2019 “Uketide” Tunes – Part III

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Frosty has melted and we’re off to France to revisit a song I did last year. Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella is what I’ll perform this Wednesday night in my first recital. I’ve added a few things to the 17th century carol that weren’t in my performance last Christmas, and I’ve been polishing the piece for a month.

The recital is at Salem’s Historic Grand Theatre, which is a cool venue, built in 1900 and renovated three years ago. Looking forward to it! Consider this the in-home dress rehearsal:

Aria joins me on the next tune. I hope to get up three more songs before Christmas!

2019 “Uketide” Tunes – Part II

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Today we go from an Irish carol to a popular American Christmas song. Frosty the Snowman was written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson. Gene Autry was the first to record the song in 1950 as a holiday follow-up to his 1949 seasonal hit, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Frosty went on to inspire a children’s book and several television shows. I believe at one point Frosty and Rudolph even co-starred in a stop-motion animation show.

When Christmas songs started their endless radio marathon in early November this year, Aria and I commented how often we heard this song. Regardless of repetition fatigue, Aria chose it for us to perform together:

The two of us have a Christmas recital we’re doing for the music school later this month. I’ll play my piece in the next “Uketide” Tunes installment.

2019 “Uketide” Tunes – Part I

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“Uketide” Tunes is back for the holly jolly season! Aria and I are talking about songs to do together, but I’m also performing a few solo pieces. I’m not sure about a release schedule so check back regularly throughout December. Ugly sweaters are promised at some point.

Let’s get started! A favorite Christmas hymn of mine is the 19th century Irish carol, The Snow Lay on the Ground, which paints the scene of the Christ Child’s birth in a Bethlehem manger. Why there is snow on the ground in a Mediterranean climate I don’t know, but the snow is only mentioned once. It is the repeating Latin chorus that is most notable: Venite adoremus Dominum. Translated: Come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. This is also the refrain in O Come, All Ye Faithful.

The melody line for The Snow Lay on the Ground  is uncomplicated, and while I start playing simply, there are embellishments and chord additions throughout the song that make it more interesting. The carol has four verses, but I play it slightly differently through two:

An American song, with Aria, is next!