Music and the Spoken Word 12/14/2025

 The regular Sunday program Music and the Spoken Word including the performers from the annuyal Christmas presentation.  Both artists narrate and sing (which is different than most years.)  They are Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus.

Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square: Christmas Concert 2022 (broadcast 2023), Lea Salonga and Sir David Suchet

The Christmas presentation features the orchestra, choir, Lea Salonga and David Suchet.  I have always wanted to attend a concert featuring Lea Salonga, and this may be the closest I ever come.  David Suchet tells the story of Sir Nicholas Winton.  Winton as a young man had been in Czechoslovakia.  People had fled from Nazi Germany but they could not exit; But they found a loop hole, children could leave if they had a sponsor family.  Seeing a need, when he returned to Engand Winton advertised and found families and arranged for the transportation of children.  He saved 669 children this way.  Most were Jewish.  If he hadn't acted quickly they would have perished as the border was closed and the Nazis took over and killed the Jews.  

The choir is always superb.  Lea Salonga is singing perfectly and Suchet added his personality.  Very excellent presentation.

Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square Christmas Concert 2024

 The Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert is always special.  It is presented yearly on PBS,  Conducted by Mack Wilburg and Ryan Murphy.  The PBS special is usually the concert form the prior year, so this is 2024.  Special guest is Ruthie Ann Miles.  Narration is provided by Dennis Haysbert.  He tells the story of Kenyan philanthropist Dr. Charles Mulli.  

Charity's Kids Christmas Concert

 Charity's daughters play Viola and violin, and her son provided vocals with his grade.  

Charity Concert with Omaha Sings

 Charity had her concert this past Sunday.  She performs with Sing Omaha Woman's Chorus.  They sang a new song Magnificat,  I provide a short excerpt.  They sang in a large Southern Methodist church in Papillion. In addition to Charity's choir there was the master choir which is a mixed choir, and se veral youth choirs and a children's choir.  It made for a fun afternoon.

Hard to get a good view of Charity while they were singing.

Christmas Music Review: Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration

 Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration,  Chloë Agnew, Órla Fallon, Lisa Kelly, and Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, with violinist Máiréad Nesbitt.  David Downes producer and arranger.  Manhattan Records, 2006.

For the past 20 years no one has made music like Celtic Woman.  This is an early Christmas album, in fact their second album.  Their combination of Celtic themes with traditional hymns is magnificent.  On this album their are 15 songs, inluding: O Holy Night, Away in a Manger, Silent Night, Let it Snow and many more favorites.  I enjoyed this album very much.

The Piano Guys and Craig Aven: The Sweetest Gift

If you’re missing someone this Christmas this song’s dedicated to you - ...

Jon Schmidt dedicates to those missing someone this Christmas.  I am missing my oldest sister, who passed away two years ago New Years Eve.  She was the life of our family, and kept things going.  There is still a void that hasn't been filled.  We visited the Buff clan for Christmas a few years ago.  tony made a snow man, Camberly met her great-grandmother who was staying with them at the time.  Sara, like my mother, had a way to make things right.

Lyrics: I’m not going to lie. Christmas really hurts this time Cause you’re not here to celebrate with me. Tears fill my eyes. And memories flood my mind, As I place your ornament upon our tree. Although this year I have a broken heart, It gives me hope and joy as I remember where you are. Chorus: You’re with the Son of God. You’re with the Prince of Peace. You’re with the one we’re celebrating And that thought amazes me. Sometimes I still break down, Grieving that we’re apart, But the sweetest gift is knowing where you are. You’re with the Son of God. Got your picture in a frame And a stocking with your name. Oh God knows it’s been hard letting go. And I can’t bring you back, But I’ll see you again. And oh, that thought is healing to my soul. I’ll miss making angels with you in the snow. I guess instead you will be singing with them All around God’s throne.

Chorus And I know the Christmas season Was your favorite time of year. You loved to help us decorate our tree. But now that you’re with Jesus, I can’t imagine how you feel Cause He’s the one who bled and died Upon the tree for you and me. Chorus

"Silent Night" ft. Plácido Domingo -The Piano Guys #ASaviorIsBorn

This is just beautiful with Placido Domingo, The Piano Guys and a children's choir from the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York. 

O Come, Little Children (Music Video) - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

This song is beautiful and is overplayed on the story of a cancer patient which adds even more.

Christmas Carol: the First Noel Josh Groban feat. Faith Hill

Please see The Carols We Love: The "Story Behind the Story of Twenty-two Classic Christmas Carols, Daniel Partner, Barbour Publishing, Uhrichsville, OH, 2002.
This is a traditional English carol from the early renaissance period.  In this case Noel refers to the birth of Christ.  It is a word which means birth from Latin.  It is capitalized because it only refers to the birth of Jesus Christ.

