Day 4 - Los peces en el río (The fish in the river)
One of the most popular Christmas carols written in Spanish is Los peces en el río, although it is little known outside of Spain and Latin America. It draws a contrast between the fishes in the river, who are excited about the birth of the baby Jesus, and the Virgin Mary, who goes about doing the chores of daily life.
According to the Valencian news site Las Provincias, both the author and composer of Los peces en el río, and even the date of when it was written, are unknown. The song gained popularity in the second half of the 20th century, and the structure and tonality of the song show Arabic influence. The carol isn't standardized - some versions include several more verses, and some of them vary slightly in the words used. (note thanks to thoughtco.com)
With that said . . . here are four very different versions of Los peces en el río: one for solo voice, one in a more classical mode, one pure Mexican, and the last with a South American groove. Enjoy!
Los peces en el río - Carmen Goett
Los peces en el río - (arr. C. Criado) Orquesta Sinfónica y Coro JMJ
Los peces en el río - Gipsy Kings
Los peces en el río - (arr. Nita Sinaga) Angel City Chorale
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