J.S. Bach – Christmas Oratorio, excerpt
An evening pause: Performed live 2012.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Category: The Evening Pause
A nightly pause from the news to give the reader/viewer a bit of classic entertainment.
Rachell Ellen Wong & Coleman Itzkoff – Hanukkah Medley
An evening pause: This piece seems appropriate for the first night of Hannukkah, which celebrates the miracle of the lights during the Maccabbean revolt against religious oppression, a revolt that led to the restoration of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, part of which still stands and is called by the Wailing Wall by many Jews. The medley includes two songs, “Oh Hanukkah,” and “Al Hanisim” (Thank You For the Miracles).
It also seems appropriate today, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, as Israel itself responds in like kind to Hamas’s own infamous sneak attack and massacre on October 7th.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Pentatonix – Mary, Did You Know?
An evening pause: When I posted a different version of this song last year, I said this:
This song honoring Jesus I think really speaks of every child born on Earth, and how every parent should see them. As Wordsworth said, they come “trailing clouds of glory.”
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kissed your little baby then you kissed the face of god.
Still applies, to my way of thinking. That there are people in the world that think it good to kill such things means only that those people need to be removed from human existence as quickly as possible, as they represent the worst evil anyone can conceive.
Hat tip Alton Blevins.
Jerry Granelli Trio – Linus and Lucy
An evening pause: The music from the soundtrack of the Charlie Brown television specials, with sections from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The man playing the drums, Jerry Granelli, is the last surviving member of the original group that played Vince Guaraldi’s music for the television show itself.
Hat tip Wayne DeVette.
Melinda Kathleen Reese – O Come O Come Emmanuel
An evening pause: This was first posted in February 2019. As I noted then,
The video replays her singing the same thing three times. There is a good reason, as she almost appears to have begun singing as a lark, and the acoustics of the church astonish her. The repeats help bring out this amazing quality.
I think I shall always want to open the Christmas-Hannukah holiday season with it, as it speaks to both religions. And it is one magnificent song, sung here magnificently.
Keep It Real – Mercedes Benz G 63 AMG 6×6
An evening pause: I think this is the perfect gift for every man this Christmas season. Whaddya say, women?
Hat tip Mike Nelson.
Barcelona Gipsy Klezmer Orchestra – Djelem Djelem
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – A Taste Of Honey
An evening pause: Performed live 1965 on the Ed Sullivan Show. Only in my latter years have I realized that this is really a Mexicon mariachi band, its music refined to appeal to a wider audience.
Hat tip Diane Zimmerman.
J.S.Bach – Toccata in F major
An evening pause: The organist is only identified as Bohme.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Bahar Amrollahi playing Persian Qanun
An evening pause: The sound is reminiscent of the harpsichord or maybe even more the dulcimer, but the music is without question not European.
Hat tip Alton Blevins.
Erik Wernquist – One revolution per minute
An evening pause: A short film that attempts to visualize what it would really be like to be on a rotating interplanetary spaceship, with artificial gravity. Quite mesmerizing.
Hat tip Rex Ridenoure.
Miracle on 34th Street
An evening pause: This movie used to be a tradition for television on Thanksgiving. At that time the holiday was well linked with the then joyous and relatively Christian Macy’s Day Parade (now warped into a queer agenda demonstration).
I think it makes for a good opening to the holiday season.