language. I've got a suspicion there's all sorts of great traditional Christmas music that I've never heard on the radio.

[Little Nemo]

"God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen"
"Oh Holy Night"
"The Little Drummer Boy"

[dangermom]

Argh, turn the radio off already. There's tons of great Christmas music, but none of it is on the radio.

Hm, some great carols in any language. Some of my favorites (I like religious and traditional carols, but almost nothing from after 1900):

Coventry carol
Wexford carol
The holly and the ivy
Good people all
Green groweth the holly
In the bleak mid-winter
Lo, how a rose e'er blooming (German?)
Det kimer nu til julefest
Veni, veni Emmanuel
In dulci jubilo
Gaudete, Christus est natus
Pedida de la Posada
The famous Messiah choruses

I'll go find you something nice on youtube.

[panache45]

"Oh Holy Night."

[Sanders]

Argh, turn the radio off already. There's tons of great Christmas music, but none of it is on the radio.

That's what I'm trying to do! :)

Coventry carol
Wexford carol
The holly and the ivy
Good people all
Green groweth the holly
In the bleak mid-winter
Lo, how a rose e'er blooming (German?)
Det kimer nu til julefest
Veni, veni Emmanuel
In dulci jubilo
Gaudete, Christus est natus
Pedida de la Posada
The famous Messiah choruses

I've never heard of any of these -- thanks!

[dangermom]

In the bleak mid-winter (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWLVnsAbPoI), sung by Sarah McLachlan, who does it best. Don't watch the goofy video, just listen.

The Coventry Carol (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpexSPr5M9A), sung by Loreena McKennitt

The Wexford Carol (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXkgqpVVpTg), sung by some lady in a dress

Gaudete (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHchRtVZGug) by a boy's choir, a little overdone

Det kimer nu til julefest (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2VNSx7AIyQ) on Norwegian TV

The holly and the ivy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT-6yjT4oFo&feature=related), by a boy's choir. My very favorite carol.

For unto us a child is born (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQVQOW1c0DQ), from Handel's Messiah. One of the greatest pieces of music ever written in English, so don't miss it.

In dulci jubilo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXze_TLUTqM) (Bach), by a choir.

I like the Anonymous 4 a lot too. :)

[dangermom]

I've never heard of any of these -- thanks!Seriously? Oh, you poor deprived thing, you've been starved! :eek:

[Gary T]

"What Child is This." (http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/h/whatcist.htm) Make sure you get a rendition with all the lyrics, rather than one that repeats "This, this is Christ the King..." as a refrain for each verse.

[Gary T]

"There's a Song in the Air." (http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/s/tsongair.htm)Not heard enough anywhere, in my opinion.

[Aspidistra]

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming (German?)


That's Es Ist Ein Ros (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkl0ivDthzY). Gorgeous carol.

Also...

Sussex carol (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKSM4kmpX9s)


I heard the bells on Christmas day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kymb24kclXQ) - more different tunes than I can count, but I love it for the lyrics

I adore "O come o come Emmanuel" too ( but I can barely listen to modern versions which put in extra beats all the time to make it up to a regular 4/4 tempo - It's a plainsong chant! It's meant to just go straight through! [/pet peeve])

[Walloon]

"God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen"I have to quibble here. If a comma is used at all, it should be "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen". "Rest ye merry" means "keep you happy".

Now to answer the original question: Christmas Vespers at Westminster Cathedral (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=43:145681). Ah, midnight mass!

[gwendee]

I've recently become fond of Once in Royal David's City (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U4rcll9oUU)

[Malacandra]

I've recently become fond of Once in Royal David's City (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U4rcll9oUU)

Roger that. It's very much in the spirit of "receiving the Kingdom of God as a little child". :)

I like "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Came_Upon_the_Midnight_Clear)"; being English, I'm used to the Sullivan setting, Noel. Also like "O Little Town of Bethlehem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Little_Town_of_Bethlehem)", usually to Forest Green although I have sung and like the Walford Davies.

"See Amid The Winter's Snow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_Amid_The_Winter%27s_Snow)"

For "In the Bleak Midwinter" I'm a big fan of the Harold Darke setting.

But for me it ain't Christmas until I've heard "The Shepherds' Farewell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27enfance_du_Christ)". (But that's partly because as a bass and a showoff I like cranking out the low Es.)

[Unauthorized Cinnamon]

I really like Good King Wenceslas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41rmb_dhqmM) - great music, and a nice story. The only Christmas song featuring magical footprints!

