Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Music has always been an important part of the holiday.
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HOST:

I’m Shirley Griffith with a VOA Special English program for the Christmas holiday.

Christians around the world are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. In the United States, people are observing the Christmas holiday in homes and religious centers. Music has always been an important part of Christmas. Holiday music fills the air. Today, we will hear a program of Christmas music performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

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HOST:

That was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with “Joy To the World.” The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is one of the largest singing groups in the world. It has more than three hundred singers.

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The members of the choir offer their time and skills without payment. All choir members are Mormons who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Many Christmas songs sound most beautiful when sung by a large group. Here is the choir performing a Ukrainian song, “Carol of the Bells.”

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HOST:

“Silent Night” is perhaps the best known of all Christmas songs. An Austrian clergyman named Joseph Mohr wrote the words. His friend Franz Gruber wrote the music. The song was performed for the first time at a religious service on the night before Christmas in eighteen eighteen.

At that time, it was performed with a single musical instrument -- a guitar. Here are the men of the Tabernacle Choir with “Silent Night.”

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HOST:

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is based at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. The choir made its first recording in nineteen ten. Since then, it has made more than one hundred fifty recordings.

One recording of holiday music is called “A Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas.” You are listening to music from that recording.

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HOST:

This is Shirley Griffith. We hope you enjoyed our program of Christmas music. This program was written and produced by George Grow. Our studio engineer was Greg Burns. All of us in Special English wish you a very happy holiday season.

Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - December 10, 2007

About this video:
Celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on the 2nd Monday of Advent in a private chapel with the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth. Rev.Jay A. Finelli, the officiating priest, celebrated this mass in a very solemn traditonal way using Gregorian Chant.

ISAIAH 7:14

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Emmanuel." Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah writes of Christ's Birth

Oh, Come, Oh, Come Emmanuel (Advent Song)

The Annunciation

The Annunciation by Francesco Albani (1578-1660)

The angel came in unto her,and said "Hail thou that art highly favored,the Lord is with thee;blessed art thou among women." Luke 1:28

To a maid engaged to Joseph, the angel Gabriel came.“Fear not,” the angel told her, “I come to bring good news,Good news I come to tell you, good news, I say, good news.
“For you are highly favored by the God the Lord of all,Who even now is with you. You are on earth most blest,You are most blest, most blessèd, God chose you, you are blest!”
But Mary was most troubled to hear the angel’s word.What was the angel saying? It troubled her to hear,To hear the angel’s message, it troubled her to hear.
“Fear not, for God is with you, and you shall bear a child.His name shall be called Jesus, God’s offspring from on high.And he shall reign forever, forever reign on high.”
“How shall this be?” said Mary, “I am not yet a wife.”The angel answered quickly, “The power of the Most HighWill come upon you shortly, your child will be God’s child.”
As Mary heard the angel, she wondered at his words.“Behold, I am your handmaid,” she said unto her God.“So be it; I am ready according to your word.

Gabriel's Message

The Choir of Winchester Cathedral sing "Gabriel's Message"



Gabriel's Message (an Old Basque Carol)

The angel Gabriel from Heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
“All hail,” said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

“For know a blessèd mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee,
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
“To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said,
“My soul shall laud and magnify His holy Name.”
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say—
“Most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

The First Noel, "A Shadow Nativity"

'The Christmas Story, The Nativity, Ang Belen, May Tinis, Etc. etc.' (In Shadow)

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."