12 days of Christmas

Christmas is a time of celebration. First, and foremost (and often forgotten) it is the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and the arrival of God on earth.

It is also a time to celebrate other events, here is a personal list of those that Pliable stumbled across on the Overgrown Path in the last twelve months.

Example

First day of Christmas - Welsh National Opera's Parsifal, particularly Anthony Negus' inspired conducting

Second day of Christmas - The Borodin Quartet's cycle of the Beethoven Quartets in Norwich

Example

Third day of Christmas - Mont Ventoux, particularly the off-road downhill.

Fourth day of Christmas - The Brahms Clarinet Quintet in the cellar of the ruined Chateau, Chateauneuf du Pape,Provence


Example

Fifth day of Christmas - The final scene of Gottedamerung at Longborough Opera again with Anthony Negus conducting

Sixth day of Christmas - The hospitality and example of the monks at the Abbey of Ste Madeleine Le Barroux, Provence

Example

Seventh day of Christmas - David Begbie's Crucifixion at the Walsingham Shrine

Eight day of Christmas - Ron Mueck's sculpture The Boy in the Aros Gallery, Arhus, Denmark

Example

Ninth day of Christmas - Hinges Antikvariat bookshop Banegardsgade 27-29, Arhus, Denmark

Tenth day of Christmas - Raphael's Self Portrait in the National Gallery London exhibition.

Example

Eleventh day of Christmas - the Sacconi String Quartet playing Schumann's Third Quartet in Halesworth

Twelth day of Christmas - Santiago a Cappella. sung by the Monteverdi Choir conducted by John Elliot Gardiner, my CD of the year.

Example

Images of the Divine Offices from the Anglican Breviary

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