Friday, December 9, 2011

The 10 best Christmas holiday songs

The holiday season for me conjures up images of a cup of hot chocolate, a cozy fire and the rest of the snow falls. Cute songs such as "Jingle bells" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" sing-alongs make fun, but I prefer melodies to convey the spirit of the season. What makes a great Christmas song? Melody, harmony, rhythm and lyrics / / work together to capture a mood. Here's my take on the best songs to do just that.

FOLKSONG

Christmas time is here

Original: Vince Guaraldi

Alternative: Dianne Reeves

Written for "A Charlie Brown Christmas", this is smooth jazz number the perfect complement to an intimate winter evening. I prefer the original version for piano trio, but the Dianne Reeves version offers a satisfactory vocal interpretation.

Have yourself A merry little Christmas

Original: Judy Garland

Alternative: Tori Amos

The song debuted in the film "Meet Me in St. Louis" and quickly became a standard. There is an underlying tone of melancholy, loss and missing, which is hushed up in many style variants. Amos arrangement Tori is particularly impressive, recorded, after she lost her baby.

I'll be home for Christmas

Original: Bing Crosby

Alternative: B. B. King

As with "Have yourself a merry little Christmas," is this song about missing at a time, the community celebrates. It became a hit, when it in 1943 during World War II for the first time.

Sleigh ride

Original: Boston POPs, Director: Arthur Fiedler

Alternative: Ella Fitzgerald

As composed an orchestral work by Leroy Anderson, lyrics were originally / / added to 1950, a year after his capture. The exuberance of a horse-drawn sleigh ride captures it perfectly (although I can do without the versions that contain the crack of the whip). The unusual A-B-A-C-C-A song structure distinguishes it from most popular songs.

The Christmas song

Original: Nat King Cole

Alternative: Manhattan transfer

How many of the classic Christmas songs that often titled "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" comes from the 1940s, when songwriting craft was high. The complex harmonies and chords make this song stand out and keep you always fresh.

White Christmas

Original: Bing Crosby

Alternative: LeAnn Rimes

This 1942 song by Irving Berlin has the distinction of being the biggest-selling single of all time, according to Wikipedia, and is often used as the number one favorite Christmas song. Recorded a version as the one of LeAnn Rimes you can make really listen to the song with fresh ears.

TRADITIONAL WEIHNACHTSLIEDER

O come, O come Emmanuel

The words are a translation of a Latin text ("Veni, Veni, Emmanuel"), which is a sort of various advent antiphons. The music has unknown origins but is probably of a century processional for Franciscan kernel problems and may have roots in Gregorian chant. Solemn, deeply spiritual piece of music.

Featured version: Casting Crowns

O come all ye faithful

A hymn tune from the 1750s years based on an original Latin text ("Adeste Fidelis"), possibly originating from the 13th century. A well made use of dynamics is the three repetitions of "O come, let him you love us" to build to a melodic climax.

Featured version: King's College choir

O Holy night

French Carol inspired by the poem "Minuit, chrétiens" and written in 1847. Words to accompany the melody were added until 1855. The music is dramatic and powerful, so the best versions play down the drama of the top take over.

Featured version: Katharine McPhee

Silent night

German Carol written in 1816 (the words were previously written two years). The English translation dates to 1859. A simple, quiet melody that is a perennial favorite.

Featured version: Gemini soul

Jon O' Bergh has released 7 CDs and is the author of eBook "Song of Fire", which combines original songs and literature in a treatise on music square in the heart of the world. The eBook is from Smashwords, the Internet largest independent eBook Publisher, to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66212--sowie many other online retailers available.

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