January - exhilarating?

January is not always exhilarating. In fact, earlier this month I don't think I would have written what I am about to write. One week can make a big difference in a person's outlook though, and here in Winnipeg we have turned a weather corner. Last week, our temperatures were in the minus 30C range with nasty windchill to accompany that. This week, not so much! Add to that the fact that January is nearly over and it all feels good.

I am in the midst of making some concert arrangements for this coming spring, and am definitely planning to record a second CD in July. All these plans are very exhilarating to me, and just to top it off, I'll be attending the Refreshing Winds Conference next week out at CMU. I went to this conference in 2007 and was very inspired by the workshops, the worship, and the speakers. So, all this to say stay tuned for concert dates and a few thoughts on what I saw, heard and experienced at "Refreshing Winds".

How things have changed!

The piano tuner came today, and I don't mind telling you it was more than time. His imminent arrival meant I had to remove all the various books, papers, and sundry articles that find their way to the top of the baby grand. I found, among many other things, 2 song sheets that I intended to write about. So even though we are past the 12 Days, I will share my thoughts on these collections from different eras.

The first song sheet, judging by the carollers portrayed on the cover, is from the 1960's. It was printed by The Bay whose main Winnipeg store apparently had a Christmas Choir that "broadcast each week-day morning from 9:00 - 9:30 over CKY - Listen in." I think the pamphlets were distributed so individuals could join in from home. Here is an alphabetical listing of all included carols.

Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)
Away in a Manger
Christians Awake!
Diadem (All Hail the Pow'r of Jesus' Name)
First Noel
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
Good King Wenceslas
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Little Drummer Boy
O Christmas Tree
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Once in Royal David's City
See Amid the Winter's Snow
Silent Night
The Westminster Carol (Angels We Have Heard on High)
We Three Kings
While Shepherds Watched

Compare that list to the following, taken from the 2009 booklet printed by and distributed with the free community newspapers.

All I Want for Christmas
Auld Lang Syne
Away in a Manger
Dans une etable obscure (In an obscure stable?)
Deck the Halls
First Noel
Frosty the Snowman
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Hark the Herald Angels
Here Comes Santa Claus
Holly, Jolly Christmas
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Il est ne, le divin enfant (He is born, the divine Christ-child)
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Jingle Bells
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
Joy to the World
Les anges dans nos campagnes (also in English, Angels we have heard on high)
O Christmas Tree
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Oh Holy Night
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Silent Night
Silver Bells
We Three Kings
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
What Child is This
Winter Wonderland

Besides the obvious fact that the second has a lot more songs in it, the other thing that strikes me is the number of secular Christmas songs. A rather accurate reflection of our society's celebration of this holy-day in the first years of this 21st Century.