Christmas Favorites from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

You know what one of my favorite things about Christmas is? It's listening to all of my Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas albums. This includes Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir from like the late 80s-early 90s, mostly because my family would play the cassette on repeat during the holidays and I like the familiarity of it. I also have the not-as-well-known A Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas, and then their brand-label Sing, Choirs of Angels and a stack of their Christmas Concerts.

2010 Concert (Temple Square)

But I love love LOVE the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!!!!!!! Not only because of their spiritual and inspirational work, don't get me wrong, I appreciate that. But their music is just amazing. You don't get a choral sound like that anywhere else. You don't get a single group that produces work that is haunting and beautiful but also fun and exciting along with the religious stuff. Especially with the orchestra and the organ and musical geniuses like Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy arranging and conducting. Like all my favorite music, Tab Choir feeds into my daydreams. Especially at Christmas.  And their concerts? Always amazing. And their Christmas concerts, the musical numbers and dancers and processions are astounding.

These are just a few of my favorite Christmas pieces from the Tab Choir, but I've selected them because they're Christmas songs I wouldn't have been exposed to therwise (and some of them, yes, I listen to year-round through headphones because I can't live without them). The nice thing about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas programs is they always have a balance of repritoire pieces with carols that don't get as much recognition.

Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine

Every Christmas, I have a theme carol that I listen to more often or try to learn on the violin or both. 'Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine' is the theme carol for this year. I decided that months ago. I chose it as kind of a wish to find safety and rest, since that is what the melody and what I can make out of the lyrics make me feel.

Ring Those Christmas Bells

This is a fun one from the Choir's 2013 Christmas concert. Out of the four live concerts I have been to, the 2013 one is by far my favorite. The entire concert was just so much FUN, but if you could capture the spirit of that performance in one song this is it. This carol by itself I have never heard anywhere else. The choir and orchestra perform this piece with a lot of energy and enthusiasm that really gets me into the Christmas spirit. It's one of the few Christmas songs I've heard them sing that even mentions Santa Claus!

I should probably mention this now--I'm sorry this post isn't very organized. I don't have a lot of superstitions about the man in the red suit. But one of the few I do have is that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square are some of his favorite helpers.

Wexford Carol

One of the first girls I ever visit taught introduced me to this carol, telling me it was her favorite. It's easy to see why because it's beautiful. The version I listen to the most is a male soloist singing it in Spirit of the Season with the Choir doing vocals. The Tabernacle Choir uses a similar arrangement for the music video that they put out for the holidays this year.

Ding Dong! Merrily on High

If you wonder where my childhood Christmas fantasies came from, it's from hearing the Tabernacle Choir sing this carol in one of the medleys on te 90s album This Is Christmas. The single was featured in their concert album Rejoice and be Merry but for some strange reason not featured on the performance DVD and I have yet to find a video of them actually performing it. Bottom line, 'Ding Dong! Merrily on High' is my absolute favorite Christmas carol.

Carol to the King

This number was the processional for the Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concert with Audra McDonald and it was featured in the concert Rejoice and Be Merry. My uncle who had joined the Tabernacle Choir sent the CD to my grandma Cole the year I was living with her in Arizona and I spent most of November and December listening to it. It was getting 'Carol to the King' stuck in my head as a college freshman that made me beg my other grandma to buy the CD for Christmas. This video is REALLY POOR quality but the performance is still amazing.

Sussex Carol

For Rejoice and Be Merry! this carol is set to a stirring arrangement with the full Choir and Orchestra and Bells, and features the Tab Choir's repeat guest artists The King's Singers. My favorite lines are these: "Then why should men on earth be so sad/Since our Redeemer made us glad?" The Atonement of Christ enables us to overcome the world, and because of it we have the potential to recieve Eternal Life. This carol is a reminder to not only be grateful for those gifts but to find happiness in them. It doesn't do any good to be sad because of all the gloom in the world. We have a lot of reasons to be happy. I think that is one of the most important things that the Tabernacle Choir expresses in its music. This video is from a performance that the King's Singers did more recently with the Choir and the arrangement is slightly different.

