From Chanukah to an Advent Beginning

This week on Going Beyond Words and ACDA Radio/ChoralNet, host Stan Schmidt begins the first of four Advent/Christmas programs – your chance to hear traditional carols from over the spectrum of music history and to taste the same carols with new music tied to the same texts. You will also engage your listening skills on a few extended works. 

However, with Chanukah this year scheduled for Dec. 3-10,  you will enjoy music from Judas Maccabaeus and a Chaukah Variations developed as a theme and variations on an Ashkenazic folk song about traditions of this Jewish celebration. 

Those first three songs will be presented by the Zamir Chorale of Boston. The songs are directed by Joshua Jacobson in celebration of the chorale’s 50^th anniversary.  A short setting of Psalm 7 by Sweelinck will be offered by the King’s Singers from their CD Sacred Bridges.  The Psalms is a book that serves as a sacred bridge between group of peoples and religions, between all human beings.

Judith Clurman leads her Essential Voices USA as they sing The Chanukah Song (We Are Lights) by Stephen Schwartz along with a wonderful medley called Songs of Freedom: A Celebration of Chanukah, arranged by Larry Hochman, Judith Clurman, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

The second half of this broadcast is committed to Advent with selections like Gabriel’s Message with Sting; Veni Emmanuel sung by NY Polyphony; and Nova! Nova! Ave fit ex Eva by a new English group called the ORA Singers. Then, the Athesinus Consort of Berlin brings back Singet Frisch und wohlgenut by Hugo Distler, a theme and variations; and we conclude with Gustav Holst’s, In The Bleak Midwinter in a stunning arrangement for choir and harp by Minnesota composer Abbie Betinis with harpist Jacqueline Kerrod and Patrick Quigley leading his group Seraphic Fire.  As a strong start for both Chanukah and Advent, please join in a listen.

For a look at the CDs used and a complete list of the music heard, go to the blog of WWW.GOINGBEYONDWORDS.COM website and click on show 2508.