Roth Male Octet: For Unto Us a Child Is Born

I’m happy and pleased (and proud in a good way, I hope) to present to you the a cappella Roth Male Octet, competently headed by our son Andy:

For those of you who prefer to download the song, here you are: For Unto Us a Child Is Born (35 MB wav)

Isn’t that beautiful?! And they harmonize so well. Dad would have enjoyed it thoroughly. I’m sure Mom will.

My Grandma (Mary Buckwalter) Roth loved to sing. She had a name as a good singer with perfect pitch. Dad also loved to sing. He had a strong, rich baritone.

Me? I love to sing, yes, indeed. Tenor’s my range; notes, my nemesis. (I’ve been told I have a good singing voice, though a young fellow from another church called me recently to confess to and apologize for mimicking and mocking my speaking voice!) But I never learned much music (though I did participate in a music class presented by Ernest and Ida Bontrager over 40 years ago). I “read” music by seeing little black round things (or other shapes) that go up and down — I follow them up and down. But I’ve still thought often of joining the men’s chorus as a baritone in Dad’s honor.

I suspect Dad would have been thrilled if he and I and my two sons could have sung together as a quartet. Then if we could have added my three sons-in-law, we would have almost had an octet. For the eighth voice, we could have recruited a man I’ll call Dad’s honorary son: Joe Mast. (I think he would have been glad to sing with us.)

But it wasn’t to be, that Roth Male Octet headed by Dad. I fell down on the job. I should have learned music early in my youth and trained my sons from their toddlerhood. But none of us received from the divine Giver the same gifts and interests and priorities. And who will quibble with Him? Not I!

Well, enough introspection and “moaning” about what could have been. Here’s the important part:

For unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given
And the government
Shall be upon His shoulder
And his name shall be called
Wonderful
Counselor
The Mighty God
The Everlasting Father
The Prince of Peace.

Oh, wait. I said they. They refers to the voices, not the singers. For there are no singers, only a singer. All eight of those voices are Andy‘s. Now you better listen to the song again. 🙂