[flodnak]

The Peace Carol (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP5MwVdu3c0) is a newcomer compared to others on this thread - it's perhaps 40 years old - and so perhaps shouldn't be called classical, but it's religious, beautiful, and not at all overplayed. In fact the only version I could find on YouTube is John Denver and the Muppets! I like the unusual structure and the lyrics, simple enough that the listener must find the meaning.

[panache45]

I have to quibble here. If a comma is used at all, it should be "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen". "Rest ye merry" means "keep you happy".

Thank you. I'm tired of pointing this out to people.

[rowrrbazzle]

Pick up the Robert Shaw Christmas CDs "Songs of Angels" and "Angels on High". Chorus, unaccompanied. I've been listening to these and the earliest RS Christmas recordings from the 1950s and 60s for decades. They're the peak of my Christmas listening--I play them only on Christmas day. The carols are sung mostly traditional with moderate arrangements. There are also a few lesser-know carols, such as the "Carol of the Birds"

This may not be exactly what you were looking for, but I highly recommend this Joan Sutherland CD http://www.amazon.com/Joy-to-the-World/dp/B0002JZ298/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1228692361&sr=8-1.

The best tracks are "What Child Is This", "12 Days of Christmas". But it's all good.

[Le Ministre de l'au-delà]

Off the beaten track -
J. S. Bach - The Christmas Oratorio
Hector Berlioz - The Childhood of Christ (the source of the above-mentioned 'Shepherd's Farewell')
Benjamin Britten - A Ceremony of Carols
John Joubert - Torches, which was how Christmas Carol services began when I was a kid. The choir would start at the back and come through the church and up into the choir loft. An arresting opening.

On editing - I wonder as I wander is a traditional Appalachian carol that I remember fondly from my childhood. Our alto soloist would sing it a capella.

[jsgoddess]

My favorites are "O Holy Night," "Still, Still, Still," "For Unto Us a Child is Born," and the "Coventry Carol."

This is the Cambridge Singers and they are wonderful: "Coventry Carol (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1khUv74ETHs)," "For Unto Us a Child is Born (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfQddqu3G7M)." I highly recommend them.

Here is the Vienna Boys Choir doing "Still, Still, Still (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC1GfEXjaBU)."

And my favorite "O Holy Night (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CiVVB3TrJE)" I've ever heard: Placido Domingo.

Warning: The Handel WILL stick in your head, and you'll be attempting to sing multiple parts and it will drive you crazy. "Unto us a child is bo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-orn!"

[jsgoddess]

For unto us a child is born (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQVQOW1c0DQ), from Handel's Messiah. One of the greatest pieces of music ever written in English, so don't miss it.

I didn't see this before I commented. At least we linked to different versions. :)

[rocking chair]

i love still, still, still. most especially when walking through a snow shower (not a blizzard, or storm, just a nice calm snow globe kinda snow). i hum or sing it all winter long.

[straight man]

I'm thirding Es Ist Ein' Ros' Entsprungen (Low, How a Rose...).

Also, Comfort, Comfort, Ye my People.

I'm sure I'll think of some more shortly. I love Christmas music... I wish I were in a choir this year...

[Walloon]

Listen to classical, religious songs for free on the Internet radio station Classic Church Music (http://www.live365.com/stations/robfens), at Live365.com.

The catch: they're strict about their liturgical playlist. It's all-Advent music until Christmas Eve, then twelve days of Christmas music.

[Frostillicus]

Belle and Sebastian's version of O Come, O Come Emmanuel is one of my favorite songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s25qJVER_U

George Winston's version of The Holly and the Ivy is another favorite. This dude does a reasonable rendition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm6PMxFpPfU

[AHunter3]

In four sections, because there is classical and there is classical....

Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)
Ave Maria (Schubert0
For Unto Us a Child is Given (Händel / the Messiah)
O Come O Come Emmanuel
O Magnum Mysterium
Esurientes implevit bonis (Berger / the Magnificat)

We Three Kings
Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming
O Holy Night
The Coventry Carol
In the Bleak Midwinter
Angels We Have Heard on High

I Wonder as I Wander
Gesu Bambino
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Estampie Natalis
There's a Song in the Air

Go Tell it on the Mountain
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Patapan
Children Go Where I Send Thee
The Wexford Carol
A Star in the East

[dangermom]

I saw three ships (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQBgXoH8FGk&feature=related) has always been a favorite of mine. This is Sting singing, because I can't find a better version on youtube. Speaking of Sting, you can listen to him sing Gabriel's Message (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWvIC3OR7wk) too.

