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

[A580Hojas]

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

Oooh I forgot one!!

Stille Nacht but the Hassler Consort arrangement for four voices. It's absolutely stunning.

What a wonderful thread! I'm saving all these ideas as I've got services to plan..l

One with an odd word in - hmm

Adam lay Y Bounden.

Lullay Mine Lyking.

See amid the winter’s snow.

I don’t want to be beaten by this!

I’ve been looking through the index of 100 Carols for Choirs - which is one of the standard books that choirs use at Christmas.

Ave Maria?

Ding dong merrily on high?

Oops - I’ve already suggested Ding Dong.

If you go to Amazon, you can hear snippets of carols - that might help.

I guess it's more for 12th night but this
losthollowband.com/track/738129/on-to-bethlehem-town

I'd also second It came upon the midnight clear. And for advent, o come O come Emmanuel.

Listen to Joan Baez singing Silent Night

White wine in the sun - Tim Minchin.

I've gone through every list I can find and it's really bugging me.
I want to say the odd word is something like malicifent (but obviously that's not right!)
I'm going to listen through all of.the suggestions here, if nothing else I'm being introduced to some amazing songs!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=K0Yod6A403s
Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day has a sort of soaring beauty which is the sound of Christmas for me.
I also love the Festival of Carols from Box of Delights
m.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ZJbYAGUNI

Little drummer boy

What a lovely thread! I’m so jealous of anybody who sings in a choir, I used to be in my school choir and loved to sing (badly!)

My favourite is Carol of Bells, I’ve just listened to Candlelight Carol, the line ‘how do you measure the love of a mother’ has just broken me as 2 years ago this Christmas I almost lost my daughter to a brain haemorrhage, those words mean so much.

Joan Baez singing the traditional Virgin Mary (had one son)- not 100% a carol, but very seasonal and moving

m.youtube.com/watch?v=UOAAHlYMKYc

The cherry tree carol has had some beautiful covers by contemporary folk singers

And Sufjan Stevens Christmas album has some brilliantly melancholic songs

Also O Come O Come Emmanuel (also not quite a carol being an advent hymn)

Yes, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is another one and O Come O Come Emmanuel (I know it's not a Carol).

Struggle with Little Drummer Boy with its' unfortunate connection to Brady and Hindley.

Thank you everyone for replying! I've heard about some new songs on here and been reminded of the ones I love.

I love Starry Night and Sinead O'Connor's Silent Night, both of which bring a tear to my eye, but the one that always has me sobbing, is Away in a Manger. The children at school were practising it today and there I was, crying away. Had to get up and leave the room. I think it's partly because it's a beautiful Carol, but also it brings back such lovely childhood memories especially of family members who have long since passed on.

Most highly flavoured gravy, er, The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came.

Thank you for this fabulous thread - I spent the entire morning creating a couple of Christmas playlists 😇 🎄 The arrangements make such a difference... Getting the right one is crucial to a sound you'll enjoy. Well worth it! Great suggestions and have unearthed some that I have loved but not known the names of. Roll on December so I can play them 😁

Oh and if you get a chance, Coventry Cathedral's own Christmas Eve liturgy (The Form of a Servant) is amazing.

@PlainJane007 excuse derail- tech question- if you see a song mentioned and want to make a playlist - do you buy it onAmazon? Have a Spotify subscription?
I want to move into the 21st century!

@drspouse I use Spotify - we have a family account and it's brilliant! I'm the only non-Apple owner in our house and I've even managed to lure my hubby away from iTunes to Spotify

. More contemplative than haunting maybe, but I love it.