My Favorite Christmas Song...

A week or so back, I conversated with some friends over my favorite Christmas Song, "Ave Maria." You could argue the fact that it's not at true Christmas song, but that is what I associate the song towards. Honestly, everyone from Celine Dion to Stevie Wonder to Perry Cumo has made their version. I went on a true hunt for my favorite version of the song. I ended up buying six different versions while sampling around 25-30.

Now, there are several lines that you will fall on trying to decide which version suits you best. Do you appreciate the bravado of a man hammering out the sultry notes, or perhaps the delicate touch that only a female can bring to the song? Do you want a driving, forceful experience guided by cellos and up-tempo strings, or perhaps a more shallow experience exploring the singer's voice lucidly outlined with bare piano keystrokes.

For my dream "Ave Maria," I wanted something ethereal. I wanted lots of pathos. I wanted the the singer's voice to bleed through the melody while the orchestral melody rang clearly in sweeping crescendos. I'm a dramatic guy...what can I say? So after listening to recordings made in the 80s including Luciano Pavarotti's, I sifted through the Cranberries', Winona's, and Sarah Brightman's version to find a copy that caught my fancy. Essentially, it's not my cup of tea in the end, but if you prefer a more classic, Opera-like version of the song, you might want to check out Dame Joan Sutherland's version feat. Ambrosian Singers and New Philharmonica Orchestra. My only quaff with the composition was that the choir came in too late towards the end to really impact the song, but Suntherland's voice is bigger than life in this song and really drives the emotion.

Suprisingly, after listening to the same song for an hour, each variance kept it fresh enough for me to still become moved when listening to my favorite ones. I settled on a top four with MY favorite. I picked four versions that were a little different from one another so if you have a different preference than me, you might go for one of the other three.

#4 - Academy of Choir Art of Russia - feat. Andrea Bocelli and Moscow Radio Symphony.

This is the way the song was composed to sound according to Frank Schubert. Classic pacing with the remarkable Bocelli lending his expertise to the age-old tune. Again, more towards the opera sound, but it is a classical song. Very plodding and a slower tempo with not much building from the orchestra. Bocelli does a brillant job rising and falling to create his own resonance amongst the orchestra. If you're a Bocelli fan, this may be your favorite.

#3 - Christina England

This is the song used from the Hitman movie and trailer. England beautifully demonstrates great control in her upper registry and falsetto. This version is airy, elegant, and punctuated by the sliding strings. The song brings about the recognizance of a antique ballroom holding a magestrate masquerade. Paced exquisitely from beginning to end, this song could only have been sung by England.

#2 - Celine Dion

The Canadien Diva herself comes in at two with this haunting version. Playing up her voice (which in most of her tracks is the best instrument being used) in sonc reverberance, the song is composed in stages. Starting out starkly barren with only the marching harpischord outlining each beat, the second stage brings in the classic strings. Rising and falling with the melody, Dion's voice sounds the best over this soundscape. The way her voice can switch between subtle and vulnerble to strong and resilient draws the ire of even Toni Braxton. If you're looking for a female fronted version of this song -- pick this one.

#1 - Josh Groban

This even surprised me. Josh's album Noel came out a year ago in 2007 and it was the highest selling album of last year. I have owned this album since then, but was hesitant to declare it the best until I truly listened to all of the others. The composition and production is unparelled in terms of capturing the energy and not letting it go. From the original beginning of using a choir to a flowing piano, Groban takes this song from the first note in a different direction. Where Bocelli might have a better grasp on this song vocally, Groban's isn't a showcase for his voice -- it's a song. From the resonating cymbals, to the staccato cellos, to the swirling cries emitting from the strings, the pacing is best in this version above all others. The last minute (which should be the standard for rating a great "Ave Maria") renders me speechless every time with the power of a lion winding down to a whisper. As much as Groban deserves the credit, so does the producer of this gem. Truly inspiring.


This. Is. Truth.