#geoff castellucci god rest ye merry gentlemen

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay-adjacent Visuals - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

So here's the thing: I'm not religious whatsoever, and usually I'm neutral at best when it comes to "traditional"/religious Christmas songs. Like on the odd occasion I might hear a decent performance of one, like O Holy Night or Silent Night for example, and I'll be like "yeah alright", but I don't usually go search them up to relisten to them, y'know?

But then, on the 4th of December, 2021, Geoff released his cover of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and MY. GOODNESS. Undeniably one of the most epic Christmas carol performances I've ever heard (besides most versions of Carol Of The Bells of course).

So anyway, there's probably a lot more to say on the musical arrangement than the video, but I didn't wanna skip over this one entirely, and tbh this is one of my favourite videos for examples of Geoff's self-conducting motions and hand gestures, so I really wanna talk about some of that, and show off some of the cool lighting stuff as well! (Credit to Eli for lighting design!)

So anyway, let's get into this!

This video was filmed at PattyCake Studios, though presumably using a set/backdrop that doesn't get used a lot otherwise, because I don't recognise it from anything else! (EDIT: according to the amazingly-knowledgeable and very helpful Jules-has-notes, "the backdrop was one of the standing sets at the old PattyCake studio...VP used it in their video for "You're My Best Friend" with Deejay, but the set dressing and lighting were pretty different.")

Double credit to Eli for the lighting design, because look how cool this looks already, with the variety of colours that we're getting from lighting in the background! Whiteish-purple, green, blue, orange, and purple-pink! And I love how there's enough in the background to make it interesting and to "fill out the space" without drawing your attention away entirely!

Lights up!

I don't know exactly what that shirt thing is per se, but man it looks so cool

This video has at least a couple moments of the "Geoff Clones" noticeably mirroring each other in their motions, like in Shenandoah and Unshaken, but there are also quite a few moments (like before this, in the "slow build-up section" in fact) where different Geoffs are doing different motions to indicate which of them are singing which vocal parts (e.g. higher stuff vs lower stuff)

"Now to the lord sing praises..."

Very quick lighting/colour change on the curtains!

"Holy tide of Christmas, all others doth deface!"

Lighting/colour change on the curtains again! A warmer orange now!

(Also again notice how the clones on the left and right ends are doing the same thing, but the clone second from the left is doing something different!)

"Woah, tidings of comfort and joy"

(I love the cheeky little side-eye he does here, it's kinda cute <3)

Another quick lighting change!

I love the way Geoff so often includes moments of "Lead Geoff" and The Clones looking at each other - it's such a simple thing to include, but it's also such an easy thing to not bother doing or not even consider doing. But these little moments definitely add a little something-something(tm) to the videos 💜👌

"Cooommmforrrt aaand joyyyyy"

Up, right, down, up. What is this, the Konami Code for subharmonics/bass notes? 😝

"JOYYYYYY!"

And back to darkness for the end!

I probably could have included even more moments to talk about but tbh screenshots don't always do it justice, and I can't be bothered figuring out how to make gifs. But I hope this gave you some amusement anyway, and I promise you the next post is absolutely gonna be a fun one! Until next time!

[firecurls-27]

Now that it’s Christmas time it’s time to share my favorite Christmas songs!

What are your favorites?

[yoursinharmony]

Merry Christmas all! Hope your holiday is filled with warmth, love and the very best music 😉🎄

Watch "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen | Low Bass Singer Cover" on YouTube

This is just breathtaking. I've never heard a version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen like this before - angelic in one moment and then filled with deep bass gravitas the next. How is one man this talented?

[discoverthemusic1-blog]

Have I mentioned how much I love this man’s voice? 

Buy me a coffee?

[mythigal1966]

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen | Low Bass Singer Cover

[acaplaya-musings]

A random assortment of Geoff Castellucci pictures - Part 1

I have a folder that is filled with screencaps of Geoff, some of which are/were for art references, and some of which are just because I think they're good pictures, and I asked in a recent post if any of you were interested in me showing you some of them. A few of you did very much express interest, and so here we are. This post, part 1, is for screencaps from videos on Geoff's solo channel, and part 2 will be for screencaps from VoicePlay videos.

They're just listed alphabetically by video title (because that's how they're sorted in the folder), and this assortment certainly has potential to be expanded upon, but it's just some/most of what I've got right now (plus some thoughts/comments from me about most if not all of them)

Everything below the cut!

This one I was considering as a potential fanart reference at one point - I was tossing up between this and Wicked Game for a sketch fanart, but I ended up going with Wicked Game

I mean come on sir please this is ILLEGAL /j

Look, Folsom Prison Blues is one of my top 3 favourite Geoff videos, emphasis on the word "video", so sue me!

h-

I know it's a habit of Geoff's to have at least two top buttons of a button-up shirt undone, but like in this video, (if you don't count the button that's probably right up at the collar), he's got three buttons undone and oh boy it shows And I Am Looking Respectfully

I grabbed this screenshot when I went looking for pics for my Geoff playing the piano photo compilation, but I ended up keeping this one because I just think it's a really nice pic <3

I actually don't have a lot of screenshots from Jack's Lament, but mostly because the whole damn video is so amazing and practically all of it is screenshot-worthy!

