How I arrived at the recording studio

I hinted in my last post that I'd write a little about what happened prior to recording last week.  As you might guess, a lot of the preparation (not counting practising) was done long before April 30.  Two pieces that will be on the CD are from a book I purchased nearly 25 years ago.  Another pair of carols are in a book bought only in February of this year.  The others fall somewhere in between those extremes and more than one book was what I call a 'fluke' purchase - a book I wasn't specifically looking for at the time, but stumbled across and bought on a bit of a whim.  Two of my books were on a clearance table in Feb. 2011 for, if I recall correctly, 70% off so might have cost me $5 each!

Narrowing down my choices was much more difficult than I thought it would be.  There are so many good carols out there, and many good arrangers too - where to draw the line?  I tried very hard to keep a balance between well-known songs and lesser known ones.  Carols seem to fall into the 'mellow' category too (or is that just my bias showing?) and I wasn't trying to make a CD to put listeners to sleep, so I had to be careful to balance mood and tempo as well.  I made a list of possibilities, then narrowed it down until I was fairly happy with my choices.  Then came the challenge of deciding on an order for the tracks.

Advent selections came first - just makes sense to me to 'prepare' before I 'celebrate'.  That wasn't too difficult as there are fewer of them.  But putting the Christmas carols in order - well, that was more time consuming.  When I had a first draft, I went to the piano, played all the arrangements in order, and wrote down the key each song began in and ended in.  When I finished and looked at my list I was overwhelmed with how well one followed another!  I truly had the sense that the Holy Spirit was leading me in the creation of this project.

The actual recording is completed now and pictures will soon follow.  I'll also write a little about the whole studio experience - a new one for me; my first CD was recorded at home.

Merry Christmas!

It's okay to greet each other by saying "Merry Christmas!" since we are still in the 12 Days of Christmas... Did I write the same thing last year? I wonder if I also said that some year I'd love to have a big carol sing in the week between Christmas and New Year's. Now that we're in a bigger home, with lots of space for the piano to reverberate, I think I should make it a project for 2012: more piano/music events at home. On March 13, 2012 it will be my piano's 25th birthday - that'd be a good place to start. The year could end with a carol sing... hmmm.

Advent 1 - Anticipation!

Each year, during this busy season of Advent and Christmas, I try to attend one event where I can sit, listen, and sing unencumbered by the responsibilities of playing. You, my reader, can appreciate that as a church musician, I don't get such an opportunity all that often. For many years I attended the Advent Lessons and Carols service at All Saints Anglican here in Winnipeg. They had (it was said) the best men and boys choir in all of western Canada. Don Hadfield was the organist then, and I looked forward each year to hearing him play. His prelude was always the same: various settings of "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" (Come, Saviour of the heathen), each one building in intensity. This was followed by Brahms' setting of "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" (Lo, how a rose e'er blooming). The postlude was Bach's great Toccata in F major (still on my learn-it-someday list). Those days sadly came to an end but several of those choir members are still very active and involved in Winnipeg's music scene in different ways.

One of these is Blair Anderson who is now the Organist/Choir Director at St. Luke's Anglican and yesterday I went to the Advent and Lessons there. It would have been easy to stay home. I'd already been out Friday and Saturday nights. I like to nap Sunday afternoons. It was Grey Cup Sunday and I'd probably miss the first part of the game on TV. In spite of all that, I felt compelled to go. Parking in the older part of town is often a challenge; yesterday was no exception. Two churches in two blocks, both with something going on - you get the picture. I finally got a spot, close to the church, parked the car, and got out. As I scurried across the street, I realized how excited I felt to go to worship! The anticipation of God's presence through music and scripture was almost overwhelming. I have found before that when I begin worship by anticipating that I will hear from God, it almost always happens. I was not disappointed:

Haggai 2:6-7
This is what the Lord Almighty says:
"In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,
the sea and the dry land.
I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come,
and I will fill this house with glory, "
says the Lord Almighty.

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.

Merry Christmas! (for real)

We are now firmly planted in the 12 days of Christmas. These are my relaxing days; the musical demands of the season are behind me now and I can listen to carols and enjoy them!

Last year, I wrote a little on the subject of sentiment and/or emotion in the carols we sing. The Victorian writers were especially good (it seems to me) at glossing over the hard reality of Jesus' birth. I was challenged by a friend to write something that was more realistic but still singable.

