Old song, New Age
Here’s Mannheim Steamroller performing “Stille Nacht,” from the 1984 album
Archive of entries posted on December 2012
Another oldie
Edited below. Judy Garland sings the original “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” from the 1944 musical film “Meet Me in St. Louis.” A footnote on the lyrics: originally they were really downbeat: ORIGINAL VERSION Have yourself a merry little Christmas It may be your last Next year we may all be living in the …
Forgetfulness
I went down to Ala Moana Shopping Center to Christmas shop at Barnes and Noble, which is now the only new general bookstore (there are specialty ones) on the island, and managed to get what I wanted for my giftees. However, I forgot to get something I’d wanted for myself. This is either a moral …
Hoedown!
Let’s mix in a little cello and fiddle. Here’s Yo Yo Ma and Natalie MacMaster performing “A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel,” from his 2008 album “Songs of Joy and Peace”. MacMaster is a Nova Scotian fiddler; you probably know who Yo Yo Ma is.
Water water everywhen?
We had a power spike on Saturday which knocked the cable as well as the regular and microwave oven clocks off. No big thing, right? Ah, but it also knocked the automatic timer for our sprinkler system off, and it actually ran a cycle through all four zones before I manually stopped it to keep …
Bleak is a poetry word
Here’s Judy Collins singing “In the Bleak Midwinter,” from her 2000 album “All on a Wintry Night”. It was originally written as a poem by Christina Rosetti, a 19th century English poet. It was first set to music by a man named Gustav Holst in 1906.
Brassy
This should shake up the listeners a little. Here’s Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass playing “Winter Wonderland” from their 1968 “Christmas Album.” This is the most unusual arrangement of the song I’ve ever heard. You’ve got to really listen before you recognize the melody.
Urban Christmases
This is Mary Chapin Carpenter with “Christmas Time in the City” from her 2008 album Come Darkness Come Light. I’ve plugged this album since the day I heard it four years ago, and I’ve yet to hear any Christmas music as good and as original since.
Christmas decorations 2012
We aren’t even close to being finished decorating, but thanks to my niece and her fiancé (a fact I’m still grappling with) our tree is up and trimmed. Here’s a picture in daylight: From Events And here it is in darkness: From Events Here’s the first outdoor decoration we’ve put up in about twenty years: …
Jazzed-up Peanuts
Mr. Vince Guaraldi with “Christmastime Is Here,” from the soundtrack for 1965’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Here’s a thoughtful essay by a guy named Erik Adams at The Onion’s A.V. Club about Guaraldi’s score for the TV show. The music within is both timeless and timely: The off-the-cuff nature of its recording promises endless surprises, …