Another nice common carol is The Cherry Tree Carol (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4wKDEou8hU&feature=related)--this is just the best version I could find.

[picunurse]

Carol of the Bells (http://www.christmas-carols.net/carols/carol-of-bells.html) It's been used in too many commercials, but the song is beautiful.

Angels We have Heard on High (http://www.xmasfun.com/Lyrics.asp?ID=5)

Hallelujah Chorus (http://www.hallelujah-chorus.com/)

Here's a site with several possibilities: Christmas carols (http://www.christmas-carols.net/)

[Jragon]

I've always had a soft spot for Hark the Herald Angel Sings, possibly because circa 5th grade I had a solo on it in church.

[Liberal]

"The Little Drummer Boy"One of my favorites. I can't hear it now, though, without thinking of West Wing.

[kelly5078]

Angels We have Heard on High My personal favorite (though not much above most of the others mentioned here). My wife refers to it as the eggshells carol: "Gloria in eggshells sees day-o."

But I came here to add "The First Noel." Amazing what can be done just basically playing a major scale.

[MaxTheVool]

My favorite "carols" are O Holy Night and O Come All Ye Faithful. If we're talking non-carol classical songs, I like Riu Riu Chiu.

But I think the best overall classical now-associated-with-Christmas music is The Nutracker.

[baronsabato]

Okay, I'm a big fan of:

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (more of an Advent carol, but still very beautiful)
Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
Good Christian Men, Rejoice! (In Dulci Jubilo)
Mortals Awake, With Angels Join
Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow
Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Go Tell It on the Mountain

You can't go wrong with those!

[amarinth]

Favorites:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Little Town of Bethlehem
What Child is This?
Silent Night
Hark the Herald Angels Sing (with brass. it's a triumphant song, it needs triumphant instruments)
We Three Kings

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

[stargazer]

Lemme go grab my hymnal...

From the Advent section:
O Zion, Acclaim Your Redeemer!
Prepare the Way, O Zion!
Comfort, Comfort Ye My People
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers!

From the Christmas section:
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
While by Our Sheep
Angels from the Realms of Glory
Angels We Have Heard on High
Joy Bells are Ringing
Of the Father's Love Begotten
Once in Royal David's City
Now Shine a Thousand Candles Bright
Sing We Now of Christmas
When Christmas Morn is Breaking
Our Day of Joy is Here Again
Go, Tell It on the Mountain

And almost all of Handel's Messiah, but especially O Thou that tellest good tidings to Zion.

I'll see if I can find some links to any of those that haven't been linked to already.

[Bumbershoot]

My personal favorite, since childhood: Bing Crosby's version of Do You Hear What I Hear (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWjzTAkWLBM)

[Baker]

The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came

http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t071.html

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/

[freckafree]

Off the beaten track -

John Joubert - Torches

Every time I've sung that, my brain thinks, "Scissors! Scissors! Run with scissors!" Great piece, nonetheless. Using it as a choral introit sounds wonderful!

Not a classic, exactly, since it's by a living composer, but Morten Lauridsen's setting of "O Magnum Mysterium" is one of the most gorgeous pieces of choral music I've ever heard, Christmas song or not.

I like Pandora. Last year I created a station called "cathedral Christmas," and it turned up some really wonderful stuff.

[Spoke]

Also like "O Little Town of Bethlehem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Little_Town_of_Bethlehem)", usually to Forest Green although I have sung and like the Walford Davies.

Of course it's also great sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island."

Or maybe "Yellow Rose of Texas."

:D

[lobotomyboy63]

"Silent Night" is the gold standard. Multiple language versions are out there.

"O Holy Night" is excellent as well.

"Do You Hear What I Hear" is way up there.

And then you have your "Hallelujah Chorus."

[Captain Amazing]

The only Christmas song featuring magical footprints!

What magical footprints? Am I missing a verse?

[Northern Piper]

In his master's step he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed

[Cunctator]

Not a classic, exactly, since it's by a living composer, but Morten Lauridsen's setting of "O Magnum Mysterium" is one of the most gorgeous pieces of choral music I've ever heard, Christmas song or not.It's lovely, isn't it? We practised it last night. It's on the program for a series of concerts we're doing in January: Dawn Chorus (http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2009/Music/_item/event/DAWN_CHORUS). For four consecutive Saturdays we'll be singing at dawn at beaches around Sydney as part of the annual summer festival.

[Aspidistra]

Of course it's also great sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island."

Or maybe "Yellow Rose of Texas."