The Cat and the Mouse Carol

My first Christmas Concert with the Tabernacle Choir was in 2010 with David Archuleta. Now, the thing you should know about me is, I didn't listen to a lot of pop music or watch a lot of mainstream TV shows, so I didn't really have a good idea of who David Archuleta was when he was announced as the concert guest. After the announcement came, I went and looked him up on YouTube and watched the music video for Crush. I was blown away. But I was blown away even more when I saw Archuleta with the Tabernacle Choir. He is an impressive classical singer and also his Spanish is perfecto. After making his entry with 'Joy to the World," he introduced 'The Cat and Mouse Carol," a song which prior to this concert even he hadn't heard before. But the simple story it tells is entertaining to someone who likes stories about talking animals, and the melody is enchanting.

(Side note: David Archuleta's 'Silent Night is the best arrangement of Silent Night ever IMO.)



Candelight Carol

This was one of my 'theme carols' from last year. Not a sad song but a slow one, one that makes you feel hopeful. Not a loud carol but one that stays quiet.

Every year there's a difference in what kind of Chirstmas stuff I can get around to. Here it's the ninth of December and I've already listened through all of my Tab Choir albums and I only want more. But, playing their stuff on repeat is a pleasure I never have to feel guilty about. 

If you want to enjoy the sounds of Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or watch clips of their amazing performances, you can visit their website or YouTube channel. You can also tune into their 24/7 livestream via the Mormon Channel, the Tab Choir website, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir App (Yes, there is an app for that, cliche but I had to say it).

Self-generated meme. That's a tall order!

(And yes--I was at the concert where Alfie Boe sang 'Bring Him Home. Surreal. But I was there)

Come on, Comic Con!

ATTN: The Salt Lake Comic Con Community but also Mr. Brandenburg and Mr. Farr

Christmas is the season for Wish Lists, so right now seems like the perfect time time to post my wish list for Salt Lake Comic Con. These are the people I want to come period that I think bear special mentioning but that don’t get mentioned on the community polls quite as much.

The Cast of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command

We like voice actors, right? And the Star Wars animation panel last September proved that they come better in groups. Why not gather up the stars of this excellent but obscure Disney TV show from back in the day? Patrick Warburton was at my first-ever con in September 2014 and his panel was excellent.  But calling himself ‘the Poor Man’s Buzz Lightyear’ ? Dude, you are the BEST Buzz Lightyear IMO.

Let’s look at the other costars (*pulls up IMDB*). XR was voiced by two different guys, Larry Miller who was Paulo in The Princess Diaries and Niel Flynn who stars in The Middle. What's not to like?

We’ve got Stephen Furst, Adam Carolla, Wayne Knight...that’s most of the top stars right there. And of course Nicole Sullivan plays Mira Nova and if I’ve asked for her to come once I’ve asked a million times. Sullivan is also the voice of Shego in Kim Possible--guaranteed I see at least one Kim Possible cosplayer at every event, I even saw a Shego once. This needs to happen. And if Salt Lake Comic Con brings Nicole Sullivan to whatever event, I will cancel whatever other cosplay I had planned and do Mira Nova to go meet her.

Star Wars Voice Actors

While we’re on the subject of voice actors, let’s talk Star Wars. Yes, please keep bringing James Arnold Taylor because he is a peach. But let us add to the mix Vanessa Marshall, Cat Taber, Matt Lanter, and Ashley Eckstein because AHSOKA!!!! One of my cosplay friends does Ahsoka and deserves to meet her.

The Wookie Gunner

Also, random author request--John Jackson Miller. He wrote A New Dawn and Kenobi. You should seriously consider him.

The Cast of Supergirl

The cast of Supergirl is A. MUST. I am hoping to build a Supergirl costume sometime in the new year and I would LOVE have it to wear to a photo op with Melissa Benoist.