Asleep in the manger; there's no other place
for Mary to put Him. There's dust on His face.
The cattle are noisy! She just needs to rest
with Joseph and Jesus; she feels very blessed.

But wait! There are shepherds who come now to see
the Babe in the manger and His family.
'Twas angels that told them - well, that's what they say.
It would have been nice if they'd come the next day.

The Baby is crying again; is He wet?
Or hungry or cold? Mary's not sure, and yet
she loves Him and holds Him and sings Him to sleep
accompanied by sounds from the goats and the sheep.

Advent 3 - Comfort and joy

The third candle of Advent is Joy. I admit to having a bit of a hard time feeling joyful over the last couple of weeks as 3 of my organist colleagues in the city have lost husband or father recently. Yesterday, I looked up the definition for "joy" in both the Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionaries. What I was expecting to find was a definition that made a distinction between "joy" and "happiness". That was not the case. Is this an instance where a secular definition of the word is very different from a faith-based definition? I don't know. I do know that the words, "O tidings of comfort and joy..." feels like a good refrain to sing these days.

Sentiment or Emotion?

Ever since I read this interesting post from a fellow hymn-blogger last week, I have been pondering the whole subject of sentimentality in carols. There is no doubt in my mind that the Christmas season is one which stirs up a great variety of feelings in all of us - and for many different reasons. Some feelings have positive connections, some negative.

On Sunday, Dec. 20th we sang as our closing hymn Long ago, prophets knew (words by Fred Pratt Green). The last line of the final verse is: "unborn son of Mary, Saviour do not tarry!" Tears welled up in my eyes as I played. It seems with each year that passes, my prayer grows in intensity that Christ will come again. So - is this sentiment or emotion? Or something else altogether?

Definitions from the Oxford dictionary: emotion - a strong mental or instinctive feeling such as love or fear; sentiment - [I'm abbreviating here] a mental feeling; tendency to be swayed by feeling rather than by reason.

Merriam-Webster is less wordy: emotion - a usually intense feeling; sentiment - thought and judgment influenced by feeling.

Now really, I'm not sure these definitions make things any clearer. And maybe I'm just trying to justify my own feelings! What do you think? Is there a difference between being emotional about a certain carol and being sentimental? Are these differences simply one of implication?

Prepare the Way - Advent 4

I can think of no better day to post about the Light of the world, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, than on the shortest day of the year. Take heart, my friend, we have almost come to the end of our waiting for the celebration of His coming! Today, in Winnipeg where I live, the sun rose at 8:24 a.m. and set at 4:29 p.m. I am quite happy to know that the days will now get longer again.

It is common to reserve the image of light in carols to those used around Epiphany. For example, We Three Kings - "guide us to Thy perfect light." Or, Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light. However, we also have Silent Night - "Son of God, love's pure light" and O come, all ye faithful - "God of God, Light of light, born unto Mary, the virgin blest". Let us rejoice, not just on the day with the least amount of daylight, but every day of the year that we can trust the Light of all lights to guide us on our way!

Prepare the Way - Advent 3

I recently (Dec. 6th) presented a solo concert of Advent and Christmas music. Basically, I have two goals in preparing for such a concert. First - to give information about the music or words to make them more meaningful to the audience; second - to introduce lesser known works to expand musical horizons. My favourite new-to-me Christmas song is the Wexford Carol. I included it in the program as part of the second goal. I discovered it in a book of arrangements by Phillip Keveren called, appropriately enough, Celtic Christmas. Here is a most wonderful version I found on YouTube.

Prepare the Way - Advent 1

The church year has rolled around and, once again, we are celebrating the first Sunday of Advent. Today I am struck by the discipline of waiting and preparing.

Christmas music is definitely some of my favourite. It fascinates me that many carols we sing have been sung for several centuries already. We only sing them for a short time each year, yet we know and love them and look forward to singing them every season. The discipline part comes for me in not using carols (in worship) that speak of Jesus' birth before Christmas Eve. We are still preparing for His arrival. We sing the words of the prophets. Christ will be our Dayspring from on high, the Key of David, Emmanuel - God with us! We wait and anticipate Christ's coming. Will you wait with me this Advent?

