And here we are, back in Liverpool. Carols at St Barnabas, Penny Lane. Not quite the Beatles, but ‘close.’
Posted in Christmas
The trip through the Nordic countries is almost over, and here we are in Sweden. Cyndee Peters sings Hosianna.
Iceland is the fourth stop on our Nordic music tour. I expect they have their own songs, but it has been proving difficult to find them. And that’s why I’ve picked the Icelandic version of Silent Night. That’s always lovely, and is one of the hymns we get used to hearing in very many languages.
Here is Yohanna with – I think - Hljóða nótt.
Posted in Christmas
East to Finland for yet more Christmassy music. Here is Oi Jouluyö, which most of us will know in other languages. My Finnish isn’t terribly good, but I believe this is a from a concert in Vaasa. And because those Finns are into bilingual living, they break into Swedish as well, O Helga Natt.
I do like male voice choirs…
Posted in Christmas
We move south to Denmark for another song. Here are DR Pigekoret and Det kimer nu til julefest.
This is a new one to me, and it’s very beautiful.
Time for some seasonal music, and let’s start with Norway and Sissel Kyrkjebø & Odd Nordstoga singing Nå Tennes Tusen Julelys.
Yes, I know the song is Swedish, but Sissel has the most beautiful voice and she and Odd turn it into something special.
The Bazaar yesterday went well, with plenty for sale and some especially adventurous glögg.
Don’t forget that it’s our Christmas Bazaar on Saturday 26th November. We start at 12pm and go on for a few hours.
The fact that it’s also Buy Nothing Day is purely an unfortunate coincidence, and you should take no notice of this. Raid the piggybank and come along!
I went to a literary event in London the other day. Among the other people there, was a journalist with whom I am friends on facebook. She now has a new way of remembering who I am, each time we meet.
‘You’re the one who saves the church in Liverpool’, she says. While that is hardly true, it is at least a sign that she can tell me apart from all the other literary types who don’t go round mentioning Liverpool churches in normal conversation.
She knows, because I posted a link to this blog on facebook at one point, asking for support. And she knew the church. Not just because she originates from Liverpool, but because she had a Swedish penfriend once, and when the penfriend visited her, they went to Gustav Adolf.
It’s sort of nice being remembered as a church saviour, even when it’s an embellishment of the truth.
