I suspect many of you have been there. You know who you are. When that piece of music you really adored and on which you began earnest work gradually transforms—weeks or months down the road—into the sound of fingernails scraping down a chalkboard. Because dysfunctional relationships are not limited only to humans or to animal predators in the wild. Oh, no—I am here to tell you that dysfunctionality and eternal star-crossedness in relationships between the musician and the music can be quite common. It can depend on the piece of music, how much caffeine has or has not been consumed, [...] Read more »
The 12 Days of Christmas Song
And on this, the 12th and last day of Christmas, we have a fabulous King’s Singers/Mormon Tabernacle Choir production of this beloved Christmas classic. The twelve days in the song are the twelve days of Christmas, starting on Christmas Day. In some traditions, though, the 12 days are counted from the day after Christmas (December 26—Boxing Day or St. Stephen’s Day, which is the feast day of St. Stephen Protomartyr) to the day before Epiphany, or the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6, or the Twelfth Day). Twelfth Night is usually considered to be the evening of January 5th, preceding [...] Read more »
The Gloucestershire Wassail Song
(NOTE: this is the 11th post in the 12 Days of Christmas series.) Today we examine the early roots of “wassailing,” or “caroling,” as it has come to be known. There are two distinct kinds of wassailing to be discussed: the house-visiting wassail and the orchard-visiting wassail. House-visiting wassailing bears some resemblance to modern-day caroling, which is singing Christmas carols door-to-door. Orchard-wassailing, on the other hand, refers to the practice of singing to the apple-producing orchard trees in cider-producing regions of England: it was believed this would promote a good harvest for the following year. This post focuses on the [...] Read more »
Jessye Norman’s Gesu Bambino
(NOTE: this is the 10th post in the 12 Days of Christmas series.) “Gesu Bambino” is an Italian Christmas carol composed by Pietro Yon in 1917. (It was translated to English by Frederick H. Martens.) The traditional Christmas song “I Saw Three Ships” derives its melody from the “Gesu Bambino” carol, even though it’s a simpler version of the same tune. And even if you’ve never heard this song before now, the chorus will seem quite familiar to you because the melody and lyrics of the “Bambino” chorus are taken from one of the most beloved Christmas carols of all [...] Read more »
Angelus ad pastores ait
With all the revelries of New Year’s Day, I wasn’t able to get to my computer and post the 8th Day of Christmas segment yesterday. I assure you this wonderful piece is worth the wait, though! Composed by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) toward the end of his life, it was first published in Cantiones Sacrae, No 35. Sweelinck—a Dutch composer, organist, and famous teacher whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras—was among the first major keyboard composers in Europe. As a teacher, he is credited with helping establish the north German organ tradition. [...] Read more »
Bethlehem Down
(NOTE: This is Day 7 of the 12 Days of Christmas series.) Today’s hauntingly-beautiful Christmas carol was written in 1927 by Anglo-Welsh composer Peter Warlock (1894-1930), who often used the pseudonym of Philip Arnold Heseltine. The music was set to a lovely poem by poet and journalist Bruce Blunt (1899-1957), and this gorgeous anthem is often used in liturgical churches during the Christmas and Epiphany periods of the church year. Most worshippers are likely unaware that this reverent, thoughtful piece was composed in order to finance a mutual Christmas Eve drunken binge (an “immortal carouse”) by the cash-strapped composer Peter [...] Read more »
There Is No Rose
(NOTE: this is Day 5 of the 12 Days of Christmas series. You can find Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4 here.) I had a hard time deciding which piece to put up today~~there is an embarrassment of riches from literally centuries of gorgeous Christmas music. However, my friend Beth mentioned that “There is no rose” is her favorite from Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, so this one is for you, Beth. : ) In the 12-part larger work, “There is no rose” is the third piece, and “Balulalow”(from Day 3) is the fifth piece. Read more »
I Wonder as I Wander
(NOTE: this is Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas series. You can find Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 here.) “I Wonder as I Wander” is a Christmas carol written by John Jacob Niles. The carol has its origins in a song fragment collected on July 16, 1933 by folklorist and singer John Jacob Niles. While in the town of Murphy in Appalachian North Carolina, Niles attended a fundraising meeting held by evangelicals who had been ordered out of town by the police. In his unpublished autobiography, he wrote of hearing the song: A girl had [...] Read more »
Balulalow
(Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas series. Feel free to check out Day 1 and Day 2 if you missed them.) A hauntingly beautiful piece of music composed by Benjamin Britten in 1942 for the larger work A Ceremony of Carols, it’s set for harp, treble choir (that’s another name for a choir made up of only higher voices such as children’s), and a treble soloist performed here by the famous St. Paul Cathedral Choir of England. Enjoy! Read more »
O Holy Night
This most beloved of Christmas songs is performed in virtually every musical genre each holiday season. Here’s Leontyne Price’s gorgeous rendition of “O Holy Night.” I wish for you and yours a wonderful, merry, and truly special Christmas Eve~ Read more »
A fabulous last-minute ticket deal for Strathmore
For a wonderful (and cheap!) Christmas show for the whole family, check out this last-minute ticket offer for “A Dickens Christmas” tonight—December 20, 2011—at the Strathmore at 7:30 pm. Charles Dickens himself will do scenes and commentary throughout, along with other British and American actors. Favorite Christmas carols will be performed by the Cathedral Choral Society under the leadership of J. Reilly Lewis, and other special guests—a band of “minstrels,” or carolers—are students, teachers, and alumni from Episcopal High School, along with the school’s organist, Todd Fickley. Directed by Catherine Flye, it’s great fun for the whole family! With tickets [...] Read more »
First World Rap
This rapper nails it on the head in less than 2 minutes. Read more »
Wanna occupy with me?
I don’t wanna be in the 1% all by myself this week. Occupy with me? I understand Wall Street is a little short on decent practice rooms, but perhaps we can find something locally? Happy practicing! Read more »
Random Music Trivia Giveaway
Please feel free to take a shot at answering these five questions below. The answers aren’t difficult to find, but a few of them may surprise you! A winner will be randomly selected from the posted comments early next week: they will receive a free copy of “The Encyclopedia of Music: Instruments of the Orchestra and the Great Composers,” Hermes House 2003. And now, on to the questions! 1. Which composer is credited with composing the first true song cycle? (Hint: it’s not Bob Dylan.) 2. In what musical work did the harpsichord enter the modern orchestra for the first [...] Read more »
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