Where is “O Holy NIght?” This is by far my favorite carol. I am humbled when listening to it.
Ditto that.
"Cantique de Noelle" has assured Adam a place in the Composers' Hall of Fame long after "Giselle" is (mercifully) forgotten.
"Cantique" was written for high voice (tenor or soprano) with organ accompaniment in the key of D-flat (5 flats). It was written for a professional voice, as the end makes clear. Adam expects the singer to hit a high A-flat and run down the D-flat scale legato to a high D-flat, not using the vocal shorthand of portamento. In other words, those notes should be clear and not slurred.
In church it works best with a soloist who has had some experience with opera. Unfortunately, when a congregation is asked to sing it, the result usually approaches low comedy. As a youth, I can remember more than one congregation falling flat on its vocal -- ahem, face -- when asked to sing that carol.
Same here - I love Perry Como’s version (to me whenever he got to the part “fall on your knees, o hear the angel voice”) I really literally felt like falling to my knees in worship of the Savior...Awesome song...Josh Grobin does good also! LOVE his Christmas tape (especially the one “I’ll be home for CHristmas” where they have taped greeting from military folks away serving to their families - makes me cry EVERY time!)
I wonder if carols are by definition choral numbers. “O Holy Night” is my favorite, also, but it is sung as a solo, not as a choral number.
I probably shouldn’t admit it, but I never heard of these two:
Once in Royal David’s City
In the Bleak Midwinter
I’m wondering where “Angels we have heard on high (Gloria, in excelsis deo)” is.
I gotta agree. O Holy Night not only humbles me but depending on the singer my eyes get all fuzzy and stuff.
By far my favorite religious based carol.
Gotta go with Jingle Bell Rock for my non-religious based.
Mine too!
It is very difficult to sing and I love when someone can do it well.
Amen!! “O HOLY NIGHT” is the BEST....by far!!
O Holy Night is a glorious hymn.