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Dec. 25th, 2005 12:40 am
Music to my ears
Despite a deep and abiding hatred of listening to in-store music during the Holiday season, I love Christmas music.
Let me clarify that.
I hate Rock and Roll Christmas music. Hate may be too strong a word, but still. Rock and Roll Christmas music is people who have no business trying to sound like they can really sing trying to pretend that they can really sing. And by "really sing" I am indeed being an elitist bastard. I'm a classically trained vocalist, folks. I know what these songs are supposed to sound like, and Rock and Roll ain't it.
When I was in High School, our choir would put on a fairly non-standard Winter Concert. We had Madrigal Dinners instead of your typical "stand on stage and sing" concerts. Comedy skits, written by the teacher and some students, good food and a lot of really good music. I miss that. I loved singing the music and performing. When I got to college I thought our Winter Concert was so boring and ordinary. Same beautiful music, just not as exciting. I still enjoyed the concerts immensely, and I really miss them.
I sing every day. I sing in my car, I sing at home. I sing any chance I get. It's not the same, though. I miss singing with the choir, being on stage in front of an audience. There really isn't anything else like it in the world.
The great thing about music is it has such a bond in the memory, and it makes me remember people and places so vividly. I remember the people I've sung with, the concerts I've attended, the music I've performed. I remember singing a solo out of Handel's Messiah when I was a senior in High School. I remember singing the Hallelujah Chorus from memory the same year. Not just me, but the entire combined choir. I remember my freshman year of high school, before I joined the choir, performing excerpts from Phantom of the Opera in our band concert and having two of the members do something of a skit from it during the performance. I can listen to the music and remember these things vividly.
So, this being the season and all that, I've had songs stuck in my head. It's nice to remember them, and remember the people I grew up with and the things that made me who I am today.
Merry Christmas.
Let me clarify that.
I hate Rock and Roll Christmas music. Hate may be too strong a word, but still. Rock and Roll Christmas music is people who have no business trying to sound like they can really sing trying to pretend that they can really sing. And by "really sing" I am indeed being an elitist bastard. I'm a classically trained vocalist, folks. I know what these songs are supposed to sound like, and Rock and Roll ain't it.
When I was in High School, our choir would put on a fairly non-standard Winter Concert. We had Madrigal Dinners instead of your typical "stand on stage and sing" concerts. Comedy skits, written by the teacher and some students, good food and a lot of really good music. I miss that. I loved singing the music and performing. When I got to college I thought our Winter Concert was so boring and ordinary. Same beautiful music, just not as exciting. I still enjoyed the concerts immensely, and I really miss them.
I sing every day. I sing in my car, I sing at home. I sing any chance I get. It's not the same, though. I miss singing with the choir, being on stage in front of an audience. There really isn't anything else like it in the world.
The great thing about music is it has such a bond in the memory, and it makes me remember people and places so vividly. I remember the people I've sung with, the concerts I've attended, the music I've performed. I remember singing a solo out of Handel's Messiah when I was a senior in High School. I remember singing the Hallelujah Chorus from memory the same year. Not just me, but the entire combined choir. I remember my freshman year of high school, before I joined the choir, performing excerpts from Phantom of the Opera in our band concert and having two of the members do something of a skit from it during the performance. I can listen to the music and remember these things vividly.
So, this being the season and all that, I've had songs stuck in my head. It's nice to remember them, and remember the people I grew up with and the things that made me who I am today.
Merry Christmas.
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