This carol is based on the 1863 poem, “Christmas Bells,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. When sung, the two stanzas pertaining to the American Civil War are omitted. However, you can read the full poem
here.
I hope you enjoy this carol, sung and played on ukulele and Oriole soprano recorder!
you’re probably familiar with this 19th-century carol. But did you know it is based on a real Bohemian king? You can read more
here.
my arrangement contains viola and alto recorder, accompanied by zither. I hope you enjoy it!
Here is a 17th-century French Christmas carol that is still sung today. The French title is “Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle,” and it was translated into English in the 18th century. Originating in the Provence region of France, it was not meant to be sung at Christmas, but was considered dance music for the French nobility.
In the lyrics, two farm girls, Jeanette and Isabella, find the Christ Child with his mother in the stable. The song describes how one should speak quietly and see how the baby is peacefully sleeping, enjoying his dreams. Then, they rush to a nearby village to share the news of His birth, and everyone comes to see the baby. To this day in the Provence region, children dress as shepherds and milkmaids and sing this carol on their way to Midnight Mass, carrying torches and candles.
My arrangement contains alto recorder and zither and is played as a lullaby rather than a dance tune. I hope you enjoy it! Have a safe, peaceful, blessed, and very Merry Christmas!
Original Song on Ukulele
Well, the New Year is finally coming!
That means a new horizon for everyone–or at least, for those of us who choose to see it that way.
Right now I’m asking myself what is on my horizon?
Increased well-being, more hope, and the ability to see and embrace new opportunities!
I would also say less stress, but I’m a realist.
So, I’ll say choosing better ways to handle stress and more positive, productive responses in emotional situations are on my horizon!
—
Written for
#SixSentenceStories: Horizon.
What’s on your horizon? Leave a comment if you want to share!
There is a Light, a tiny spark,
A miracle we can behold!
So simple, yet it’s brave and bold
And dims not, even in the dark.
How we can miss its micro mark!
But still it burns quite near, not far–
So close we cannot see the Star…
It’s placed within us to provide
The Light we need to see, to guide.
We must re-learn: It’s who we are!
—
Written for
Ronovan Writes Décima Poetry Challenge Prompt No. 37: (STAR) in the C rhyme line.
This is an English carol, also known as “The Hymn for Christmas.” I learned it from
Derwent Harps
just a few weeks ago.
The lyrics are a poem written by Edward Caswall and first published in 1858. Sir John Goss composed “Humility,” a hymn tune for this carol, in 1871. This is a lovely carol, not commonly heard in the United States.
My arrangement contains lyre, viola, and alto recorder. I hope you enjoy it!
The Holiday Blogging Party is not over… YET! Click this link to
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Open to solace,
Curled in Winter’s resting time.
Hybernate and heal.
—
Written for
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 337 OPEN and Solace.
This is an instrumental version of a
Metaphysical Christmas song
I wrote in 2010 and posted here in 2012. It affirms the birth of Light, or Christ Consciousness that can occur within, and for, each one of us, at any time. Christ Consciousness is simply the awareness of oneness, connectedness, positivity, peace, healing, and love that is innately ours. Living in a stressful world, we tend to lose awareness of the Christ Mind, but It is still there, within us and available to us at all times.
I hope you enjoy both versions of “Light,” the one with lyrics linked above, and this one with ukulele, Oriole soprano recorder, and viola! And no matter what you choose to call it, I hope you recognize the Light within yourself, now and always!
There’s still time to participate in my
Holiday Blogging Party!
Click the link to learn how!
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!
Click here to learn how!
“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!
Mystical Strings 
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