Watch & Listen: Story of My Life

sap·py
/ˈsapē/
adjective: sappy; comparative adjective: sappier; superlative adjective: sappiest

1. (North American informal) excessively sentimental; mawkish.
2. (of a plant) containing a lot of sap.

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I admit it, sometimes I can be sappy. This song and video is sap through and through. I...

   ...love the music to this song (shhh, don't tell anyone).
   ...love the story line.
   ...love the drawings and cinematography.
   ...love the impish smile on the girl that reminds me of my Sprouts'
         smiles.
   ...love the reminder of a moment when caught in the rain with my
        spouse (remember that, EK?).

Watch & Listen: Angels We Have Heard on High

Courtesy of the youngest Sprout, the most played track this Christmas season in our house (as in all the time), played and sung by the Piano Guys:

Advent: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Isaiah 11:1-3a

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
   from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
     the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
     the Spirit of counsel and of might,
     the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. (NIV)

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

1 O come, O come, Immanuel,
   and ransom captive Israel
   that mourns in lonely exile here
   until the Son of God appear.

   Refrain:
   Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
   shall come to you, O Israel.

4 O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,
   unto your own and rescue them!
   From depths of hell your people save,
   and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain

6 O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
   and bring us comfort from afar!
   Dispel the shadows of the night
   and turn our darkness into light. Refrain

7 O come, O King of nations, bind
   in one the hearts of all mankind.
   Bid all our sad divisions cease
   and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain

Tune: VENI EMMANUEL (Chant); Translator: John Mason Neale (1851)

Watch & Listen: Home

I'm sure by now that at some point you have seen or listened to the Piano Guys online, on disc or via iTunes. The Sprouts have a favourite video as do my students. Recently the Piano Guys released a video of an arrangement that incorporates two wonderful compositions. The main theme the Piano Guys borrow for this arrangement is Home, a song performed by Phillip Phillips (who gets lots of airplay in our home). The main theme is interspersed with a motif from Anton Dvořák’s New World Symphony (a favourite work of mine). You might recognize that theme as Going Home. Enjoy this interpretation:



Phillip Phillips sings "Home" here.

Josiah's favourite Piano Guys video here.

My students' favourite Piano Guys video here.

More about the Piano Guys at their website here.