MusicMusichttp://www.christmashope.com.au/music/2009-12-31T00:50:52ZSquarespaceChristmas Hope Finishes New Years Evehttp://www.christmashope.com.au/music/2009/12/31/christmas-hope-finishes-new-years-eve.htmlAndrew Morris2009-12-31T00:42:05Z2009-12-31T00:42:05ZAfter eight great weeks of Christmas music, tonight we shut down Christmas Hope. Thanks for all the great feedback, we're glad you enjoyed it. Rest assured we'll be back next November.

In the meantime we want to wish you every blessing for the year ahead and pray that 2010 will be a great year for you.

Hope Media continues to broadcast 3 great music channels as well as great downloadable interviews on a broad selection of issues and topics. You can find us at www.hope1032.com.au We'd love to see you there.

best wishes
Andrew Morris 

]]>Latest News from Christmas Hopehttp://www.christmashope.com.au/music/2009/11/5/latest-news-from-christmas-hope.htmlAndrew Morris2009-11-05T05:07:14Z2009-11-05T05:07:14ZG'day to all our friends from Hope 103.2 who have popped over to have a look around.

New Christmas Music
We're adding new music to Christmas Hope each day. Over the weekend we'll be adding new music from Elvis Presley's Christmas Duetsalbum from last year featuring duets with some great female singers including Amy Grant, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride and our own Olivia Newton-John.

Also on the new music list are all your favourite Motown acts off the new Motown Christmasalbum. But it's not all classic material, new music from Sting, Mandisa and Andrea Bocelli is on its way.

Christmas Word Watch
Have you ever wondered about the story behind Advent, Father Christmas, Carols, Christmas Cards or Tree? Author and Broadcaster Kel Richards joins Aaron Wright for a look behind our Christmas Traditions.

Christmas Hope Facebook Page
We've also created a Christmas Hope Facebook page where you can look at some amazing Suburban Christmas Light photos and get recipes for Christmas.

Listening To Christmas Hope
You can listen to your favourite Christmas songs a few different ways:
1. Windows Media Player
2. High quality AAC+ through iTunes
3. Download the Hope Media iPhone app from the iTunes store online or off your phone. But be aware of your download limits.

I hope you really enjoy the music of Christmas Hope and please let us know what you think of it at our Contacts page.

]]>Top 25 Christmas Songs of 2008http://www.christmashope.com.au/music/2009/11/3/top-25-christmas-songs-of-2008.htmlAndrew Morris2009-11-02T20:00:07Z2009-11-02T20:00:07ZThe American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) – the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization representing over 330,000 music creators and copyright owners track the most played Christmas songs each year.

It makes an interesting list, here it is!

  1. Winter Wonderland
    Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
    Performed by: Eurythmics
  2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
    Written by: Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
    Performed by: Nat "King" Cole
  3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
    Written by: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
    Performed by: The Pretenders
  4. Sleigh Ride
    Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
    Performed by: The Ronettes
  5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
    Written by: Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
    Performed by: Frank Sinatra
  6. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
    Written by: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
    Performed by: Michael Bublé
  7. White Christmas
    Written by: Irving Berlin
    Performed by: Bing Crosby
  8. Jingle Bell Rock
    Written by: Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
    Performed by: Bobby Helms
  9. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
    Written by: Johnny Marks
    Performed by: Gene Autry
  10. Little Drummer Boy
    Written by: Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone
    Performed by: The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra
  11. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
    Written by: Edward Pola, George Wyle
    Performed by: Andy Williams
  12. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
    Written by: Johnny Marks
    Performed by: Brenda Lee
  13. Silver Bells
    Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
    Performed by: Kenny G
  14. I'll Be Home For Christmas
    Written by: Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
    Performed by: Amy Grant
  15. Feliz Navidad
    Written by: José Feliciano
    Performed by: José Feliciano
  16. Frosty The Snowman
    Written by: Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
    Performed by: The Ronettes
  17. A Holly Jolly Christmas
    Written by: Johnny Marks
    Performed by: Burl Ives
  18. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
    Written by: Meredith Willson
    Performed by: Johnny Mathis
  19. Blue Christmas
    Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson
    Performed by: Elvis Presley
  20. (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
    Written by: Bob Allen, Al Stillman
    Performed by: Perry Como
  21. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
    Written by: Tommie Connor (PRS)
    Performed by: John Mellencamp
  22. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
    Written by: Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
    Performed by: Gene Autry
  23. Carol Of The Bells
    Written by: Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich
    Performed by: David Foster (instrumental version)
  24. Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)
    Written by: Midge Ure (PRS), Bob Geldof (PRS)
    Performed by: Band Aid
  25. This Christmas
    Written by Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor
    Performed by Gloria Estefan


