Monthly Archives: December 2020

“What Child Is This?” Bonus DSE #Christmas #Music

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William Chatterton Dix wrote the lyrics to this well-known Christmas carol in 1865, after undergoing both a severe illness and a spiritual renewal. His lyrics were later set to the traditional English folk song, “Greensleeves,” the melody we still sing today–but typically with some accidentals added. “What Child Is This?” is more popular in the United States than in Great Britain today.

Here is the traditional tune, without the accidentals, played on lyre and zither simultaneously. This is another
Double Strung Experiment
that is especially beautiful at this time of year.

I hope you enjoy this arrangement!

There’s still time to participate in my
Holiday Blogging Party!
Click the link to learn how!

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” #Music

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This song needs no introduction. 🙂 But, for the sake of completeness, here is a little background. The author of this traditional English carol is unknown. It’s been sung by carolers, wassailers, and mummers since the 19th century, and perhaps earlier. The organist and composer Arthur Warrell popularized this carol. He arranged it for the University of Bristol Madrigal Singers as a very elaborate four-part harmony arrangement, which they performed in 1935. The song remains popular today, both in the United Kingdom and the United States.

I hope you enjoy this arrangement, played on zither, viola, and alto recorder! And I wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Want to participate in my Holiday Blogging Party? There’s still time!
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“Tu Scendi dalle Stelle” #Italian #Christmas #Music

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“Tu Scendi dalle Stelle” (“From Starry Skies Thou Comest”) is an Italian Christmas carol written in 1732. You can find the lyrics, one English translation, and other historical information on the
Wikipedia page
for this song.

I learned this carol from my Italian professor, Signora de Santis, when I was 16. Here I play it on lyre and Oriole soprano recorder, and sing the Italian lyrics. I hope you enjoy this beautiful carol!

“The Friendly Beasts” #Christmas #Music

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“The Friendly Beasts” is a traditional Christmas song. Though some sources say it’s an english carol, the melody is actually French. It’s the 12th-century melody of the Latin song, “”Orientis Partibus”. Robert Davis wrote the current English lyrics in the 1920’s.

In my arrangement, the donkey is represented by zither. Viola represents the cow. The doves are represented by melody and harmony on alto recorder, and the sheep is represented by lyre. In addition, verses 3 and 4 (cow and doves) are accompanied by ukulele.

I hope you enjoy this touching Christmas song!

There’s still time to participate in my
Holiday Blogging Party!
Click the link to learn how!

“The Holly and the Ivy” Bonus DSE #Christmas #Music

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“The Holly and the Ivy” is a traditional British folk Christmas carol. However, it is more popular in the United States than in England. Though the song can only be traced as far as the early 19th century, the association of holly with Christmas dates back as far as Medieval times, if not earlier. The carol varied throughout traditional communities, and the standardized version we know today was first published in 1909, in a folk song collection by Cecil Sharp.

This is another double strung experiment, where I play lyre and zither at the same time. I.e. the instruments are not mixed, but are played together in real-time. In my last
double strung experiment post,
I said the next time you heard something with 2 rows of strings, it would be a real double strung harp. However, the harp won’t arrive until sometime next year (hopefully), and I really wanted to play something for Christmas. Ever since the first time I heard a double strung harp, with its ringing sound, I thought it would be especially beautiful at Christmastime.

I hope you enjoy “The Holly and the Ivy” on lyre and zither! I know I’ve enjoyed playing it!

There’s still time to participate in my
Holiday Blogging Party!
Click the link to learn how!

Fairies #Poem

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Do I believe in fairies?
After all, I’ve never seen, heard or felt them.

Yet I believe in goodness,
Hope, love, and music,
Even when I don’t feel them.

And I believe in the sunrise,
Though I’ve never seen it.

I believe in inspiration,
Life, creativity, gratitude…
Acknowledgment brings awareness.

Do I believe in fairies?
Yes! I believe I do!

—
Written for
MLMM Tale Weaver/Fairy Tale – Fairies.

Thriving on Hope #Poem

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Nature thrives on hope!
Evergreens keep their branches and color,
even when other leaves have fallen away.

Ferns blanket forest floors,
offering a soft bed, warm covering,
to all who need it.

Mountain peaks rise high above
dark valleys of this world,
reminding us… We, too, shall rise!

Hope can be a lost balloon,
perhaps stolen by a gargoyle
in the darkness, when we’re not looking.

And, when we’re not looking,
we find it in a bento box,
wrapped neatly for our opening!

Only limited by
the Boundary Waters of our awareness,
Nature thrives on hope!

—
Written for Linda Kruschke’s
Paint Chip Poetry Prompt #50.