- Playing
- Holiday Light: Singing Angels, Silver Bells
- From
- William Zukof
Holiday Light is a wonderfully diverse collection of holiday music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to the present sung by The Western Wind one of America's preeminent vocal ensembles. The music is a delightful mix of familiar and historical songs and carols, including "Angelus ad Virginem," a popular carol from the thirteenth century; Spanish Renaissance motets and villancicos by Victoria, Guerrero, and Fernandes; early American music by William Billings; Appalachian folk songs and spirituals; and contemporary English and American carols. Featured are unique arrangements of the popular Christmas songs "Silver Bells," "Angels We Have Heard on High," and "Christmas Time is Here," created especially for the Western Wind.
Guest host, Roma Downey, weaves together the music with a narrative that is informative, witty, fresh and moving. Ms. Downey became a household word through her portrayal of the angel Monica in the hit CBS television series Touched by An Angel.
The narration was written by Reverend K Karpen, the spiritual leader of the Church of Saint Paul and Saint Andrew on the upper West Side of Manhattan, a well-known center of social activism. Karpen takes a relevant and charming approach to the themes and stories of Christmas that makes the events seem like they happened just yesterday.
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Piece Description
Holiday Light is a wonderfully diverse collection of holiday music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to the present sung by The Western Wind one of America's preeminent vocal ensembles. The music is a delightful mix of familiar and historical songs and carols, including "Angelus ad Virginem," a popular carol from the thirteenth century; Spanish Renaissance motets and villancicos by Victoria, Guerrero, and Fernandes; early American music by William Billings; Appalachian folk songs and spirituals; and contemporary English and American carols. Featured are unique arrangements of the popular Christmas songs "Silver Bells," "Angels We Have Heard on High," and "Christmas Time is Here," created especially for the Western Wind. Guest host, Roma Downey, weaves together the music with a narrative that is informative, witty, fresh and moving. Ms. Downey became a household word through her portrayal of the angel Monica in the hit CBS television series Touched by An Angel. The narration was written by Reverend K Karpen, the spiritual leader of the Church of Saint Paul and Saint Andrew on the upper West Side of Manhattan, a well-known center of social activism. Karpen takes a relevant and charming approach to the themes and stories of Christmas that makes the events seem like they happened just yesterday.
Broadcast History
Originally created for PRI and distributed in 2004
Transcript
Holiday Light: Singing Angels, Silver Bells
Sung by The Western Wind
Narrated by Roma Downey
1. Angelus ad Virginem Anonymous 13th-century chant,
arr. The Western Wind
2. Angels We Have Heard on High French carol,
arr. Gayla D. Morgan (b. 1957)
3. Mi f?, vengo de Bel?n Francisco Guerrero (1523-1599)
4. Quem vidistis pastores,
Tom?s Luis de Victoria (1549-1611)
5. Bethlehem William Billings (1746-1800)
6. Mary Heard the Angel?s Voice
Elliot Z. Levine (b. 1948)
7. Of a Rose Robert Dennis (b. 1933)
8. The Cherry Tree Carol
Traditional, arr. The Western Wind
9. Lute-book Lullaby
16th century, arr. Thomas Hamond
10. There Is a Flower John Rutter (b. 1945)
11. Xicochi Conetzintle
Gaspar Fernandes (ca. 1570-1629)
13 S...
Read the full transcript
Timing and Cues
PROGRAM LENGTH 58:22
00:00 INCUE: HOLIDAY LIGHT
BREAK 1: 17:38 - 17:51 Outcue: "...narrated by Roma Downey"
FOLLOWED BY 42 SEC. MUSIC BED ending at 18:33
BREAK 2: 41:50- 41:57 ?Outcue: "...narrated by Roma Downey"
FOLLOWED BY 17 SEC. MUSIC BED ending at 42:14
Credits start at 56:55
END: 58:22 Outcue:"...since 1969."
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angels We Have Heard on High | Gayla D. Morgan | Holiday Light. | WW Records WW1225 | 2004 | 03:18 |
| Mary Heard the Angel?s Voice | Elliot Z. Levine | Holiday Light. | Western Wind Records WW 1225 | 2004 | 02:13 |
| Of a Rose | Robert Dennis | Holiday Light. | Western Wind Records WW 1225 | 2004 | 04:57 |
| There Is a Flower | John Rutter | Holiday Light. | Western Wind Records WW 1225 | 2004 | 04:13 |
| The Darkest Night | Elliot Z. Levine | Holiday Light. | Western Wind Records WW 1225 | 2004 | 01:32 |
Additional Files
- Roma Downey Photo (roma_downey_photo.tif)
- Western Wind Photo (group22.jpg)
- Holiday Light 15 Sec Promo (hl_15sec_no_pri.wav)
- Hol Light 30 Sec Promo (30_sec_nopri.mp2)





