Program Note by Jenna Grimm
“Silver Bells” was a song composed originally by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans that was performed by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in the movie “The Lemon Drop Kid”. The song was originally called “Tinkle bells” as Livingston described the sound of those bells being “Tinkley”. Later it was renamed to “Silver Bells” when Livingston’s wife told him that “tinkling” carried a “bathroom connotation”, and that the word “Silver” sounded a lot better than “Tinkle”. The song lyrics were untouched except that the word “Tinkle” was changed to “Silver”. The first recorded version was made by Bing Crosby and Carol Richards for their Orchestra in the October of 1950. Their version became so much more popular than the original that they reshot the song in “The Lemon Drop Kid” with Crosby and Richards singing it. After reaching spot 27 in the United Kingdom’s Top 40, the song has become a beloved standard of the Holiday Season.
Program Note by Anja Huettemann
“Un Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle” is a French Carol arranged by Richard Osborne. It was written in 1553 in France and was translated into English in the 18th Century. The lyrics tell the story of when Christ was born, and was a song of rejoicing for the day. In the Provence Region of France, children would dress up as shepherds and milkmaids and carry candles or torches while singing this song on their way to the Christmas Mass. The song itself is a story about two children, Jeanette and Isabelle, who are also dressed as milkmaids, that discover baby Jesus and run to tell the village. The song tells them to bring a torch to the baby and spread the news, but to do it quietly so that they don’t wake baby Jesus.
English Translation:
Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabelle! Bring a torch, to the stable call.
Christ is born. Tell the folk of the village. Jesus is born and Mary's calling.
Ah! Ah! beautiful is the Mother! Ah! Ah! beautiful is her child
Who is that, knocking on the door? Who is it, knocking like that?
Open up, we've arranged on a platter lovely cakes that we have brought here.
Knock! Knock! Open the door for us! Knock! Knock! Let's celebrate!
It is wrong when the child is sleeping, it is wrong to talk so loud.
Silence, now as you gather around, lest your noise should waken Jesus.
Hush! Hush! see how he slumbers! Hush! Hush! see how fast he sleeps!
Program Note by Makenna Wills
“What Child is This?” was written by William Chatterton Dix and published first in Britain in 1865. As a child he had a love for poetry, which his dad was responsible for. It wasn't until he fell ill and was bedridden that he began to read Christian literature. During his illness, Dix read and wrote Christian literature and poetry. As his illness progressed he could no longer make it out of his bed, and much of his later poems reflect his learnings and faith. “What Child is This?” is an abridged copy of “The Manger Song,” a poem he had written during his illness. This hymn is one of his more famous works, although there are lesser known hymns of his still out there today. The song itself pertains to the birth of Jesus. The hymn is to the tune of “Greensleeves” which had been created at least a century before the hymn came to be in England.
Program Note by Alissa Walters
All I Want for Christmas is You was written and produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff in America, and released on November 1, 1994. As soon as it came out it was considered an instant classic and was loved by many. It was the new modern day Christmas song tradition. The song is about the desire to be with a loved one for Christmas. At the time of this song’s release, the technology age with phones computers and email were just starting to boom, adding a new distraction to our everyday lives. Carey's song reminds us of the importance of enjoying our time with loved ones on Christmas. This song will feature soloist, Autumn Heffron.
Program Note by Molly Nystedt
African Noel is also known as “Bunawa” in other places of the world, and appears in the Australian song book, ABC Sing. In this song book the words are “Bunawa, Bunawa, bunu-i-o” and “No-ni-ni-no-na” instead of “Sing Noel, Sing Noel, Noel Noel” and “Sing we all Noel”. These words are thought to mean “don’t cry little girl, don’t cry.” The song is supposed to serve as a Liberian chant. Although it is doubtful that the song was an actual traditional African song, it is thought to be an adaptation of the traditional French Christmas Carol “Noel Nouvelet.”
Program Note by Haley Fritchtnitch
The piece I have chosen is “The Coventry Carol.” This song is from England in the 15th century. It was a part of the play The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. The play, including the song, was performed in Coventry, in England. The author of this piece is unknown, though certain sources attribute it to Robert Croo in 1534. The lyrics to this song tell the story from chapter two in the Gospel of Matthew. The story is about the Massacre of Innocents in which King Herod ordered that all the children under two years of age be killed in Bethlehem for the sole purpose of keeping his family on the throne. The song is said to be a lullaby sung by mothers to the children that were killed as they were put to sleep forever.
Program Note by Meg Gile
“Bashana Haba’ah”, or in English “Next Year”, is a relatively modern Jewish piece. “Bashana Haba’ah” is one of more than 1,000 pieces written by Israeli composer, Nurit Hirsch. Her works encompass many different genres, even infiltrating film scores and musicals. The lyrics were written by Ehud Manor. Many of Hirsch’s earlier compositions were influenced by Israel’s Six Day War, or the June War, in 1967. This conflict occurred as a result of Israel’s attempt to invade Egypt in order to reopen a valuable shipping route, the Straits of Tiran. Though they secured the straits, tensions between the two countries were uncomfortably high before and after the conflict. This influenced the music of the time. Written in 1971, “Bashana Haba’ah” was no exception. Songs of this period focus on themes of peace and tranquility. This song contains traditional elements, such as a chord progression commonly found in Hebrew music and evident in pieces dating back to the Baroque Period in the seventeenth century.
English Translation:
Next year we will sit on the porch and count migrating birds.
Children on vacation will play catch between the house and the fields.
You will yet see, you will yet see, how good it will be next year.
Red grapes will ripen till the evening, and will be served chilled to the table.
And languid winds will carry to the crossroads old newspapers and a cloud.
You will yet see, you will yet see, how good it will be next year.
Next year we will spread out our hands towards the radiant light.
A white heron like a light will spread her wings and within then the sun will rise.
You will yet see, you will yet see, how good it will be next year.
Program Note by Abbie Borgstrom
This song was released on October 14, 1963 for the Andy Williams Christmas Album. It was written by Eddie Pola and George Wyle. Eddie Pola was an actor, producer, and songwriter from New York City. George Wyle was an orchestra leader and composer. He is best known for writing the theme song to “Gilligan’s Island”. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is written about celebrating Christmas and spending time with family and friends. Around the time of the song’s release, there were many bad things going on in the world like the Vietnam War and the fight for Civil Rights. This song may have been written to remind people to enjoy the holidays despite other things going on in the world.
Program Note by Kristin Serena
Originally written as a part of Handel’s three part oratorio Messiah, “Hallelujah Chorus” closes Part II of the over two-hundred fifty page score. German composer George Frideric Handel orchestrated the piece in 1741 in London, where he spent the majority of his career. The lyrics of the chorus come from the Biblical book of Revelation in the New Testament. Despite the fact that “Hallelujah Chorus” is sung traditionally around the Christmas Season, Messiah as a whole was written in celebration of Easter. In fact, only Part I focuses on the birth of Jesus Christ. Part II is about His death, while the third covers His resurrection. By the 19th century, however, the oratorio had become somewhat of a Christmas staple in the United States.