Check it out! I was so excited to get the news! 🙂
Listen to “Christmas Wayfarer” your favorite way – find it on the ESOTERICA album
“Christmas Wayfarer” Featured on MusicaNeo.com!
Tag: christmas
#NewTuneThursday: Christmas Wayfarer
Happy Holidays to one and all! Today’s #NewTuneThursday features one of my favorite works, “Christmas Wayfarer”!
Composed in 2015, this 8 minute medley includes unique adaptations of “I Saw Three Ships,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Coventry Carol,” “O Holy Night,” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”
The following year I was requested to compose a version of this symphonic work for concert band. Check out the digital demo of the original symphonic recording…
Enjoy Christmas Wayfarer…
Listen on YouTube Music
“Christmas Wayfarer” can be performed by an ensemble with intermediate to advanced ability. Get the sheet music for Orchestra here, and the music for Concert Band here! And stay tuned for our featured work next week…
#NewTuneThursday: Now Winter Nights Enlarge
Welcome to #NewTuneThursday!
Today’s tune continues the Christmasy-slash-Holidays edition of these four Thursdays in December.
I have to say I really love today’s tune! It’s sassy, medieval-feeling, and conveys the imagery of youthful revelry during holiday celebrations.
This work for SSA a cappella trio and hand percussion (rainstick, tambourine, and finger cymbals) is an exotic treatment of the 16th century poem of the same name by Thomas Campion. Moderately extended vocal techniques and microtones grant an almost Eastern or Indonesian flavor to the imagery of bacchanal youth during Wintertime Festivities.
Enjoy listening to it below….
Lyrics
Now winter nights enlarge
The number of their hours;
And clouds their storms discharge
Upon the airy towers.
Let now the chimneys blaze
And cups o’erflow with wine,
Let well-turned words amaze
With harmony divine.
Now yellow waxen lights
Shall wait on honey love
While youthful revels, masques, and courtly sights
Sleep’s leaden spells remove.
This time doth well dispense
With lovers’ long discourse;
Much speech hath some defense,
Though beauty no remorse.
All do not all things well;
Some measures comely tread,
Some knotted riddles tell,
Some poems smoothly read.
The summer hath his joys,
And winter his delights;
Though love and all his pleasures are but toys,
They shorten tedious nights.
“Now Winter Nights Enlarge” can be performed by an experienced ensemble with advanced ability. Get the sheet music here! And stay tuned for our major holiday work of next week…
#NewTuneThursday: Cradle Song (of Mary’s Beloved)
Welcome to #NewTuneThursday!
Today’s tune kicks off the Christmasy-slash-Holidays edition of these four Thursdays in December.
Sadly I have yet to hear this lovely little song for SATB and solo instrument performed with real musicians; I can only give you a tase of its beauty with the midi demo below… But, hopefully, one day, a choir will be willing to bring “Cradle Song” to life….
“Cradle Song (of Mary’s Beloved)” is a 3-minute-long work for SATB choir with either brass or woodwind instrumental solo (the solo part is available for either the original Bb Trumpet or C Flute, Bb Clarinet, or F Horn).
The text, adapted from the 1901 poem of the same name by Patrick K. O’Horan, is a sweet lullaby sung by Mary, mother of Jesus, to her “beloved little One” of the “Holy, Immortal, Ineffable Name.”
The minute I stumbled on this sweet poem in 2015, I knew I had to set it to music!
As you listen to the demo, try keeping the lyrics in mind:
Sleep, O my little one, quietly sleep,
Angels shall guard thee slumbering deep.
White wings about thee
Enfolding that flame,
Holy, Immortal
Ineffable Name.Sleep, O my little one, quietly sleep,
Heaven’s high hosts around thee shall creep.
All love and glory,
Beauty and grace —
With kiss of a mother–
rest on thy face.Sleep, my beloved, my little one sleep;
No crying be heard: O stir not nor weep.
A bright Star is shining
Above thy dear head,
And to this poor shelter
The great Kings are led.Sleep then, my Kingly one, gently and still.
See how thine angels watch on each hill.
Here is thy mother
Close, dearest heart:
I shall be with thee
When shepherds depart.Sleep, O my little Lord, darling one, sleep.
“Cradle Song (of Mary’s Beloved)” can be performed by a choir with advanced ability. Get the sheet music here! And stay tuned for our work of “Holiday Frivolity” next week…
ESOTERICA is Live on the Web!
My newest album, ESOTERICA, is now live on iTunes/Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, & GooglePlay, as well as Bandcamp and my own store!
Get it while it’s hot! 😉
Live Debut of “Christmas Wayfarer” for Concert Band!
Check it out! Here’s the video of the LIVE Premiere of “Christmas Wayfarer” (concert band version), performed by the Golden West Pops!
Me in the audience… 🙂
Me w/conductor & friend, Polly Gorman
You can also download the original symphonic version on my album ESOTERICA, and find the music here: (for Symphony), (for Concert Band).
The Music Nerds! #4
Join me for a surprise, off-the-cuff Music Nerds video! I was in the middle of an arranging project and thought you might like to sit in on this writing session to see what I do! 🙂
Day-After-Christmas Christmas Present – for You!
I know it’s a day late… But I have a Christmas present for you all!
I’ve spent some time recently exploring my options in mixing and mastering my original works digitally, to create optimal, release-able recordings of large works without a live orchestra – and I’ll be writing a blog post about what I’ve learned and discovered on that soon. But for now, I am super excited to release a homemade single, the definitive self-made recording of “Christmas Wayfarer”! Enjoy the little video I compiled for the track below. You can also purchase the single at my discography page.
Have a wonderful holiday season and joyous New Year!
Just in Time for Christmas…
My new work for symphony orchestra, “Christmas Wayfarer,” parts and score, is now up on my Sheet Music Store!
Featuring my unique adaptations of these sacred carols: “I Saw Three Ships,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Coventry Carol,” “O Holy Night,” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”
Enjoy the recording below….
Full-Blown Christmas Medley, in Progress…
I’m working on a Christmas Medley for The Master’s College orchestra! Here’s what I’ve got cooking…
For those who’ve enjoyed my “Three Ships,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Coventry Carol,” “O Holy Night,” and “Hark the Herald…” there will be significant portions of those works featured in this medley.
It’s still rough, but it’s really taking shape quickly. I’m loving it and couldn’t wait to share! <3
