Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Christmas Music with William Price King Rewind – Carols from around the World – #Germany, #Greece and #France

William Price King has selected some wonderful international carols to share with us in the lead up to Christmas. We hope it will help to ease you into the festive spirit.

“O Tannenbaum” is a German Christmas carol based on a traditional folk song which was totally unrelated to Christmas but became associated with the Christmas tree by the middle of the 19th century and from then on sung as a carol. The lyrics were penned by music teacher/composer Ernst Anschutz who based his text on a 16th century Silesian folk song by Melchior Franck, “Ach Tannenbaum.” The melody was derived from a 16th century folk tune “Es lebe hoch der Zimmermannsgeselle.” Here is an exquisite rendition of this carol sung by the Vienna Boys Choir.

Carol of Orestiada ( Κάλαντα Ορεστιάδας ) is a traditional Christmas Carol from the city of Orestiada in northeastern Greece and performed by the Rosarte Children’s Choir, conducted by Maria Demitriadou. The Rosarte Children’s Choir has twice won a gold medal at the Choir Olympics (in Graz in 2008 and in Riga in 2014). It is the only Greek choir that has achieved this distinction and is recognized internationally as one of the best children’s choirs in the world.

“Il est né, le devin enfant” (He is born, the divine Child) is a French carol first published in 1862 by R. Grosjean, organist of the Cathedral of Saint-Dié des-Voges, in a collection of carols entitled “Airs des Noëls Lorrains.” Here this carol is beautifully performed by the Gondwana Choirs (the Gondwana National Choirs and the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choirs) of Australia, and directed by Lyn Williams.

We hope you have enjoyed these carols from around the world . thanks William.

William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.

His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.

While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.

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Regular Venue – Cave Wilson

 

As always William would love to receive your feedback… thanks Sally.