Carols of Christmas – 2012

Snowy Christmas Scene – Oil painting by Margaret Morgensen Owen

Each of the carols that I have chosen for 2012’s Christmas-music project have a long and rich history. The youngest of these pieces was written in 1868. As I worked on this annual labor-of-love, I have thought often of my Mother, whom we lost early in 2012 – and, who likely first taught me each of these pieces. For this reason, I decided to use one of her paintings as accompanying art. I say a prayer of thanks for her life and for her love of Christmas and its music — that I have seemingly “inherited…”

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Latin Hymn, 12th Century)
My arrangement of this hymn features oboe, clarinet, viola, miscellaneous strings, piano, and chimes in a multi-verse rendition of one of the oldest-known carols.

Chaconne on “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks” (1592)
This arrangement for pipe-organ is by Betty Sue Shepherd, who was a professor of music at Samford University during my student-time there. My sister studied piano from her for four years.

Angels From The Realms of Glory (1867)
My arrangement of this old-but-not-as-old-as-the-others hymn features a baroque-like brass ensemble that alternates phrases and verses with hand-bells, pipe-organ, strings: violins 1, violins 2, viola, cello, and string bass.

O, Little Town of Bethlehem (1868)
My arrangement of this hymn is more sparse than the others. It features piano with synthesizer-padded-background a little more prominently than the other arrangements. The first verse uses solo violin. Flute and clarinet play the second verse with piano taking the third verse. The fourth verse features my near-favorite – a solo alto-ranged, stringed-instrument.

Prelude, Fugue, and Toccata on “Adeste Fidelis” (1751)
This pipe-organ arrangement is by David Lowe, who was the organist at First Baptist Church (Huntsville, AL, USA) in the mid-1970’s and played organ for my sister’s wedding. Over the years, while serving as organist here-and-there, I have performed this arrangement (in public) six (6) times from 1989 to 2001.

I hope that you enjoy this selected collection of arrangements. Merry Christmas, 2012.