Once upon A Time in a Land Far Far Away --- Well about a 1,000 miles South, I actually studied Latin at a time when public schools still offered such strangeness. As a result one of my favorite Christmas carols has always been Adeste Fidelis, sung here beautifully by Enya. To this day when singing along to "Come All Ye Faithful", I will do it in Latin totally confusing anybody on either side of me.
By the time the children got to school, the language of choice was Spanish. As a result, Jose Feliciano got a great deal of air time around the house as they were learning Feliz Navidad
Then the grandaughter hit French class ... Oh Holy Night got a beautiful going over as Cantique de Noel
Are there carols or songs that you just prefer in a language other than English?
I was in high school chior, and while I don't speak German or Latin at all... I can still sing abit of a song or two in those laguages... even if I don't remember the spelling of any of the words on the page.
ReplyDeleteThere was a very pretty song about a Swan in German that we performed in a comptition.
I have always preferred Adeste Fidelis to O' Come All Ye Faithful as I think it sounds so much nicer in Latin. I am impressed that you not only took Latin (I thought about it in high school but got talked out of it as it was a "dead language") but that you can still sing that song in Latin.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I'm concerned, O' Holy Night sounds great in any language - I think that is my very favorite Christmas song.
I like Feliz Navidad because it combines both languages. In my mind that makes it universal.
ReplyDeleteYou studied Latin?? The more I read, Jamie, the more eerie it seems that we are much a like (both Pisces, but I am the year of the Horse)I took six courses of Latin, and hardly remember anything, but it helped me fall in love with words.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a Christmas carol, and I'm not Catholic, but I love the song Ave Maria. Yours were great picks, as always.
Thanks...and happy holidays!
This Eclectic Life
these are so wonderful...thank you for sharing....
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