E! Online

I would also love to meet Chyler Leigh because Alex Danvers is one of the most hardcore fictional characters to ever exist.

Shows Chitchat

Jeremy Jordan is also a cinnamon roll and I would die of happiness if I met him.

Revisa Tviso

I also really need David Harwood and Mechad Brooks. Laura Benanti is so regal and graceful whether she is Astra or Alura, she’d be an awesome guest. And Tyler Hochelin is literally the only Superman I care about--literally.

The Supporting Cast of The Martian

Matt Damon might be a long shot, and it should be obvious how badly we want Sebastian Stan back. But might I suggest, Michael Pena, who was also Luis in Ant-Man, and Chitewe Ejofor and Benedict Wong who were both in Doctor Strange. And Jessica Chastian because Commander Lewis is one of the greatest space moms ever.

Rappler

The Cast of Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean is a fandom that deserves more respect, but that’s another blog post. Maybe not Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom but please consider Geoffrey Rush, Jack Davenport (I have the hots for Norrington),

PotC Wiki

Lee Arrington and Mackenzie Crook who brought Pintel and Ragetti to life,

PotC Wiki

and Kevin McNally.

Disney Wiki

And I would never say no to Keira Knightley.

Miscellaneous Movie Stars

CinemaBlend

Okay, I really want Tilda Swinton to come. She’s awesome even though, yes, she is the White Witch. But she's the Ancient One now, too. And she's really nice off-camera. So yes, bring her.

I absolutely MUST have Liam Neeson

lacasadeel

and Ewan MacGregor is, like, THE MAN.

cheatsheet

And Will Arnett--we’ve got The Lego Batman Movie coming out next year. Lego Batman is literally the only Batman I like.

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And how about Sam Riley?

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Or Lee Pace with his fabulous eyebrows?

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And then Warwick Davis--YES PLEASE!

Demon's Resume

I liked Fantastic Beasts, get Eddy Redmayne if you can but also consider his costars: Katherine Waterston, Dan Folger, and Alison Sudol.

Heroic Hollywood

Marvel people are always great. A few to consider would be Stallan Skarsgard, Paul Bettany, and Cobie Smulders. As a Scarlet Witch Cosplayer I definitely want Elizabeth Olsen to come (and plus, she’s another Elizabeth).

GIF Huntress

And I need Clark Gregg to come the way I need air. He's just, one of the greatest people ever. And he is COULSON. So there.

Wiffle Gif

10 Things I'm Excited for in the 'Beauty and the Beast' Remake

So a couple of weeks ago we finally got a decent trailer for the live-action Beauty and the Beast that comes out next March and it is FANTASTIC. For the record, I am not a huge fan of Disney remaking its classic films. However, I am so much in love with Maleficent and Cinderella. Both films paid tribute to the original animated classics but also re-invented (and even improved) the original stories, fleshing out the characters and illustrating their respective worlds. The original animated Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite movies ever--no, seriously, ask me what my favorite movie is and that is one of the answers I am likely to give you. It is for sure one of my favorite Disney movies. So I was not on board with the news that they were doing a live-action reboot. But the more I’ve heard about the new Beauty and the Beast, the more excited I’ve gotten for it, especially with the all-star casting. But these are the things I am most curious and excited for:

1. The townspeople

We got a couple of good shots of the people in the little town, celebrating at the tavern and then going to pillage the castle. Who are they? What is their relationship with Belle? Are these background characters going to be a little better fleshed out? What makes them idolize Gaston so much? And is there more to why they would follow Gaston’s very bad idea to go attack an enchanted castle?

That last point especially--there’s this one post on Tumblr that suggests that Belle and the Prince don’t live happily ever after in the cartoon because the French Revolution happens (Bored: #8). What if for this version the town people going after the Beast IS the French Revolution? The costumes we’re seeing for this adaptation are more eighteenth-century than nineteenth so far. The Beast/Prince is technically an aristocrat who rules over the town. What if in this version the towns people know about the castle (but Belle and her father don’t) and even though the ruling family disappeared they still harbor some resentment? And then their attempt to revolt backfires? That would be cool.

