Which is the most haunting/beautiful Christmas carol or song?

[A580Hojas]

I like the melodic slightly melancholy ones. Something in a minor key maybe?

I googled the Cat Carol too. Wish I hadn’t as tears are now pouring down my face.
Came on to say As With Gladness Men of Old.
And Little Donkey, especially when sung by little ones at a Nativity.

Beautiful - away in a manger when sung by small children wearing tea towels o their heads.
Haunting - O holy night

Bethlehem Down is hauntingly beautiful.

Crown of Roses by Tchaikovsky can be sung at Easter or Christmas and is similarly shivery

I don't think the Corpus Christi Carol has been mentioned - I love Britten's setting

Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen arranged by Sandstrom is sublime

I particularly like the organ bit just before the last verse.

O Holy Night
In the Bleak Midwinter
Gaudete

Classic FM becomes my station of choice from December onwards, so much nicer than the 15th rendition of a Christmas pop song!

I’m right back at school at nine lessons and carols with theCoventry carol and Jesus Christ the apple tree. Very fond memories and although I love “hark! The herald angels sing “ (right or not? I’ve had wine) and the descant , the more melancholy ones stir me more

Any John Rutter carol is worth listening to. The Candlelight Carol is one of my favourites. I got to meet John Rutter a few years ago when he did a workshop with my choir - wonderful man!

Polkapjs As a choral singer, belting out the descant to Hark the Herald is one of my essential Christmas moments. It’s fabulous - as is the descant for O Come All Ye Faithful!

Also, I Sing of a Maiden by Hadley

AutumnCrow

OMG I'd completely forgotten Masters in this Hall! We also sang it at school.

My favourite is The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came and I adore Sweet Bells by Kate Rusby.

Not Christmas but hoping you'll let me off -Auld Lang Syne always gets me

Frustratedfrenchie I was logging on to say It Was On a Starry Night - beautiful song, guaranteed to have me sobbing like an idiot, as is O Holy Night.

Also In the Bleak Midwinter - there is a beautiful acoustic guitar version by Bert Jansch, and he has such a lovely melodic voice as well.

Oops posted too soon - also Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony including The First Nowell - it was the music used in the 1980s production of the Box of Delights, another festive favourite that gives me the shivers (in a good way).

Oh God I just googled the Cat Carol. If I ever have to act crying that's my new go-to. Sob!

I wonder as I wander

I’m a mess after watching that Tom Chaplin's Midnight Mass video (ugly tears) but sooo beautiful

Ooh, some good choices here. I'm voting for Britten's Ceremony of Carol's, Bethlehem Down and the Lauridsen. Best modern one is the Greg Lake song.

Mary J Blige - Do You Hear What I Hear?

Huron Carol

O Holy Night makes me tingle.

Little Donkey reminds me of happy days at primary school.

I Saw Three Ships we had this on a Christmas LP and it reminds me of family Christmas Day.

I shall be googling/youtubing all day thanks to this thread.

Ooooh I'm with you on the descants Bookworm14!! Just love them all but Christmas is properly here once I've sung the descant to Oh come all ye faithful!

I have a soft spot for O Come All Ye Faithful, because my parents took me to a Christmas concert at the Albert Hall, and the first item was the choir and entire audience singing O Come, which was a sight and sound to behold. (As an adult, I especially enjoy playing the "sing choirs of angels" verse on the organ at my church, observing the fortissimo markings in the book!)

Thank you for this thread! I always try to find something new to listen to each Christmas, but it's always a challenge. Tim Minchin will now be joining my favourites.

My suggestions are Tracy Thorn's Joy, for anyone who has had a tough year, especially with illness.

Also a shoutout for Thea Gilmore's Strange Communion album, which is Christmas themed but pretty thoughtful and melancholy. This is one of my favourites, but there are lots of good ones and some wonderful, meaningful words.

I'm going to check out Mahalia Jackson when I get home this evening.

DH isn't as into carols as me but we do always get out our Elvis Christmas CD.