SAM's collection is a far cry from the impressive collection in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City - even it's acronym MoMA is better known than SAM.
Hyung Koo Kang's 'Burning Glaze'
comprises hyper realism mainly paintings of icons.
Thanks to the National Heritage Board's Christmas Day Open House, we 3 culture vultures each saved $32 of admission charges to the 4 museums that we visited today.
Since it opens at 9am, we first visited the 'Singapore Philatelic Museum'. Culture vultures Sam, Lynn and YK @SPM
Next we walked along Armenian Street to the 'Peranakan Museum'.
After some appreciate of Tin Tin stamps and Peranakan culture, the 3 cheapskates, er... I mean culture vultures, decided on lunch at Wendy's as restaurants in museums looked pricey.
Saving the best for the last, we queued for about 20 min (you see, we were not the only cheapskates) to enter the National Museum of Singapore to view a small selection of paintings, photographs and drawings from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
The 3 culture vultures certainly enjoyed their Christmas at the museums on the cheap - goes to show one can satisfy aesthetic needs before safety needs!
Year: 1950 Composer: Leroy Anderson (1948) Lyricist: Mitchell Parish (1950) Origin: America Singer: Leroy Anderson (Original)
My favorite version by The Carpenters (1978) with the most unique and unforgettable voice of Karen Carpenter:
Sing-along with Johnny Mathis (1958):
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring ting tingling too Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "yoo hoo", Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go, Let's look at the show, We're riding in a wonderland of snow. Giddy yap, giddy yap, gidd yap, it's grand, Just holding your hand, We're gliding along with a song of a wintry fairy land
Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
There's a birthday party at the home of Farmer Gray It'll be the perfect ending of a perfect day We'll be singing the songs we love to sing without a single stop At the fireplace while we watch the chestnuts pop. pop! pop!
There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie It'll nearly be like a picture print by Currier and Ives These wonderful things are the things we remember all through our lives!
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring ting tingling too Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "yoo hoo", Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "yoo hoo", Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go, Let's look at the show, We're riding in a wonderland of snow. Giddy yap, giddy yap, gidd yap, it's grand, Just holding your hand, We're gliding along with a song of a wintry fairy land
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring ting tingling too Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "yoo hoo", Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Deum de Deo, Lumen de lumine, Gestant puellae viscera; Deum verum, Genitum, non factum :
Refrain
Cantet nunc hymnos Chorus angelorum, Cantet nunc aula caelestium: Gloria, gloria, In excelsis Deo !
Refrain
Ergo qui natus Die hodierna, Jesu tibi sit gloria: Patris aeterni Verbum caro factum !
Refrain --------
Adeste fideles, laeti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem. Natum videte regem angelorum: Venite adoremus, venite adoremus, Venite adoremus Dominum!
En grege relicto, humiles ad cunas Vocati pastores approperant. Et nos ovanti gradu festinemus: Venite adoremus, venite adoremus, Venite adoremus Dominum!
(Adeste fideles, laeti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem.) Natum videte regem angelorum: Venite adoremus, venite adoremus, Venite adoremus Dominum!
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;
Refrain
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal, Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb; Son of the Father, begotten, not created;
Refrain
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
Refrain
See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle, Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze; We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;
Refrain
Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring, Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh; We to the Christ Child bring our hearts’ oblations.
Refrain
Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger, We would embrace Thee, with love and awe; Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?
Refrain
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.
Year: 1818 Composer: Franz Xaver Gruber (1818) Lyricist: Josef Mohr (1816) John Freeman Young (1859) - English translation "Silent Night" Père Barjon (>1859) - French translation "Douce Nuit, Sainte Nuit"
Origin: Austria
This must be one of the most translated Christmas song with 44 translations, with all translations . During the Christmas truce of World War I, it was sung in German, English and French by German, British and French troops respectively.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute hochheilige Paar. Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar, Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Hirten erst kundgemacht Durch der Engel Halleluja, Tönt es laut von fern und nah: Christ, der Retter ist da! Christ, der Retter ist da!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund, Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'. Christ, in deiner Geburt! Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Music: Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818 Words: John Freeman Young, 1863
Silent night, holy night All is calm all is bright 'Round yon virgin Mother and Child Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia; Christ the Savior is born Christ the Savior is born
Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Douce nuit, sainte nuit ! Dans les cieux ! L'astre luit. Le mystère annoncé s'accomplit Cet enfant sur la paille endormi, C'est l'amour infini ! [x2]
Saint enfant, doux agneau ! Qu'il est grand ! Qu'il est beau ! Entendez résonner les pipeaux Des bergers conduisant leurs troupeaux Vers son humble berceau ! [x2]
C'est vers nous qu'il accourt, En un don sans retour ! De ce monde ignorant de l'amour, Où commence aujourd'hui son séjour, Qu'il soit Roi pour toujours ! [x2]
Quel accueil pour un Roi ! Point d'abri, point de toit ! Dans sa crèche il grelotte de froid O pécheur, sans attendre la croix, Jésus souffre pour toi ! [x2]
Paix à tous ! Gloire au ciel ! Gloire au sein maternel, Qui pour nous, en ce jour de Noël, Enfanta le Sauveur éternel, Qu'attendait Israël ! [x2]
Judy Garland singing this song to a very young Margaret O'Brien in the 1944 movie 'Meet Me in St. Louis'.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas Let your heart be light Next year all our troubles will be out of sight Have yourself a merry little Christmas Make the yule-tide gay Next year all our troubles will be miles away Once again as in olden days Happy golden days of yore Faithful friends who were near to us Will be dear to us once more Someday soon, we all will be together If the Fates allow Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
Frank Sinatra's jollier version:
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.
Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.
Through the years
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself A merry little Christmas now.
Linda Ronstadt who sings both "muddle through somehow" and "hang a shining star":