190 years ago, the carol "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht" was heard for the first time in a village church in Oberndorf, Austria. The congregation at that Midnight Mass in St. Nicholas Church listened as the voices of the assistant pastor, Fr. Joseph Mohr, and the choir director, Franz Xaver Gruber, rang through the church to the accompaniment of Fr. Mohr's guitar. On each of the six verses, the choir repeated the last two lines in four-part harmony. On that Christmas Eve, a song was born that would reach the hearts of thousands of people throughout the world. It’s been translated into at least 44 languages and sung by untold millions every December from small chapels to great cathedrals. During World War I, the carol was sung simultaneously in English and German by troops during the Christmas truce of 1914, as it was one of the few carols that soldiers on both sides of the front line knew. The song has been recorded by over 300 artists, particularly successful in hit versions by Enya (sung in Irish), Andrea Bocelli or Bing Crosby.
Susan Boyle, the Scottish former church volunteer who first appeared on Britain's Got Talent and stunned the judges silly, offers us a beautiful version of Silent Night in her her record-breaking debut album I Dreamed a Dream.
Listen and enjoy.
If you feel like doing a fill in the gaps activity based on this widely-known song, click on its name. Come on now, it's very easy!
I wish a merry Christmas for all of us and lots of nice surprises for next year.
After all, 2010 must be better than 2009, I can't see how it can be worse. And no , we don't want to see if things can go worse, we want a nice holiday to share with our family and friends , lots of presents , happiness and prosperity for next year, as usual. Oh, I forgot, we'd like to win a good lottery prize just for once!
Love, MJ
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
It'd be nice if you wrote your own Chistmas greetings and sent them as comments. You just have to click on the comment icon below. Come on, Xmas is coming again; it's time to celebrate!
In this moving Chrismas carol , the true spirit of Christmas is revealed when an orphan witnesses the birth of baby Jesus, and gives the only gift he can – a song. With its simple message that the best gift is one given from the heart, this story exemplifies the true spirit of Christmas. Little Drummer Boy has always been one of my favourite Christmas carols, that's why I've chosen these two versions for you to hear. They can't be more different but I like them both very much.
Why don't you send me a comment and tell me what you think of them?
The words and music to the Christmas song Little Drummer Boy were composed by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone in 1958. The lyrics of Little Drummer Boy consist of no less than 21 rum pum pum pum' - a major part of the song and therefore presenting an apparently easy task for the lyricist! However, Little Drummer Boy has been a huge hit for several artists. The most notable rendition was created by the most unlikely combination of Bing Crosby and David Bowie. This version of Little Drummer Boy was a massive hit for the artists and was in fact Bing Crosby's most successful recording after the legendary White Christmas.
David: Hello...... you're the new butler? Bing: Hahaha! Well, it's been a long time since I've been the new anything! David: What's happened to Hudson? Bing: I guess he's changing. David: Yeah, he does that a lot, doesn't he? Uhm... Oh, I'm David Bowie, I live down the road. Bing: Oh! David: Sir Percival let's me use his piano if he not around. He's not around, is he? Bing: I can honestly say I haven't seen him, but come on in! Come in! David: But uh... Bing: Come on in! David: Are you related to sir Percival? Bing: Well, distantly... David: Oh, you're not the poor relation from America, right? Bing: Ha! Gee... news sure travels fast, doesn't it? I'm Bing. David: Oh, I'm pleased to meet you. You're the one that sings, right? Bing: Well, right or wrong, I sing either way. David: Oh well, I sing too. Bing: Oh good! What kind of singing? David: Mostly the contemporary stuff. Do you eh... do you like modern music? Bing: Oh, I think it's marvellous! Some of it's really fine. But tell me, have you ever listened to any of the older fellows? David: Oh yeah, sure. I like ah... John Lennon and the other one with eh...Harry Nilsson. Bing: Mmm... you go back that far, uh? David: Yeah, I'm not as young as I look. Bing: Haha, none of us is these days! David: In fact I've got a six year old son. And he really gets excited around the Christmas holiday-thing. Bing: Do you go in for anything of the traditional things in the... boy, household, Christmas time? David: Oh yeah, most of them really. Presents, tree, decorations, agents sliding down the chimney... Bing: What?? David: Oh, I was just seeing if you were paying attention. Bing: Haha! David: Actually, our family do most of the things that other families do. We sing the same songs. Bing: Do you? David: Oh, I even have a go at 'White Christmas'. Bing: You do, eh! David: And this one. This is my son's favourite. Do you know this one? Bing: Oh, I do indeed, it's a lovely theme.
And they told me pa-ram-pam-pam-pam A new-born king to see pa-ram-pam-pam-pam Our finest gifts we bring pa-ram-pam-pam-pam Ra-pam-pam-pam, ra-pam-pam-pam
Peace on Earth, can it be Years from now, perhaps we'll see See the day of glory See the day, when men of good will Live in peace, live in peace again
Peace on Earth, can it be Every child must be made aware Every child must be made to care Care enough for his fellow man To give all the love that he can
I pray my wish will come true For my child and your child too He'll see the day of glory See the day when men of good will Live in peace, live in peace again
Peace on Earth, can it be Can it be
Bing: It's a pretty theme, isn't it?
The Almost is a alternative band from Clearwater, Florida, most notable for being the side project of Underoath drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie. I have just discovered their surprising version of Little Drummer Boy and I have to say that I like it a lot.
I've foud the following post at Tripadvisor.com and I think it's quite interesting.
Why don't you read it and then write your opinion about it? What is your idea of the typical Spanish citizen, if such citizen exists, and what are Spanish people really like?
And what about our neighbours? What do you think of the French? Click here and you'll find several listening comprehension and vocabulary activities based on this topic.
190 years ago, the carol "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht" was heard for the first time in a village church in Oberndorf, Austria. The congregation at that Midnight Mass in St. Nicholas Church listened as the voices of the assistant pastor, Fr. Joseph Mohr, and the choir director, Franz Xaver Gruber, rang through the church to the accompaniment of Fr. Mohr's guitar. On each of the six verses, the choir repeated the last two lines in four-part harmony.
