And our final post of the evening (that's seven total, if you're counting; a perfectly cromulent liturgical number).

And our final post of the evening (that's seven total, if you're counting; a perfectly cromulent liturgical number). Although we will inevitably be treated to oboe shepherds (I like oboes, this particular xmas music trope gets a little repetitive, though), this is absolutely one of my very favorite pieces of Classical Christmas music. For this we turn to a composer who crosses between the 19th and 20th centuries, dying young, and who is argued about for classification purposes. This link is to Ottorino Respighi's Lauda per la Natività del Signore (Laud to the Nativity).

This is a stunning piece of music, which I've sung, and I will say that the very last of it is very difficult to do and transcendent when well done. It's a generally gentle piece of music, although it does open with a bit of fanfare (JESUS IS BORN - ok, ok, we're awake! and a bit of jubilating toward the end). The very end of the piece, especially the very last note the Angel sings and the following extremely quiet chorus and instruments that grow ever softer as if receding into the distance (which is both earth and heaven) is sublime and just touches ethereal (it gets so quiet you may have to turn up the volume to realize it's still going).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJcqqNSi0Js
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJcqqNSi0Js