A Song for Christmas (1) - Lux Aurumque

This is technically not a carol, at least not a traditional one. However, Lux Aurumque is a very apt piece for Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Taken from the poem below, it creates a mood of calm and draws a scene of peace.

Light and Gold - Edward Esch

Light,
warm and heavy
as pure gold,
and the angels sing softly
to the newborn babe.

Imagine this beautiful picture of heavenly bliss was recreated by Eric Whitacre's Lux Aurumque? Sang in Latin for SATB, with harmonies so tight that it feels "warm and heavy, as pure gold". At a stately pace of adagio, 60-66; the piece progress slowly, warmly and calmly. It is as though the choir is surrounded by a ring of gold that glows and shines through to all our hearts!

The original version of Eric Whitacre's virtual choir is so beautifully done that it was almost a miracle from all over the world.

Christmas Carol (2a) - The 12 Days of Christmas

And so one year has passed since we picked up the topic about Christmas! Time passed, and variations to the traditional carols increases over time as well.

This version of The 12 Days of Christmas by Geoffrey Keating combined another one of the most popular Christmas tunes - the theme from Gloria- together to create a very energized version of this traditional piece. Written for 6 voices, it promised to be one of the most exciting and playful version yet!

Unfortunately, there are no good recording on the internet from a choir on this piece that does this piece enough justice. The following link to a midi recording is probably one of the clearest. Listen to the various parts and hear them intertwine...

http://www.couleurvocale.nl/mids/twdachri.mid