Sacred Christmas Music: The Stories Behind the Most Beloved Songs of DevotionTake a musical journey in time--from the dawn of the Church's liturgical song through the Baroque's great choral and instrumental works to representative pieces of the 20th century. This is the sacred tradition of Christmas music, explored here in a stunningly illustrated book and a magnificent CD. It covers vocal and instrumental pieces from a variety of national and historical periods and styles, all of which have earned a place in the canon of great musical masterpieces. Not only will musicians and non-musicians alike find this an easily accessible guide, but they'll feast on a sumptuous gallery of thematically and historically corresponding full-color art (including a 14th century manuscript illumination and a nativity scene by Fra Angelico), and revel in some of the best recordings of the music ever made. There's rich, interesting background on every work, from Latin hymns and liturgical chants to Bach's cantatas to contemporary carols. The CD includes the Vienna Boys' Choir performing "Anima Nostra"; Arcangelo Corelli's "Christmas Concerto"; The Trappist Monks of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani singing Gregorian Chants; excerpts from Handel's "Messiah"; and the beloved "Silent Night." No other collection brings together all these elements in such an aesthetically pleasing and educational way. |
Common terms and phrases
Advent Alleluia ancient Angels Arcangelo Corelli Baroque Bibliothèque Nationale birth bleibet mein freude Bridgeman Art Library British Library canonical hours cantatas carol Cathedral Catholic celebrated Choir choral Christian Christmas Concerto Christmas music church liturgy church music composer composition Concerto Grosso conductor Corelli Divine Office early eleison Emmanuel ENGLISH TITLE French George Frederic Handel German Gloria Greek Gregorian chant Gregory Grosso in G Hallelujah Chorus Haydn heilige Nacht Hodie Christus natus Holy illumination Italian Johann Sebastian Bach keyboard instrument Kyrie Latin hymns lieben Leute London Lord magnum mysterium manuscript medieval melody Messiah Midnight Mass monks motets musicians Nationale de France Nativity Noël notation oil on canvas opera oratorio organist Panis angelicus plainchant polyphony Pope Psalms RECORDING ARTISTS religious Renaissance repertoire rites Roman Rome Sacred Christmas Music sacred music secular music Silent Night singing song style sung Tecum principium Veni verses Vienna Boys Choir vocal voices Western music