Holliday Sing-a-Long 2016

We had a good crowd for our annual sing-a-long.  We have only missed one year since moving to Manteca, and that is because we were sick.  Sheri was a bit under the weather this year, but we plowed ahead.  We had the Mortensons, Natalia and Ty, grandpa Scoresby (there first time attending) the Halls and Jeremy and family as well as Jeremy's father and sister-in-law and the Petersons and Mark and Diana.  It was a pretty good size group.
 

Christmas Carols: Go Tell It On The Mountain (Dolly Parton Christmas Special)

This song comes out of a Black University, Fisk University, which was founded shortly after the Civil War.  They sponsored a professional and amateur choir, Jubilee Singers, which sang often to help fund the University.  They sang through America and Europe.  This choir introduced the world to spiritual music.  John Wesley's Work of Fisk University was the  preservation of Negro spirituals.  He wrote the lyrics to "Go Tell it on the Mountain" and set it to the tune "When I was a seeker."  This song comes from the history of Black music.  This song starts with the chorus, but reminds us that salvation was born that night.

[Chorus]
Hallelujah!
Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
Jesus Christ is born

Down the lonely manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent salvation
That blessed Christmas morn

[Chorus]

While shepherds kept their watch
O'er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shown a holy light

[Chorus]

Please see The Carols We Love by Daniel Partner, Barbour, Uhrichsville, Oh, 2002.

Christmas Music Review: In the Dark Streets Shineth

With the book, "In the Dark Street Shineth" there is a C.D. which presents the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with the narrator David McCullough as they present the stories of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas."  The music is arranged and conducted by Mack Wilberg.  I thoroughly enjoyed this, and will return to it many times.  Nothing is greater than the choir singing Christmas songs.

Christmas Carols: We Three Kings

Please see The Carols We Love: The "Story Behind the Story of Twenty-two Classic Christmas Carols, Daniel Partner, Barbour Publishing, Uhrichsville, OH, 2002.
"We Three Kings" is the most memorable work of John Henry Hopkins Jr. who was was a church man and music teacher for the most part.  He did publish a book of carols, another book of poems, and the biography of his father, a prominent Episcopalian priest.  "We Three Kings" is prominent for its message.  The story of the Three Kings is found in Matthew chapter 2.  The number of kings is not given, but they brought gold frankincense and myrrh.  There is a verse describing each of the gifts, and then a conclusionary statement: "King and God and sacrifice.  The gold represented Jesus as king, the frankincense as God (it was used in the temple) and the myrrh told of his final sacrifice.  Myrrh was used in embalming.

Christmas Music form My Youtube Channel

This is my Christmas Music List.  It includes personal covers, several songs from Cupertino High School choirs, Tony's school concerts and a few other songs.  Enjoy.  It starts with Handel's Messiah.

Music and the Spoken Word: Christmas Special - Live Stream December 18, ...

The program starts at about minute 59.  This is the last show before Christmas.  In this set they combine with the Bell Choir which performs "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."  The choir starts with a tradition "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful" and then the women sing "How far is it to Bethlehem.  The do an excellent job of presenting the wonder of children at Christmas with "Christmas Children" from Scrooge.  The highlight is the soft peaceful message of "Wexford Carol."  This starts with the men setting the peaceful tone, which is not lost throughout the song:
Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done,
In sending His belovèd Son.
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day;
In Bethlehem upon the morn
There was a blest Messiah born.
They then conclude with Hallelujah form the Messiah.  

Manteca Stake Choir and St. Paul's Methodist Choir and Hand Bells

The performance Sunday was magnificent, with another scheduled at St. Paul's this Thursday at 7.  There was a good mix of choir and solo performance, as well as a section of hand bell music.  Hand bells also played with the choir for a couple of songs.  Highlights include: "Be Like the Bird" a woman's song with a few of us whistling and the bells playing "I Wonder as I Wander."

couple of songs.

Cover of "Believe" from Polar Express by Veritas School and other school...

 This is another song from Tony's concert.  The seventh and 8th graders sang two together, and then the 5-6th joined for three numbers.  This is the second group concert.  This represents about six school choirs from the manteca area.
 

"Hot Chocolate" 4-8th grade Christmas Concert: Manteca, Veritas Represented

Tony's first choir concert.  He is in the Veritas School Choir, 4th-8th grades.  However this concert there were like five schools represented.  Tony's choir teacher taught two of them, including his.  His friend Maryn was in the choir with him, as well as Evan.  They sang music from Polar Express.  I really liked this son.  Please forgive the poor video, but the audio is the important part.  You can see Tony, behind the kid in a yellow shirt and overalls.  Tony has a red Santa hat.

Dec 15: Jesus Worshipped through Song and So Can You

I so much love Christmas, partially because of the music.  I was so bummed last year when I didn't get to sing in the Stake Musical Concert--Sunday and Thursday next week this year--it was the same day I burnt myself.  However this year will be different.  Also to enjoy music you can check out anything by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Our Family Sing-along is December 23 this year.  I know this is late in the year, but it allows for Natalia and grandpa to be here.  Please check the website Mormon.org for additional idea.