Do You Hear What I Hear?

When I was in the 5th grade at Pleasant Run Elementary school, I heard something new. As far as Christmas music was concerned, I had grown up with shape note music at a country church, with Gene Autry on the radio singing about Rudolph, with Alvin and the Chipmunks, and with American Bandstand playing things like Bobby Helms 'Jingle Bell Rock' and Elvis' 'Blue Christmas'. Just before we moved to the suburbs in the summer between 4th and 5th grade, we did a concert trip at Washington Elementary school in Camp Washington to see the Cincinnati Symphony and ballet do 'The Nutcracker', but that was not everyday fare for me. At church we did the usual hymns like 'Silent Night' but not with a choir, and with a distinct 'country' sound. So when my teacher in 5th grade played 'Do You Hear What I Hear' and 'Little Drummer Boy' from a brand new album release performed by the Harry Simeon Chorale I was stunned. I just had never heard anything quite like that before. I thought it was the grandest music I had ever heard.



I like a wide range of music. My collection of Christmas music covers country, classical, pop, and jazz. I like it all. But it wouldn't be Christmas without choirs. There is still nothing quite like it. I don't like most of what our church high school choir does, because it mostly isn't really choir music. It is rock n roll in disguise. Choirs don't really do rock n roll. At least, they don't do it well. To catch the magic of a choir at Christmas, it needs to be SATB parts at least; maybe more parts than that. And the music needs to be majestic. It can still be fun like 'Children Go Where I send Thee', but it needs to be majestic. Adult choirs do that best.



I have been to 2 choir performances so far this year, with one more 2 days from now. It's great. And Christmas just wouldn't be the same without it.