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babarnettTis the season when I fall off the face of the blogosphere and fail to keep up with you lovely people for days at a time because I'm trying to squeeze entirely too many things in to entirely too few hours (I'm sure many of you can relate). Recent conversations in my house have frequently included variations on the following:
And because I'm a musician, Solsticemas of course needs a proper soundtrack. I'm easily bored by a lot of traditional holiday music; years and years of practicing for holiday concerts and Christmas services every week from September through December will do that to you. AsYouKnowBob and I therefore look for seasonal music that either isn't the same-old-same-old or that offers a different and/or quirky take on the traditional stuff. I shared a couple of these last year, but I thought I'd share even more of my favorites this time around:
John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together
Probably my favorite holiday recording ever. Because Muppets make me happy.
Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs of Joy and Peace
Yo-Yo Ma is high on my list of famous musicians I want to hang out with for a day, and there are some great collaborations on here between him and many other highly awesome musicians. One my favorite tracks is most definitely "Panxoliña: A Galician Carol."
Barenaked Ladies: Barenaked for the Holidays
These guys made me not hate "Jingle Bells." Another Festivus miracle!
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones: Jingle All the Way
Another album that made me not hate "Jingle Bells." Because there's banjo. And Tuvan throat singing. And awesomeness.
Medieval Babes: Mistletoe & Wine
Much of the album isn't necessarily seasonal (though some, like "The Holly and the Ivy" and "Coventry Carol," most definitely are), but that makes it no less awesome and appropriate for my Solsticemas enjoyment.
Benjamin Britten: St. Nicolas
A chorus I used to sing with did this cantata a few years ago at our holiday concert. Refreshingly different, particularly the Pickled Boys section. Because what holiday concert isn't made better by cannibalism?
Anne Sofie von Otter: Home for Christmas
An awesome Swedish mezzo-soprano. The clip at the link above doesn't have the best part of the arrangement of "I Wonder as I Wander" that she does, which is when some cool percussion action kicks in.
Loreena McKennitt: Midwinter's Night Dream
I love Loreena McKennitt's music in general, so I of course must include this.
Sting: If on a Winter's Night
A recording full of winter-themed songs, most of which I hadn't heard before when AsYouKnowBob and I bought it. We've since come to refer to "The Cherry Tree Carol" as the Talking Fetus Song. Seriously, the lyrics include the following: "Then up spoke baby Jesus from out Mary's womb, 'Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some.'"
And some stand alone songs from albums that aren't season specific:
Vienna Teng: "The Atheist Christmas Carol"
A song from her album Warm Strangers.
"The Stowaway" - Written by Murray Gold, sung by Yamit Mamo
From the Doctor Who Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned"
I could go on, but that's all I have the time and brain power for right now, so I'll spare you all from further musical geekery.
AsYouKnowBob: Let's rehearse. What are you going to say next year when someone asks you to volunteer for something?
Me: I can't, I'm in grad school.
AsYouKnowBob: Good, now again.
Me: I can't, I'm in grad school.
Anyway, on to the reason for much of the crazy busy: Solsticemas. Or at least that's what I decided to start calling it last year. Being a former-Catholic-turned-agnostic-Unitarian-Universalist, I think Solsticemas more accurately sums up what I celebrate this time of year.Me: I can't, I'm in grad school.
AsYouKnowBob: Good, now again.
Me: I can't, I'm in grad school.
And because I'm a musician, Solsticemas of course needs a proper soundtrack. I'm easily bored by a lot of traditional holiday music; years and years of practicing for holiday concerts and Christmas services every week from September through December will do that to you. AsYouKnowBob and I therefore look for seasonal music that either isn't the same-old-same-old or that offers a different and/or quirky take on the traditional stuff. I shared a couple of these last year, but I thought I'd share even more of my favorites this time around:
John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together
Probably my favorite holiday recording ever. Because Muppets make me happy.
Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs of Joy and Peace
Yo-Yo Ma is high on my list of famous musicians I want to hang out with for a day, and there are some great collaborations on here between him and many other highly awesome musicians. One my favorite tracks is most definitely "Panxoliña: A Galician Carol."
Barenaked Ladies: Barenaked for the Holidays
These guys made me not hate "Jingle Bells." Another Festivus miracle!
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones: Jingle All the Way
Another album that made me not hate "Jingle Bells." Because there's banjo. And Tuvan throat singing. And awesomeness.
Medieval Babes: Mistletoe & Wine
Much of the album isn't necessarily seasonal (though some, like "The Holly and the Ivy" and "Coventry Carol," most definitely are), but that makes it no less awesome and appropriate for my Solsticemas enjoyment.
Benjamin Britten: St. Nicolas
A chorus I used to sing with did this cantata a few years ago at our holiday concert. Refreshingly different, particularly the Pickled Boys section. Because what holiday concert isn't made better by cannibalism?
Anne Sofie von Otter: Home for Christmas
An awesome Swedish mezzo-soprano. The clip at the link above doesn't have the best part of the arrangement of "I Wonder as I Wander" that she does, which is when some cool percussion action kicks in.
Loreena McKennitt: Midwinter's Night Dream
I love Loreena McKennitt's music in general, so I of course must include this.
Sting: If on a Winter's Night
A recording full of winter-themed songs, most of which I hadn't heard before when AsYouKnowBob and I bought it. We've since come to refer to "The Cherry Tree Carol" as the Talking Fetus Song. Seriously, the lyrics include the following: "Then up spoke baby Jesus from out Mary's womb, 'Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some.'"
And some stand alone songs from albums that aren't season specific:
Vienna Teng: "The Atheist Christmas Carol"
A song from her album Warm Strangers.
"The Stowaway" - Written by Murray Gold, sung by Yamit Mamo
From the Doctor Who Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned"
I could go on, but that's all I have the time and brain power for right now, so I'll spare you all from further musical geekery.
