My 2021 Christmas album, a gift to my family and friends, is available here. I hope you enjoy these eight improvisations, about 20 minutes of music which I hope will add to your holiday cheer. Feel free to download* any of these recordings for personal use. This year I started a new hobby exploring how to record and mix my own performances in digital format. To keep things interesting, each piece was arranged with a different style interpretation. More info is in my notes following each recording below. (*To download click the 3 dots at right on a player. On some mobile browsers, you may need to long-press the player if the dots aren’t shown.)
As With Gladness, Men of Old
As With Gladness, Men of Old – based on a 15th century tune (“Verbum Caro Factum Est”), what I imagine a Renaissance minstrel band, playing a happy tune for the locals, on flute, recorder, accordion, lute, and bass with hand rhythmics might sound like around Yuletide.
In Dulci Jubilo (In Sweet Jubilation)
In Dulci Jubilo – many know this tune as “Good Christians All Rejoice”, but that came later for this tune. This is the J.S. Bach arrangement, performed as a brass quartet of trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba.
Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming
Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming – music by Michael Praetorius. Originally named as “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen”, is a German Christmas Carol from the 17th century. This performance uses a Celtic harp for the melody, with angel voices joined later by a string section.
Run, Ye Shepherds
Run, Ye Shepherds – a 16th century madrigal by Pierre Passereau, here set to a Christmas theme. If a shepherd carried an instrument, I would think it most likely some sort of flute or recorder or whistle. Accordingly, this performance uses four different woodwind voices and almost sounds birdlike at times.
The Huron Carol (Jesous Ahatonia)
The Huron Carol (Jesous Ahatonia) – found in some hymnals as “Twas in the Moon of Wintertime”. The title means “Jesus, he is born” in the language of the Huron native people of Canada and is a retelling of the Nativity in a North American setting. This performance uses an airy flute for the melody, a piano accompaniment, and a drumbeat that offered with respect to the song and to all Indigenous people.
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Come All Ye Faithful – based on an arrangement by Janet Vogt, this is the hymn everyone knows – but in many time signature changes, with 5/4, 4/4, and 3/4 all part of the music. The drum track was a challenge because of that! An electric bass and bright piano make this joyful to hear!
God Rest Ye Merry First Noel
God Rest Ye Merry First Noel – based on arrangements by Mark Hayes and Matt Hyzer, this is a pairing of two jazz-waltz pieces performed by a jazz quintet with alto sax, tenor sax, electric piano, string bass, and drums. A lot of fun to perform!
Gloria in Excelsis Deo!
Gloria in Excelsis Deo – from the Christmas Oratorio by Camille Saint-Saens, this performance features a trumpet-organ recitative that tells the story of the angels appearing to local shepherds (“Fear Not O Shepherds”), followed by brass and organ with chimes and voicesproclaiming “Gloria in excelsis Deo, and on Earth goodwill to all” to bring this collection to a close.