:D

Also "Amazing Grace"

or "The House of the Rising Sun"

or the Australian National Anthem

(I could go on like this all day. My husband and I used to collect these...)

[Polycarp]

Seconding about 75% of the recommendations, and adding:

Love Came Down at Christmas -- like In the Bleak Midwinter, another Christina Rossetti
Venite Adoremus ("The snow lay on the ground") -- playful and lively
Duermete, Niño Lindo (A la Ru)
The Huron Carol ("Twas in the moon of wintertime", to the tune Une Jeune Pucelle)

There's a really nice little piece I cannot find that I think is known by the terms Polish Carol and W Zlobie Lezy. Anyone with a collection that includes it?

[dangermom]

There's a really nice little piece I cannot find that I think is known by the terms Polish Carol and W Zlobie Lezy. Anyone with a collection that includes it?Yep, I've got it on a collection done by the MoTab, called just plain "Noel," under the title "Stars Were Gleaming." It's only in English, though. (And incidentally, my girls are learning it in church to sing for Christmas with all the other kids; it's a fairly popular carol in the children's hymnal. Though I suspect the words are better in Polish.)

[freckafree]

There's a really nice little piece I cannot find that I think is known by the terms Polish Carol and W Zlobie Lezy. Anyone with a collection that includes it?

Isn't this the tune for "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly"?

[fachverwirrt]

And then you have your "Hallelujah Chorus."

Not, technically, a Christmas song.

From the files of the sublimely obscure: Forunderligt at sige by Carl Nielsen.

[FriarTed]

"What Child is This." (http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/h/whatcist.htm) Make sure you get a rendition with all the lyrics, rather than one that repeats "This, this is Christ the King..." as a refrain for each verse.

Amen to that. My church, the Assembly of God, of all churches, uses the edited version in it's official hymnal- and we revel in Cross & Blood songs!

[dangermom]

There's a really nice little piece I cannot find that I think is known by the terms Polish Carol and W Zlobie Lezy. Anyone with a collection that includes it?It turns out I also have this carol in a very nice classical guitar version with no words, on a CD called "A Timeless Christmas" by Geslison and Groberg. It's one of our favorite CDs, but I'm not finding it on Amazon. Here it is. (http://www.geslisongroberg.com/Music/timeless-christmas.php) Again, the title is listed as "Stars were gleaming."

[Rodgers01]

There's a nice story (possibly apocryphal) that during the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther and his followers were throwing out ancient Catholic songs left and right, in favor of newly composed stuff. However, there were a handful of songs so beautiful that they decided to keep them anyways, Catholic or not. In Dulci Jubilo is supposedly one of these.

[Helena]

Here's a sample (http://www.cranfordpub.com/mp3s/barramacneils3.mp3) (not the whole song, but a good long clip) of the Barra MacNeils singing "O Come Divine Messiah." Gorgeous.

[Captain Amazing]

In his master's step he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed

Yea, so the page was warmer because he didn't have to slog through snow drifts but could stand behind the king and use him for a windbreak. Those are normal footprints...:)

[Polycarp]

Yea, so the page was warmer because he didn't have to slog through snow drifts but could stand behind the king and use him for a windbreak. Those are normal footprints...:)

****blows whistle**** Thweeeeet!!

If an end is not called to this right now, I suspect that "Did St. Wenceslas III Have Miraculous Footprints?" will become the Yuletide equivalent of "Do Balrogs Have Wings?" around these parts. 'Tain't happenin', y'hear me?! :D

[jsgoddess]

But did Wenceslas shoot first?

[rocking chair]

he could have thrown the first stone (st. stephen reference).

[Sanders]

Thank you so much for all these. I have my work cut out for me now, tracking all these songs down!

[MerryMagdalen]

The Carol Album (http://www.amazon.com/The-Carol-Album/dp/B000TEMRZS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1228961589&sr=8-1) is my favorite Christmas CD. Some songs you know, some songs you won't, all gorgeous.

I also love the Weihnachtshistorie (http://www.amazon.com/Sch%C3%BCtz-Weihnachtshistorie-Christmas-Praetorius-Motets/dp/B000005GO7/ref=sr_1_39?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1228961925&sr=8-39) of Heinrich Schutz.

And finally, Christmas With the Clancy Brothers, but that's long out of print.

[FriarTed]

Come on...

Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed

It's winter- the ground would probably have been very cold if not frozen. The lyrics say nothing about St/Kg W blocking the wind but very clearly say that heat came up from the Earth where he had stepped.

Another vote for Miracle Footprints!