2. O Come All Ye Faithful
3. The First Noel
4. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
5. What Child Is This
6. Away In A Manger/It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
7. Angels We Have Heard On High
8. O Holy Night
9. Longing (O Come Emmanuel Intro)
10. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
11. Silent Night, Radiant Light
12. Joy To The World
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So I'll let you in on a little secret. When I'm checking out a Christmas album I know nothing about, I head straight for "O Holy Night". It's my favorite Christmas song; always has been. FWIW, the version that still sticks in my head more than any other is Jerry Butler's. Not the point. I go straight to "O Holy Night" to give me a frame of reference. Like, you know, when I'm checking out a new eatery, I might order a cheeseburger. It's a sort of subjective objective standard. Now, I won't base my whole opinion on an album based only on "O Holy Night" anymore than I would base my whole opinion of a restaurant based on a cheeseburger. It just gives me a baseline.
Ronda Adams does "O Holy Night" magnificently!
Ronda Adams has been playing violin since she was 10, but her recording career didn't start until relatively recently. She wasn't particularly inspired by the traditional musical experience, but playing in church was something entirely different. "Worship," she says, "was what I was created for." Having always appreciated the emotional and spiritual impact of music, her violin became a method of outreach.
"Radiant Light" is a collection of instrumental versions of some of the best known religious Christmas songs. You can listen to it as a worship album, if that's what you prefer. You could listen to "Radiant Light" as a New Age album, if you prefer that. Or you can just listen to the music and let it take you where it will. The instrumentation and approach from track to track is varied, with a light flavoring of everything from Jazz to Classical to Celtic. Ronda is prone to improvise--as the spirit moves her--but the improvisation is never forced; it sounds more like the songs themselves are alive and speaking through her. For my part, I was especially fond of "The First Noel", the "Away In A Manger/It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" medley and...
Ronda Adams plays "O Holy Night" magnificently!