Interesting Facts from ASCAP

Oldest songs:
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Winter Wonderland" (both 1934)

Newest song:
"Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)" (1984)

Most recorded Holiday song:
"White Christmas" with well over 500 versions in dozens of languages

Songs introduced in Film and Television
"White Christmas" in Holiday Inn (1942)
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
"Silver Bells" in The Lemon Drop Kid (1950)
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" in TV special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1962)

Writer with most top Holiday songs:
Johnny Marks with three - "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," and "A Holly Jolly Christmas"

"Sleigh Ride"is the only holiday song on the list written originally as an instrumental piece for a symphony orchestra. The Boston Pops Orchestra gave the first performance in a concert conducted by Arthur Fiedler at Symphony Hall in Boston, May 4, 1948. Mills Music published it that same year. The Boston Pops Orchestra recorded it in June of 1949. Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1949.

]]>New Christmas Albums in 2009http://www.christmashope.com.au/music/2009/11/2/new-christmas-albums-in-2009.htmlAndrew Morris2009-11-01T22:00:03Z2009-11-01T22:00:03ZChristmas albums have become a tradition in popular music, here in Australia the Salvation Army in partnership with Myer have been releasing The Spirit of Christmas series since the early 1990's, I'm sure there's one in store for us this year.

Bob Dylan's first Christmas album.One of the biggest Christmas albums to be released recently is Bob Dylan's Christmas at the Heart. Profits from the sale of Dylan's album will go towards providing 500,000 meals to school children in developing countries through the World Food Program, 15,000 meals to homeless people in the United Kingdom thorugh Crisis and more than 4 million meals to American families through Feeding America. Read about it at Bob Dylan's website.

Sting, who has had a successful solo career after leaving The police and known for his experimental musical nature releases a mixed bag of Christmas and Holiday songs on his November album If On A Winters Night.

And award winning Christian worship leader Chris Tomlin has released his first Christmas album, Glory in the Highest.


]]>The Origins of Carolshttp://www.christmashope.com.au/music/2009/11/2/the-origins-of-carols.htmlAndrew Morris2009-11-01T20:30:37Z2009-11-01T20:30:37ZWe love to sing them, but where did Christmas Carols come from?

One source tells us that Carols were originally sung thousands of years ago, but they were pagan songs, sung at winter solstice celebrations, as people danced around stone circles.

Then in 1223 St Francis of Assisi started nativity plays in Italy and the actors sung songs that told the story. The new carols spread across Europe. The earliest carol like this was written in 1410 and a piece of it still exists. It’s about Mary and Jesus meeting people in Bethlehem. The songs were generally untrue and sung in homes rather than churches.

When Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans came to power in England in 1647 the celebration of Christmas and carol singing was stopped. During the Victorian era William Sandys and Davis Gillart collected lots of old Christmas music from villages in England which helped revive Christmas Carols forever.

Whichever Carol you sing this year, remember the One who Angels lift up on high every day of the year… Jesus… and Merry Christmas.

 

]]>Welcome to Christmas Hope!http://www.christmashope.com.au/music/2009/11/1/welcome-to-christmas-hope.htmlAndrew Morris2009-11-01T02:34:58Z2009-11-01T02:34:58ZAfter a couple of months of raiding every CD cabinet in the Hope 103.2 building looking for Christmas music, launch day has arrived. Christmas Hope is here in living stereo.

From today you can tune into the best Christmas music from around the world streaming online 24 hours a day.

It's been alot of fun preparing the music playlist. Listening to everything from Bing Crosby and Elvis right through to Mariah Carey, James Taylor, Amy Grant and Casting Crowns.

We'll be playing lots of carol, traditional holiday songs and some great original songs.

I hear a couple of you asking why? I think Christmas is a season that really brings a community together.  It encourages a spirit of giving, and often brings back some feel good memories.  At this time of year, sometimes one Christmas song every now and then just isn’t enough, Christmas Hope gives you that Christmas cheer whenever and of however long you want.

And don't keep it to yourself, let family and friends know what we're doing. We've set up a twitter and Facebook page, the links are on the right hand side of website.

In addition to the Christmas Hope online radio you can check out cool Christmas links and recipes, read Christmas album reviews , join the Christmas community and much more!

We also want your favourite recipes for Christmas and photos of Christmas.

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