2. More character development for Maurice and his relationship with Belle

Maurice is shown at the beginning of the trailer riding onto the castle grounds in the snow. Then he is shown plucking a rose from a bush when he is attacked by the Beast.

This leads me to wonder if for this adaptation the story will be borrowing some elements from the original fairy tale. Furthermore, I’m wondering if we’re going to get a backstory for Maurice and Belle--Belle’s mother, Maurice and Belle before they moved to the village, Maurice’s work as an inventor. Their interaction in the trailer is interesting. What kind of a relationship will they have in the scenes leading up to Maurice’s imprisonment?

3. The Beast’s backstory

According to Buzzfeed analysis, if the Beast is 21 and the castle has been enchanted for ten years, then he would have been eleven when he fell under the curse. Gaping plot hole, right? Maybe Disney decided to take that idea and run with it. I doubt they would be showing us a random protrait of the prince from when he was a kid otherwise.  But the most interesting thing is, in the new trailer the young prince is shown in the painting with a couple that I would have to assume are...his parents??? Does he have parent issues of some kind??? In case you can’t hear it, that is the sound of my backstory radar going off.

(But why the fetch does his name have to be Adma? That’s like the worst name for a Disney prince ever.)

4. A bigger glimpse of--life before the enchantment?

These are the two most intriguing screenshots I got from the trailer:

There are people at a fancy-dress party in a ballroom, all wearing white and dancing. I re-watched the trailer and yes, it is the same ballroom that Belle and the Beast dance in. These are the courtiers of the Prince attending a celebration--sometime before the enchantment falls on them.

5. How does this magic work?

“Think of the one thing you’ve always wanted. Find it in your mind’s eye. And feel it in your heart.”

What is he explaining to her? What are they talking about? Does this castle already have some kind of magic that the Prince abused, and that resulted in everyone being cursed?

6. The Enchanted Castle

The castle looks amazing. It’s an interesting throwback to the castle in the original.

And I LOVE the shots we’re getting of the gardens. This castle isn’t as gothic or foreboding as the castle in the animated version. It’s more elaborate in decoration and design, from what we’re seeing.

A lot more ornamentation. Even for the enchanted objects. If this follows the same trend as Maleficent and Cinderella, then Beauty and the Beast is going to be an eye-candy binge fest!

7. Development for Belle and Beast’s love story

The internet jokes that Belle falls in love with the Beast because of Stockholm Syndrome. I can think of at least three better examples of Stockholm Syndrome in Disney than Beauty and the Beast, but that's another post. In the cartoon the love story checks out because the Beast overcomes his stubborn behavior rather than Belle justifying it. The live-action story might take a slightly different route.

There will be at least some relationship tension in the beginning--we are going to get Belle running away and Beast saving her from the wolves. But we don’t really get much of a pretext for Belle having a big attitude like in the original. Maybe she and the Beast have a relationship based on something besides getting over their egoes. I think the library scene was hinting at that. Also, is there a particular occasion for the ballroom scene? Is it just the Beast asking her if she wants to do something different for the night or did they reach a milestone?

8. The Battle on the Castle Roof

We get a couple of brief shots of the fight between the Beast and Gaston. What kind of a threat is Luke Evans as Gaston going to pose for the Beast? And why is Belle in her underclothes and what part does she play? There’s a part of the trailer where Maurice tells Belle to not be afraid. There’s something going down.

9. Emma Watson as Belle

I don’t watch a lot of movies so I haven’t seen her as anything since Hermione. But I wonder how much of a typecast Emma Watson was for the part of Belle. Will we get to actually see more of Belle’s intellectual side? Will it influence the Beast? Or will there be more to her character that we didn’t see in the animated version?

10. EWAN. FREAKING. MCGREGOR.

If this is what Lumiere looks like as a candlestick wait until he’s human!!!!!