Happy Day-After-Thanksgiving, everyone!! This is the day I await every year to not feel guilty about breaking out my Christmas music. As I was ripping my favorite albums to my computer, it occurred to me that some of you who have been enjoying The Young Scholar’s Guide to Composers might enjoy my all-time favorite choral Christmas music.

My favorite contemporary composer is John Rutter, and he would surely have been included in the book, except that it’s difficult to find biographical information on him (perhaps because he’s still alive). However, for years I have been blessed by the pure, clear, uplifting quality of both his compositions and his arrangements. His Christmas carols have underscored my Christmas season since I was in high school – I can’t imagine Christmas without his music, which grounds me in Christ, the reason for the season, every year.

Take a moment and listen:

Candlelight Carol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMKYbSCXh8c&playnext=1&list=PL3AE8953DC6E70D1D&index=20

Christmas Lullaby:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6SScEiiaJ8

And my very most favorite 🙂 Donkey Carol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVrgyMpyA2A
This carol is written in 5/8 time, which is highly unusual and gives the listener the feeling of riding on a donkey.

If you fall in love with Rutter like I have, my favorite Christmas album of his can be found here on Amazon, and all three of these carols are in it: