Thursday 13 December 2018

Thursday

Good morning, everyone!  Brrr - it's very cold outside, there's a frost and I closed the front door again right speedily!  Inside, the heating is on and all is warm and cosy.  The only thing missing is the mandatory First Coffee so I'd better go and remedy that!

OK, now that's sorted, all's right with my world!

I had a great time with V yesterday.  It was no hassle as I had planned 'leftovers' (can they be called leftovers if they are planned?) from Tuesday's lunchtime feast so V and I ate well while chatting nineteen to the dozen about all sorts of stuff.  The food did just as well as a sit down meal as it did for a buffet.

Val went and students arrived, bearing gifts and cards which was really very kind indeed.  Then I dashed off to the Wednesday Slimming World group as I can't make tonight's and was most relieved to have maintained this week.  Phew.  I usually eat very light on weigh-day but, obviously, couldn't yesterday so maintaining was fine.  It was a pleasant group, quite small but very jolly, and I was mortified to be introduced as 'the famous Joy C.', a reference to the fact that I talk a lot on the group's Facebook group, much more than I do in Real Life.  It's awful when you can feel yourself going bright red and can do nothing about it, isn't it?  A good laugh settled things though and all was well.

On the way home I stopped off at Morrisons and treated myself to the classic Christmas two week edition of the Radio Times.  On glancing through, there seems to be quite a lot of good stuff on offer and now I have an up to date Virgin box and can program recordings with a couple of clicks, that's just what I will be doing.  It'll probably keep me going all through January and maybe into February too!

Today's Advent offering is a double gift of music.  My favourite Christmas song of all time, Pearsall's arrangement of In Dulci Jubilo.  When I was in the Chapel Choir at school, it was an annual staple and, as I was in the semi-chorus (they are supposed to be solos but Mr McCay made them semi-chorus sections), I sang alto through the whole thing and still do to this day, albeit not so musically nowadays!  If I can find it on Youtube, there's one clip that shows the score too - I love that.

Yes, found it!  Sung by the greatest choir of all time - Kings.



And in contrast, a much more dance based arrangement, the legendary version by Mike Oldfield.
Same tune, totally different styles.  I love them both!






7 comments:

  1. Morning Joy. I love the Mike Oldfield version....I have heard the Kings college choir version before but, do you know Joy, I never actually realised it was the same thing that Mike Oldfield plays! As you say, very different indeed.

    I do love your knitted nativity header, it's just so cheerful, it always makes me smile.

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  2. The figures have character, don't they? I think they are cute!
    I'm not surprised you haven't really linked the two. I suspect (could be wrong though) that the Oldfield version is closer to the original, With it's 3/4 or 6.8 thythm, it is dance like and I wonder if it was originally a circle dance.
    Must Google and see.
    xx

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  3. I could be right - Wiki says this:
    "The original song text, a macaronic alternation of Medieval German and Latin, is thought to have been written by the German mystic Heinrich Seuse circa 1328.[1] According to folklore, Seuse heard angels sing these words and joined them in a dance of worship.[2] In his biography (or perhaps autobiography), it was written:

    Now this same angel came up to the Servant (Suso) brightly, and said that God had sent him down to him, to bring him heavenly joys amid his sufferings; adding that he must cast off all his sorrows from his mind and bear them company, and that he must also dance with them in heavenly fashion. Then they drew the Servant by the hand into the dance, and the youth began a joyous song about the infant Jesus .."

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  4. I love this carol and also used to sing this at school, though the soprano line and not alto. I like the Mike Oldfield version as well but there is something about the simplicity of the choral version that gives it the edge for me.

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  5. Sounds like you had a good time with Val. It's nice that your students came with gifts - it shows you are appreciated! It's supposed to 'warm' up here - we might actually get above freezing - maybe up to 6 or 7c in the daytime but still cold at night (-5c).

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  6. Brrrrr - I'm glad you can stay warm and cosy.
    xx

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