by R. Rojas
I am always amazed how
fast the Christmas season goes. We are currently in Epiphanytide, the
post-Holiday blues has set in. It never ceases to amaze me how much new
fantastic music comes out during the festive season.
Usually during this time,
I'm in a race with the BBC to listen to music before they take it down.
Usually, BBC 3 will keep shows posted for 30 days, which is most
inconvenient for us carols fans, as there are many gems they play during
the holiday season. As I write this, I’m scurrying to finish a Composer of the
Week Series called “Ralph Vaughn Williams Christmas” which ran the week before
Christmas on Radio 3.
Minnesota Public Radio
keeps their holiday programing up year-round. After I finish listening to
all the BBC shows, I finish what I had not listened to on MPR. Other shows I
listen are the various carol services, from advent to Epiphany that
churches and colleges post on their YouTube channels.
I also give a listen to
the various classical, choral, and early music podcasts that may have had a
Christmas music episode. I also finish the Celtic Christmas Music Podcast that has
several episodes during the season.
It usually about this
time I also explore the pop world. It's an ugly world to venture
into, but sometimes one will find a pop Christmas gem. However, most will be
sad efforts.
I also try to see what
jazz items came out during the holiday, since I only catch a sporadic few
during the actual season. Gregory Porter’s album has gained a lot of
traction. I’m currently listening to it.
I'm working on a post on
Cheryl Frances-Hoad, as she was the commissionee* for 2023’s Festival of Nine
Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge.
I also started writing a
post on the Christmas music of William Lloyd Webber. I'm also tackling a post
on cinematic suites, which are suites of music from the scores of
Christmas films. I do plan to write a State of the Christmas carol, which I
have ignored the last few years. My post on Elizabeth Poston is still a work in
progress and I think I may have gone down a rabbit hole. I hope that
it's not a hole belonging to the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog.
When I originally
started my "Christmas Music of" series, I had thought to use the list
of commissionees from King's College's Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Two
things came up though. One, if I were to use this list, I would ignore the
composers before the 1980s that composed a host of Christmas work. Second, the
list is largely British and male. For this reason, I decided to flip flop with
one post on a woman composer and one post on a male composer, exploring their
Christmas work. I admit, though I'm American, I still have a bias to composers
from the U.K., but I'll work to balance that.
Last year, I had planned
to review every album I put in our new Christmas albums list. Sadly, I did not
one. This is the year though. Then again, I cannot possibly purchase every
album, so review copies are always appreciated. Physical copies are requested,
but digital MP3 with PDF liner notes are also appreciated. To get your
recording reviewed, email me at christmascarolblog@gmail.com.
There is always a
tradition in Latin American of scholar publishing a scholarly piece
in an academic journal of some type, then watering down that piece
for publication in a non-academic magazine.
In that way, the masses,
so to say, can also appreciate it also. Any academic who may want to publish an
article on are blog are always invited. I am always looking for collaborators
on this blog, whether they are persons who can submit posts on subject, or
guest bloggers who can post now and then.
I'm also open to
composers who may want to write a quick post. Feel free to use us to promote
your work. Shameless self-promotion is always welcome. Composers interested in
an email interviews with me regarding your Christmas work, feel free to
contact me at the email below.
I'm still astonished
that there is not a yearly conference on the Christmas carol. I'm anxious to
start the conversation with other carols fanatics. I imagine it as one a
somewhat academic and lax academic side. If you are interested, feel free
to email me Ray Rojas at christmascarolblog@gmail.com.
I've also wanted begin
some type of forum. I feel listservs are passé, I though I've enjoyed many
academically topic listservs since the advent of the Internet. Facebook
group? Maybe. Again, feel free to email me to brainstorm.
Happy
New Years and I hope for new Christmas music in 2024. I have already been
contacted about two new recording, one forthcoming this June, and one released
this month (January 2024).
*To describe the composer whom King's College has commissioned for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, I use the term "commissionee." I know it has a baseball, or elected official feel, however, it's used for lack of a better term. King's College would be the "commisioner." Not the best term, but I'll run with it for now.
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