World Choral Day

Music is great!  For as long as I can remember my life has had a good healthy dose of harmony with family, hymns at church, musical instruments, and living vicariously through the radio.  Music has a way of reaching into your soul and pulling out pieces of you, all explored through poetic runs of notes, different tempos, and the artistic placements of pianissimo and fortissimo.

I never did choir in school, but my sisters and my daughter did.  I have participated in choir at church.  Some pieces were okay, but many left me in awe at the inspiration of the composer and, at times, whomever arranged the choral piece.

While in college, our ward (congregation) had a Christmas party with performances by various ward members.  My cousins (Shauna and Cynthia, and Michelle as pianist) and I decided to perform a harmonized piece called "Gesu Bambino."  We worked so diligently on it, practicing and practicing and practicing...our mother's would have been proud.  It was so beautiful when we finally performed.  I cannot listen to it today without going back in time to that blessed moment we finally shared the fruits of our attempt to make it perfect.  It was a perfect moment in my life.

A few years ago while at a Christmas concert for T's high school choir, I experienced an unexpected moment of joy.  The opening number was done in darkness with each member of all of the choirs holding candles and strategically positioned all around the room.  As they sang "O Come, Emmanuel" I was taken to a place that left me breathless, wanting the piece to continue much longer than it did.  It was one of those moments that I will treasure and lovingly enjoy each time I remember it.  The "light" from the words so beautifully chosen and the music carefully crafted so perfectly matched the visual light from each candle.  To me, it was another of those perfect moments.

In honor of World Choral Day, I would like to present three video presentations that I particularly enjoy.  Two were performed for the Christmas holiday.  One is a portion of a larger program and is about 28 minutes long, but WELL worth the time.  The other is about 5 minutes consisting of one very beautiful song.  The last is a piece by Alex Boye' and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Here is one of my favorite choral programs featuring Walter Cronkite, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and The Orchestra at Temple Square.
One Silet Night Concert link

A new one that I love is a collaboration between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and The Piano Guys.  It is a beautiful rendition of the Christmas carol "O Come, Emmanuel" with video of events in the Savior's life.
O Come, Emmanuel link

This last one could be played at Christmas time, but it is an amazing Spiritual...a style of music I love which originated from slaves.  I was moved the first time I saw this performed during a tour called "One Voice" by the choir.  It stirred me to the core of my soul and Alex performs it so well.
I Want Jesus To Walk With Me link