The Twelve Days of Christmas

So, here we are in the 12 days of Christmas. I can't say I've been as bold as my fellow blogger in wishing others "Merry Christmas" although I was pleasantly surprised to hear carols (both sacred and secular) still playing in the grocery store yesterday. If you are like me, the minute you hear the phrase "the 12 days of Christmas" you think of the song we sometimes sing listing all the gifts from "my true love". The song was not the beginning of the 12 days. At the Council of Tours (a meeting of leaders of the Christian church in 567) these days were proclaimed to be a sacred and festive season. Basically, they are the days between Christmas and Epiphany although there seems to be more than one way to count them. Sometimes the 12 days are considered to be December 26th to January 6th (Epiphany). Sometimes the counting begins with the evening of December 25th which then makes January 5th "Twelfth Night" and the 6th "Twelfth Day". Until the 1800's, in England anyway, the festivities of Twelfth night took precedence over those of December 25th. We can credit the Victorians with bringing the focus back to Christmas.
(Information gleaned from various internet sites and from Gerry Bowler's The World Encyclopedia of Christmas.)

Merry Christmas!

Rejoice! Christ, the Saviour, is born!

Last Sunday evening, I attended the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols service at St. Andrew's Woodhaven. (I try, every year, to attend one Advent/Christmas service where I don't have to play and can sit, sing, listen and worship.) As I parked the car and walked briskly through the crisp - no, make that frigid - December air, I was greeted by the bidding bell - and sure enough, as I entered the church there was a gentleman rhythmically pulling the rope!

One carol I nearly always think of on Christmas is "I heard the bells on Christmas day"although I rarely have an opportunity to sing it with others. I wrote the following for the bulletin on December 21st:
There is nothing quite like the stirring sound of church bells ringing out loud and clear to send shivers up and down my spine! I have had a couple opportunities to hear "the pealing of the bells" at St. Luke's Anglican down on Nassau St. N. and I find it a very moving experience. Bells have been used through the centuries to announce events both happy and sad. They bring communities together to worship (church bells) and to serve each other (fire bells). Considering how prominent bells are at this time of year I was surprised to find only two Advent/Christmas carols that mention bells: Long ago, prophets knew and I heard the bells on Christmas day. If you think of another one, please let me know!


I must have been tired when I wrote the above because I've easily thought of 2 more since: Ding-dong! Merrily on high and Ring, little bells. I'd still like to know what others you can think of.

'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime

All week long this carol has been running through my head. I hadn't really thought to post on it until I saw this lovely photo posted on a blog I found recently and have been visiting. The full moon has been casting lacy shadows from bare branches on the snow, and although it has been very cold this week, I have still appreciated and enjoyed the beauty of the moonlight.

Father Jean de Brebeuf (1593-1649)was a Jesuit from France who came to what is now Ontario in the 1600's to minister to the Huron Indians. His insight into their culture and his recognition of the strength of their beliefs is something that amazes me. Although the Huron nation was scattered by the Iroquois, the words of this carol survived in the Huron language for 100 years before it was translated into French. An English translation followed in 1926 by Jesse Edgar Middleton and that is what is commonly sung today. It is still under copyright so I won't include all the words here. I hope you're able to read them in your own hymnal. This is thought to be the first Christmas carol written in North America; I'm so glad I chose to include it in our Christmas Eve service!
Sources: Gerry Bowler's The World Encyclopedia of Christmas, pub. by McClelland & Stewart Ltd. c. 2000; and The Huron Carol, illustrated by Frances Tyrrell, pub. by Lester & Orpen Dennys Limited, c. 1990.

'Twas in the moon of wintertime
When all the birds had fled,
That mighty Gitchi-Manitou
Sent angel choirs instead...
"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria!"

Within a lodge of broken bark
The tender Babe was found...
And as the hunter braves drew nigh
The angel song rang loud and high:
"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria!"


...The chiefs from far before Him knelt
With gifts of fox and beaver pelt.
"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria!"

O children of the forest free,
O sons of Manitou,
The Holy Child of earth and heaven
Is born today for you...
"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria!"
Words translation by J.E. Middleton, c. The Frederick Harris Music Co. Ltd.

Advent: Preparing for Christmas

I was recently asked why it’s okay to decorate the church for Christmas, but we wait to sing Christmas carols until Dec. 24. I think of decorating as part of our preparation for Christ’s coming. Expectant parents do many things ahead of the birth of their baby to prepare for its coming. They shop for a crib, rocking chair, and clothes. They paint the baby’s room and read books on baby care. Families only celebrate the baby’s arrival, comment on its’ beautiful appearance and take it to the room they have prepared once it is born. Advent carols and decorating are ways we prepare for Christ’s arrival. We celebrate and sing Christmas carols when we celebrate His birth.