Strumming Hallelujah

We have moved into Advent, the four weeks prior to Christmas when Christians prepare for the coming of the Christ child, so it’s time for some seasonal music to help us with that. Because I’ve spent the past few weeks in various parts of Europe, I’m going to concentrate on Christmas songs and carols from those areas this year.

I’ll start out with something Czech, “The Zither Carol”. I hesitate to put up YouTube clips in languages I don’t know because there’s always the danger of terms like “yo mama” and “combat boots” might feature. But I’m taking a chance.

I also hesitate to do anything referring to itself as zither, because that is not one of my favorite instruments. The unrelenting zither soundtrack nearly kills The Third Man for me.

But anyway…

The lyrics call girls and boys to leave their toys and come worship at the Baby’s crib. It tells of angels watching over, of shepherds and wise men—they’re all there.

The chorus proclaims hallelujah and says all must draw near. (And you do get the kind of zither strum effect from the continuo in this rendition.)