cboody Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 The comments about a December TOM being holiday music got several comments about tunes from various countries, and that got me to wondering. Most of us are quite familiar with our own holiday tunes and songs, but much less so with those from other countries. And, most of us know tunes from our own country that really should be widely known. I'm wondering about those I should know from countries other than my own (USA). Much of our traditional holiday music comes from the British Isles, but I'll bet I don't know some from there that I should. But outside those areas I know only the most common of tunes/songs. So, what are the titles (with or without ABC) of the tunes you should share with us? Here are just a few titles of American tunes I think should be widely known... Babe of Bethlehem - William Walker? I wonder as I Wander - John Jacob Niles Huron Carol - Jean de Brébeuf This really comes from just across the border into Canada. Christmas Carol - Charles Ives Lovely and surprisingly not crunching. There is a William Billings too that I can't remember the title for. If anyone wants them I can dig up the ABCs for these. Now about the ones from your part of the world…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 (edited) Well, that depends... If you dig religious lyric (for whatever reason) you might f.i. find the poems of Paul Gerhard from the Baroque age appealing. There are quite a lot of them, and many have received great musical treatment. You might know "Ich steh' an Deiner Krippen hier" from the before mentioned Christmas Oratorio, "Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen" being another one which I would like to contribute if December's THEME OF THE MONTH should turn out this way. Another poet to be mentioned is Jochen Klepper, 1903 - 1942. His "Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen" reflects the experience of the National Socialist "Realm" in a powerful way and has a beautiful setting as well. I leave it at that for the moment... P.S.: One of the best-known German "holiday" tunes has to be be regarded as a "nordic" Nazi contraposition to this Christian sphere and spirit: "Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen", which I strictly avoided to date (however this morning I relearned that it's in fact an alienation of a much older carol singers tune, albeit nobody seems to know these variants nowadays). Edited November 24, 2013 by blue eyed sailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 "Christmas is really fantastic" by Frank Sidebottom should be more widely known. Alas, poor Frank. A great loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 Most of us are quite familiar with our own holiday tunes and songs, but much less so with those from other countries. ... I'm wondering about those I should know from countries other than my own (USA). Much of our traditional holiday music comes from the British Isles, but I'll bet I don't know some from there that I should. Beyond that, there are many "well known" carols that I've learned are sung to different tunes in the UK than the ones I learned as a child in the US, though the words are the same. Maybe even regional variants in both countries? Turning it the other way around, though, I got a bit of a jolt my first Christmas in Denmark when I wandered into a pub and the whole crowd was singing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"... in Danish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Campin Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 This year, the Islamic holiday of Mawlid-e-Sherif, the Prophet's birthday (Eid Milad-un-Nabi in Urdu) falls on January 14th. There are piles of songs for it from every part of the Muslim world (except official circles in Saudi Arabia, I guess, since the Wahhabis don't approve of it). This Qalandari Sufi song is dead catchy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGH4K-ymAZE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cboody Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 Well, that depends... If you dig religious lyric (for whatever reason) you might f.i. find the poems of Paul Gerhard from the Baroque age appealing. There are quite a lot of them, and many have received great musical treatment. You might know "Ich steh' an Deiner Krippen hier" from the before mentioned Christmas Oratorio, "Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen" being another one which I would like to contribute if December's THEME OF THE MONTH should turn out this way. Another poet to be mentioned is Jochen Klepper, 1903 - 1942. His "Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen" reflects the experience of the National Socialist "Realm" in a powerful way and has a beautiful setting as well. I leave it at that for the moment... P.S.: One of the best-known German "holiday" tunes has to be be regarded as a "nordic" Nazi contraposition to this Christian sphere and spirit: "Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen", which I strictly avoided to date (however this morning I relearned that it's in fact an alienation of a much older carol singers tune, albeit nobody seems to know these variants nowadays). Ich kann ein bisschen Deutsch sprechen…vielleicht lesen geht besser Yes I know "Ich steh' an Deiner Krippen hier" the usual English Translation is "Beside thy cradle here I stand." I don't recognize the "Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen" but I'm not sure I'd want to deal with National Socialism in any form…unless this is a reaction to it. Still I'd like to see it. I don't recognize your other one either, though I'd like to know it. Jack: Trust you to come up with esoterica, but certainly interesting esoterica. Jim Lucas: I know of the different versions of Away in a Manger, and know that O Little Town of Bethlehem is often sung to the tune Forest Green in the UK, but don't know of other tune variants. Doesn't that carol about the Shepherd that needs to be awakened to hear the news come from Denmark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I don't recognize the "Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen" but I'm not sure I'd want to deal with National Socialism in any formunless this is a reaction to it. Yes, it certainly is a reaction (albeit not in terms of politics) - that's what I'd been trying to say. Klepper was very much anti-Nazi, having been a member of the Social Democratic Party prior to the liquidation of Parliamentarism and suffering badly from the Nazis. His wife was regarded as being Jewish, and so were his children as a result. In 1942 the life of the family ended through suicide, when attempts to save a daughter and his wife appeared to have failed. I will provide you with the poem/lyrics (and maybe a bit of a translation) later this day... Regards - Wolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Here are the lyrics - the music seems to be under copyright...(the titel saying something like "The night has advanced").Not having had the chance to listen to many of the videos today I just can suggest listening to this one if interested.Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cboody Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 Here are the lyrics - the music seems to be under copyright... (the titel saying something like "The night has advanced"). Not having had the chance to listen to many of the videos today I just can suggest listening to this one if interested. Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen.pdf Wunderschön…. My German skills leave good understanding behind, and I'd welcome a translation. Do you know if the choral setting is the composer's original? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 This morning I found a document with much additional information such as translation and even a four-part score... (my guess would be that the setting from the video is not original, but that's just a guess...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cboody Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Vielen Dank! Interesting reading and good to see my translation had muddled out part of things. I agree that it is likely the setting was not the original if the setting in the article is original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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