During the COVID year, they released a filmed performance of Candlelight from the previous year with NPH narrating on their Youtube. I think it was a limited time thing, however, because it's no longer there.
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Candlelight Processional 2022?
- Thread starter Zummi Gummi
- Start date
Chita is great as a narrator. She gleefully sings along.
Chita is one of the best. As someone above me mentioned, she gets very into it and sings right along with the choir. I can’t wait to see her again.
...and no times available already for Dec 1 - 8.
And a mid-afternoon reservation for Coral Reef just opened, and I grabbed it. Probably from someone switching their reservations around....and no times available already for Dec 1 - 8.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
I try not to get too overly religious on this forum but the Processional, at its core, is a retelling of the early chapters of the Gospel of Luke, primarily the 2nd chapter, (with the story of Silent Night thrown in) accompanied by religious hymns. Not a promo fest for your music.
I read that too quickly at first and thought it said Olaf and Sven would be featured in the show.
I’m glad I’m wrong, but would anyone really be shocked if they found a way to add characters to the presentation?
Well, yeah. They're reading from The Bible and singing sacred songs.
I am literally jarred when they sneak in "Jingle Bells" into the overture.
If they want IP, then can play and show the segment of Fantasia: Schubert's Ave Maria.
According to the Walt Disney World website, you can now make advanced reservations at Spice Road Table as part of the Candlelight Processional dining packages.
Without trying to be political, while I love the poem it’s a bit misleading. It’s absolutely true about Jesus impact on western civilization, He also plays a role (but not the central one) in Islamic Civilization. However, He plays no role in the development of Asian civilization outside of a few countries and the countries which have no Christian or Islamic roots contain >50% of the world’s population. I can see why they removed it.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
So I pulled up a video from 2012 which had both the story of Silent Night and One Solitary Figure. Apparently both have since been removed in place of telling us that Jesus is nice and lived by the Golden Rule. Well, that's nice, but it isn't Christian. Overall, I think they were looking to shorten the program. The 2012 video was 40 minutes. So two separate stories were shortened to one different story. Also Joy to the World and Hallelujah were separate. Now they're combined. I read on another thread that this leads to confusion. No one knows if they should stand or not because those from more liturgical churches stand for Hallelujah except this piece goes back and forth between it and Joy to the World.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
In the 2012 version, Silent Night is introduced with the story of its first writing. Joy to the World is introduced with One Solitary Life. Now in 2022, Silent Night is introduced by an entirely made up story of Mary and Joseph looking down at Jesus "sleeping peacefully in the manger" "wondering what the future would bring for them". Did that happen? We don't know. It's nowhere in The Bible. It was made up out of whole swaddling cloths just to introduce Silent Night. I would have rather heard the true story of "Silent Night's" creation not an un-Biblical story, no matter how sweet it sounded (pun intended). Then we're told that Jesus was a nice man with an "earthly" heart who told us all to "love one another" just before the Joy to the World/Hallelujah Chorus combo.
So they removed the story of Silent Night and a decidedly Christian message in One Solitary Life and replaced that with where Jesus is just a nice prophet. I could get into more theology but that isn't Christian. It's just telling everyone he was nice and lived by the Golden Rule. It only took 10 years, but now we have a watered-down, less Christian Jesus.
So they removed the story of Silent Night and a decidedly Christian message in One Solitary Life and replaced that with where Jesus is just a nice prophet. I could get into more theology but that isn't Christian. It's just telling everyone he was nice and lived by the Golden Rule. It only took 10 years, but now we have a watered-down, less Christian Jesus.
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I agree with you... in part.
The music and the biblical passages are rather still decidedly faith-based Christian.
But yes, there's a creeping secularism. Previously, it only reared its ugly head with the orchestra playing Jingle Bells in the overture amidst the sacred music. Now it extends to the opening number of Wonderful Time of the Year.
I've mentioned above that I didn't like that made-up dramatization leading into Silent Night. I'd drop that *and* the story of how Silent Night came about.
I didn't like the mash-up of Joy to the World and Hallelujah Chorus. It just destroys the integrity of both.
Fixes:
- Ditch Wonderful Time and start with Joy to the World
- Ditch any intro to Silent Night that isn't a passage from the Gospels.
- Keep Hallelujah Chorus as is and stop confusing the attendees about whether to stand or not.
- And ditch Jingle Bells from the overture, there's everywhere else in WDW to hear it.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
Having the story of Silent Night's writing is valid criticism in that it disrupts the narrative of the birth of Jesus. I get that. But given a choice, I would rather have that over a made up story before Silent Night. I understand your criticism of the Joy/Hallelujah mashup too. If they're pressed for time, they could remove Joy to the World, or move it to the front as you suggest. I wouldn't be upset. Ending on the Hallelujah Chorus would be a resounding ending. I agree with Jingle Bells.
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear of these changes. I am glad Jesus' birth is still the focal point, albeit more watered down.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
You would hope. That is the whole point of the day. It just makes you wonder what they'll do next year and the year following. . .