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Down in the River to Pray VIDEO

The anti-war song by Russian Orthodox rapper Nikolai Limonov VIDEO

John Taver’s sacred works were influenced by Russian Orthodox Christianity

 

John Tavener, a British composer known for his meditative, sometimes passionate sacred works and colourfully scored orchestral pieces – including the popular cello concerto The Protecting Veil, and the haunting Song for Athene, which was performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales – died Tuesday at his home in Child Okeford, in southern England. He was 69.

Orthodox Genius who befriended the Beatles - As great British composer Sir John Tavener dies

A so-called Holy Minimalist, Tavener regularly got lumped together with the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and the Polish Henryk Gorécki, because their music all employs slow repetition, simple structures and a generously patient approach to the passing of time as a means for entering into Christianity's mystical essence.

 

Tavener, though, came across as the most preposterous. From the start, he attracted pop culture's interest, having found fame in 1970 when the Beatles used his oratorio, "The Whale," at Ringo Starr's urging, to add a bit of classical class to the Fab Four's label, Apple.

The South Gospel and holiness

I thoroughly enjoy southern Gospel. I think one of the reasons I do is because it recognizes that living the Christian life is a difficult undertaking. Many of the favorite southern Gospel songs were were written by people who were poor, outcast, and had a strong sense of their personal failures.

The Canadians Tenors ft Celine Dion - Hallelujah

1. 3:48

   Celine Dion Surprises the Canadian Tenors and Sings Hallelujah With Them

   
   

   
   

   
   
   

   
   

   
   
2. 5:14

   Celine Dion & The Canadian Tenors - Hallelujah

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   

   
   
3. 4:13

   Hallelujah Canadian Tenors and Celine Dion

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   

   
   
4. 3:51

   The Canadian Tenors - Hallelujah (Ft. Celine Dion)

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   
   
6. 4:12

   The Canadians Tenors ft Céline Dion - Hallelujah

   
   

Psalm 33 I will bless the Lord - Greek Byzantine Music by NEKTARIA KARANTZI (amazing!)

Nektaria Karantzi is the well-known greek orthodox performer of Byzantine Music.

ROMANIA: Romanian Orthodox Byzantine Chant - Sfinte Dumnezeule (amazing)

Arabic Christian Chant - VIDEO

Elder Paisios, Elder Cleopa and Orthodox music - VIDEO

Constantinople: Orthodox Chant In Agia Sophia - VIDEO (amazing!)

Christian Orthodox Worldwide - (VIDEO - Please Watch this Video! )

This video goes through a lot of different Christian Orthodox Churches from all around the world. 

RUSSIA: Valaam Monastery - Ninth Hour for the Eve of the Native (VIDEO)

RUSSIA: Moscow is preparing to welcome the New Year 2013. - Beautiful lights in Moscow city (VIDEO)

Fairouz - Christmas carol "We have been decorating a small tree" (Beautiful song)

MOUNT ATHOS: Bethlehem make ready - Hymns of the Nativity of Christ" - Vatopedi Monastery (VIDEO)

 

Today it’s Christmas Eve! Christmas carols are sung on the mornings of Christmas Eve (VIDEO)

 

In Greek Orthodox tradition, carols are sung on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), New Year's Eve (Dec. 31) and on Eve of Epiphany (Jan. 5). The lyrics for these days are different. Groups of children go from house to house in their neighbourhood singing the carols. The Singing is accompanied by the playing of triangles. 

Householders hear them through and reward the children with a small amount of money or with seasonal sweets. The lyrics shown below are the "standard" ones sung in cities, although there are several regional variations, which are typically longer and make use of local dialects.

The lyrics of the Christmas Carol follow.

GOOD EVENING NOBLEMEN

Good evening to you noblemen

And if it is your wish

In praise here at your mansion,

Of Jesus' birth I'll sing. 

Jesus Christ was born today

in town of Bethlehem

The skies above rejoicing

All nature satisfied.

T'was in a cave that he was born

And in a manger laid

The king of all the skies above

And maker of all things.

Angelic hosts are singing

All glory be to God

And holy be to shepherds

And to their faithfulness.

From Persia are arriving

Three magi with their gifts

The brightest star has led them there

No hour have they delayed.

Origins of Favorite Christmas Carols: Greensleeves (VIDEO - This is soo touching)

 

Greensleeves

 

What Child Is This?

The tune "Greensleeves" has a long history extending at least as far back as the 16^th century, but its association with the Christmas carol "What Child Is This?" is relatively late. It wasn’t until the 19^th century when three stanzas of a poem (called “The Manger Throne”) by William Chatterton Dix were set to the Greensleeves melody.

Dix’s text was only one of many set to the famous tune; the original text begins with the words, “Alas, my love, you do me wrong / To cast me off discourteously…” That Henry VIII wrote the song as a lover’s lament for Anne Boleyn is a good but unfounded story.

Shakespeare referred to the tune in his 1602 play the Merry Wives of Windsor when Falstaff exclaims, “Let the sky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of Green Sleeves!” Over a hundred years later, in John Gay’s Beggars Opera, a prisoner awaits his execution on the Tyburn tree, and sings yet another version of Greensleeves.

(poss. Henry VIII of England, 1500's.)

Alas, my love, you do me wrong,

To cast me off discourteously.

For I have loved you well and long,

Delighting in your company.

Chorus:

Greensleeves was all my joy

Greensleeves was my delight,

Greensleeves was my heart of gold,

And who but my lady greensleeves.

Your vows you've broken, like my heart,

Oh, why did you so enrapture me?

Now I remain in a world apart

But my heart remains in captivity.

chorus

I have been ready at your hand,

To grant whatever you would crave,

I have both wagered life and land,

Your love and good-will for to have.

chorus

If you intend thus to disdain,

It does the more enrapture me,

And even so, I still remain

A lover in captivity.

chorus

My men were clothed all in green,

And they did ever wait on thee;

All this was gallant to be seen,

And yet thou wouldst not love me.

chorus

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,

but still thou hadst it readily.

Thy music still to play and sing;

And yet thou wouldst not love me.

chorus

Well, I will pray to God on high,

that thou my constancy mayst see,

And that yet once before I die,

Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.

chorus

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,

To God I pray to prosper thee,

For I am still thy lover true,

Come once again and love me.

chorus

BYZANTINE CHRISTMAS CAROLS - Byzantine Hymn of the Nativity (VIDEO)

Byzantine Hymn of the Nativity