I think that one of the sad things of taking Christmas out of the schools is not being able to sing religious Christmas music. When I was in 9th grade chorus, we learned what I think are three of the most beautiful Christmas songs (in addition to O Holy NIght and the two Ave Marias): Panis Angelicus, Gesu Bambino, and Birthday of the King. They aren't played very often on the radio, either, and are hard to find, but a couple of years ago I found a CD with Pavarotti singing them, as well as others, and I play it every year--and can just picture and hear the tenor we had singing the solo in 9th grade. I have a CD of Kathleen Battle singing Christmas songs, too, the more beautiful and less familiar ones, and of course her voice is perfect for O Holy Night. Have a wonderful Christmas, all of you who celebrate it, whether it be in December or January (my daughter's friend's family celebrate both the English Christmas and the Eastern Orthodox one)--and Twelfth Night, if anyone still celebrates that. I'm immersed in 16th Century England, and they exchanged gifts on Twelfth Night, too. And if any of you celebrate Chanukkah or Kwanza, enjoy those holidays as well. Cindy --- Kasondra Payne <Kassyp36@xxxxxxx> wrote: > Lyssi, > > My family isn't Eastern European, but that sounds > like an interesting and > yummy tradition. My aunt used to teach my siblings > and her children German. > She had spent a year and a half in what used to be > West Germany serving a > mission for our church. The same aunt also tried to > teach us to sing and > have an appreciation for classical music. Well, she > taught us to sing three > Christmas carols in German. We would go caroling to > an older German woman > we knew from church. She would gather all her > friends together to hear us > sing. Ruth Baker was one of the sweetest women I > ever knew. My mother > would always tell us not to expect to get anything > from her, but Ruth never > failed to give each of us a bag of cookies, a candy > cane, and and an > ornament. We performed for her ever year from 1984 > to 1997. I missed our > last performance because I was sick and breaking off > and engagement at the > same time. Kelly C knows what I am talking about. > In 1998, Ruth was living > in a nursing home and too sick to have all of us > perform. I did go visit > her that year. It was the last time I saw her. She > passed away six months > later, just before my wedding. That caroling is one > of the most special > memories I have of a Christmas tradition. Ruth > would complement us that our > German was so good, but I knew how much it sucked. > We added other carols in > English and Spanish, but we always sang the German > ones. To this day, I > cannot sing the first verse of Silent Night in > English. I know it, but the > German is so ingrained in me. It bugs everyone > else. Thank you for letting > me share. > > Kasondra Payne > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.3/209 - > Release Date: 12/21/2005 > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to > bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject > line. To get a list of available commands, put the > word 'help' by itself in the subject line. > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.