The liner notes for this CD are reproduced here:
1. In the Bleak Midwinter
This is one of the most beautiful carols that I know, the music written in 1906 by Gustav Holst. Placed in the key of F major, I performed it on an acoustic guitar made back in 1970 by Božo Podunavac in Chicago, Illinois. The Dean acoustic bass guitar was provided by Tobias Music of Downers Grove, Illinois.
2. The Wassail Song/The Friendly Beasts/Away in a Manger/Deck the Halls
This medley of old favorites originated in England, France and perhaps Germany. A 1997 Gibson acoustic guitar (model SJ-200) made in Bozeman, Montana, sounded out this music in the key of A major, modulating to D.
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
This song was first published in 1943 with music composed by Hugh Martin and performed by Judy Garland in the film “Meet Me in St. Louis.” The big blonde maple body of the Gibson SJ-200 gives this rendering a full throated warm tone in G major.
4. Angels We Have Heard on High/Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
I remember singing the cascading chorus of this traditional French carol in the choir of the First Methodist Church of Barrington, Mr. Stebbins as Choirmaster. The shimmering of our young voices singing “Gloria” is one of my fondest recollections of that time. I worked out the second piece, by Felix Mendelssohn, for my finger-picking guitar students many years ago. My high-strung guitar (model C-10) was built by Jean Larrivée in Victoria, British Columbia in 1989, and used in this recording. Also included here is a classical guitar made in 1997 by Lorenzo Pimentel of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Key of D major.
5. Coventry Carol
A most haunting melody from 16th century England and an arrangement that I put together years ago while working on melodic chord changes. Played in A minor on an acoustic steel-string FS model guitar made by the Santa Cruz Guitar Company in 2008.
6. Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer/One-Horse Open Sleigh
This wonderful musical jaunt I enjoy playing on hot July days just as a fun change of pace. Rudolf first appeared as a poem by Robert May in a booklet publish in 1939. Ten years later, Gene Autry recorded the Johnny Marks adaptation, where it became hugely popular. Also known as “Jingle Bells”, the second piece appeared as a Thanksgiving song in the mid-nineteenth century, written by James L. Pierpont of Medford, Massachusetts. I ride with Santa Cruz (model FS) and the Dean acoustic bass guitar on this one.
7. Silent Night
This is most likely the ideal Christmas carol for the guitar. An elegant melody that cascades over the resonating strings, legend has it that it was composed in the early nineteenth century by Franz Gruber when the church organ malfunctioned at a most inopportune time. Performed on the Gibson SJ-200 and in the key of E major. Adding musical support is a Larriveé 12-string guitar .
8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Carol of the Drum/I Saw Three Ships
A medley of one American and two English songs. “God Rest Ye”, in the key of E minor, dates back as early as the mid-eighteenth century but received much notoriety in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol published in 1843. The second tune. also, known as “The Little Drummer Boy”, was composed in 1941 by Katherine K. Davis and first recorded in 1955 by the Trapp Family Singers. The third piece dates from seventeenth century England. For this arrangement, I brought out the heavy artillery, my 12-string acoustic guitar (model L-42) built by Jean Larrivée of Victoria, British Columbia, back in 1985. You hear the Pimentel classical guitar in the second and third sections when the key changes to E major.
9. Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming
The best version of this song, in my opinion, appears on a CD released in 1997 by Priscilla Herdman, Anne Hills, and Cindy Mangsen and titled, Voices of Winter. Here, played on the high-strung Larrivée, is my instrumental arrangement of the sixteenth century German carol, composed by Michael Praetorius, and set in the key of E major.
10. Oh, Come All Ye Faithful/ The First Noël
The music of “Adeste Fideles” is attributed to John Francis Wade of England and first published in 1751. “Noël” is also from eighteenth century England and refers to the first “birthday” (noël in french). It was the first Christmas carol I worked out for guitar, in this case the Božo six-string with 12-string support by the always faithful Larrivée L-42. Key of E flat major modulating to B flat major.
11. The Christmas Song
The music for this song was composed by Mel Torme and became a worldwide sensation when Nat King Cole recorded it for the last time in 1961. I really enjoyed the youtube video of Mel and Judy Garland singing it on her television program in 1963. Actually, I might even remember watching it as a kid in real time (maybe not, though). I do play this in the key of A flat major using my FS acoustic by Santa Cruz and an acoustic bass by Dean.
12. What Child Is This
One of my most musically significant experiences happened in Iceland back in the summer of 1974. I was traveling with sixteen other American college students on a geology field trip. We were camped between two glaciers in the interior and singing songs around a campfire, (not an easy task, finding firewood in Iceland). Anyway, two fellows from then Czechoslovakia played this song on guitar and it broke down the language/political barriers for all of us that night. The music, also, transcends time very well, from Elizabethan England to the facebook global economy. Key of C# minor rendered on my Larrivée high-strung.
13. Oh, Holy Night
The music for this French carol was composed by Adolphe Adam and set to Placide Cappeau’s poem in 1847. I particularly like the way this music creates many overtones on the cedar soundboard of the Santa Cruz FS. Key of A major. Back ground vocals are provided by my multiple personalities.
14. Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel
This was originally a Gregorian chant from the ninth century, and is one of the first hymns I remember hearing in church as a youngster. Even then, I was mesmerized by its haunting simple and timeless rhythm. Performed in F minor on the high-strung Larrivée.
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