This was another one I was considering for fanart, but it would be quite hard to get right, even with my "tricks" for get outlines near-perfect

I mean yeah what can I say

Mele Kalikimaka really holds a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to watch/listen to it again come December (or late November if I get impatient, lol) (as if I don't have the whole dang song memorised in my brain already!)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen may be the most impressive/stunning arrangement of Geoff's 4 Christmas songs, but Mele Kalikimaka is probably my sentimental favourite, deep down (and yes, he's very pretty in this one!)

I mean we all agree he looked dang good in this outfit right?

I actually low-key would love to do fanart of Jaime!Geoff (maybe standing up so I wouldn't have to include the Iron Throne), but that's a lot of brown, and I'm not sure I have enough variety of shades/hues to get it right

I know I included this one fairly recently in my visual analysis post for Song Of Durin, but I saved this one to my folder and so I'm sharing it again!

It's pretty rare for me to feel attraction to any "iteration of Geoff" (Geoff clone?) with thick facial hair, but man that smile... It's a similar deal with "Jeoph" in Unshaken, and frankly my attraction to him in that video continues to baffle me. You're not supposed to look that good with a handlebar moustache and not even a beard to go with it!!!

I call this one "Heart Eyes Geoff" and it makes me melt in love and affection every time <3

Geoff and Kathy had to refilm a lot of shots for Til Then, and they were completely by themselves in the studio when they did so. So yeah, she might not be on screen, but you just know he's looking right at her 💜

I really really love Way Down okay. I call this image "flirting with the camera" (got that from a comment on a reaction video to this I think?)

And finally, this is just the Wicked Game video thumbnail without the title text (got it from Patreon - Geoff sometimes asks Patrons to help vote on video thumbnails and will give us jpg downloads of each option), but still, it captured me from the moment I first saw it appear on YouTube. Like he's just! So! Pretty! And the wispiness of his hair (which was a deliberate styling choice, apparently, based on the BTS footage), and the way it's at this point long enough to reach his shoulders, just UGH man

So yeah, hope you enjoyed this; part 2 with VoicePlay video screencaps will be coming at some point soon! Seeya!

[magicaljarofbeans]

Oh gosh, you'd think as someone with a music degree I could do this with my eyes closed, but NOPE. To make it easier for me, it'll be a mixture of songs and instrumental pieces!

Blue = Instrumental/no lyrics Orange = Song

M- Moby Duck - The Longest Johns

A- A Far Green Country - Howard Shore

G- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Geoff Castellucci

I- I am the very model of a modern major general - Gilbert & Sullivan

C- Clarity - Jacob Collier (With headphones)

A- Asturias (Leyenda) - Isaac Albenis (specifically on guitar)

L- Lexicon of the Gods - Rossano Galante

J- Joropo - Johan de Meij

A- Another Round of Gwent - Miracle of Sound

R- Ring of Fire - Home Free ft. Avi Kaplan

O- Oogie Boogie Song - Voiceplay

F- Full Moon - Avi Kaplan

B- Boggis Bunce and Bean (Reprise) - Alexandre Desplat

E- Explorers on the Moon - Paul Raphael

A- Aces High - Ron Goodwin (Brass Band arrangement)

N- Never Split the Party - Emerald Rose

S- Simoraine - Clive Barraclough

Why did I have to make my url so long

I really struggled to narrow down to certain pieces, and in contrast there are too many a's in my url. I had to sacrifice some Avi Kaplan songs! (Highly recommend listening to all of his stuff)

I think it turned out to be a nice mix of very random genres/pieces. So if anyone actually checks out these you're bound to like at least one of them.

This is where I would tag other people, but I don't really have any mutuals, besides @williamsblood who tagged me (thank you!), since I've only had an account for a month or so! 😅

Rules: pick a song for each letter of your URL and tag that many people.

Tagged by @sailforvalinor, and thank you this looks like fun!

Remember and Proclaim (Andrew Peterson)

All I Ask of You (Jackie Evancho)

Innocence (Nathan Wagner)

Níl Sé'n Lá (Celtic Woman)

I Still Need a Savior (Billy Sprague)

No Strings (Ed Sheeran)

Take Me Back Road (Tim & the Glory Boys)

How Great is Our God (Chris Tomlin)

Everything Sad is Coming Untrue (Jason Grey)

El-Shaddai (Amy Grant)

Voice of Truth (Casting Crowns)

Endlessly (Amaranthe)

Not Alone (Red)

I'm an Open Road (Paul Brandt)

Never Leave Your Side (Sam Tinnesz)

Good to Be Alive (Skillet)

Hoo boy, can I think of sixteen people?

@griseldabanks @kraytwriter @kingofattolia @catkin-morgs @clawedandcute @nerdychristianfanboy @steampunk-archer @sergeanttomycaptain @smhalltheurlsaretaken @scribblermerlin @authortobenamedlater @stainedleather @mrtobenamedlater @mrgartist @get-loved-nerd @a-fount-of-blessings (Ignore if this is a repeat tag. Unless you want to do it again. Up to you. :)

[yoursinharmony]

Watch "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen | Low Bass Singer Cover" on YouTube

This is just breathtaking. I've never heard a version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen like this before - angelic in one moment and then filled with deep bass gravitas the next. How is one man this talented?