Piano by Joel: the Fresh Piano Blog and Podcast: December 2005

Extreme Feedback Part II

Hello again, piano fans. I hope this season is all that you want it to be.

If you've been here a while, you've noticed that my tracks have some rough edges. This is because it takes me a while to polish an arrangement, as well as the recording of that arrangement, to a high shine. My real aim is to create music that connects with people, share musical ideas, and obtain feedback from listeners, not to create studio-quality work. Think of this blog as you would any other blog, except the purpose is to express musical ideas, rather than verbal ones.

A while ago I asked for some structured feedback, that is, to rate a song on a scale of 1-10, then tell me what it would take to make it a 10. This time, I need to hear from you on another subject. You see, I'm not quite sure how to classify my music, and I'm pretty sure that I'm not an original, as much as I would like to think so. So, whom do I sound like? Does my playing remind you of anyone else, or of a particular style? Please drop me a line (see "Contact Joel," below) or leave a comment (at the bottom of this post on http://joelcast.blogspot.com.)

Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

All Through the Night (Ar Hyd y Nos)

As we progress through this month of December (and a snowy one at that,) It's my pleasure to continue with this series of holiday piano music. Today's selection may be known to some of you as All through the Night, or to others by its traditional Welsh title, Ar Hyd y Nos. Here are the traditional English lyrics:

Sleep my child and peace attend thee, allthrough the night
Guardian angels God will send thee, all through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping
Hill and vale in slumber sleeping
I my loving vigil keeping, all through the night.

I would love to hear the Welsh lyrics sung correctly sometime. Here they are, but I have no idea how to pronounce it, let along sing it:

Holl amrantau'r sêr ddywedant, ar hyd y nos
Dyma'r ffordd i fro gogoniant, ar hyd y nos
Golau arall yw tywyllwch
I arddangos gwir brydferthwch
Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch, ar hyd y nos.

Perhaps someone who knows the Welsh version could record it and send me a link sometime.

I'm not certain why this song is associated with the holidays. The lyrics, "I my loving vigil keeping, all through the night," communicates to the sleepy child that the loving parent is ever present and very near. Likewise, Christmas is the time when we pause to contemplate Emmanuel, the presence of God himself in a human baby. Like the parent, loving vigil keeping, he is never far from any one of us.

I hope that you will feel the Father's presence as you navigate the path set before you this holiday season. Merry Christmas.

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Rediscovering Michael Card

This holiday season I have been rediscovering Michael Card, a talented musician and Bible scholar. I first gained an appreciation of his music in college, finding his music and message compelling:

It's a question you can't answer
An answer you cannot express
That the gentle man of sorrows
Is the source of happiness
You'll never solve the mystery
Of this magnetic man
For you must believe to understand

His lyrics reveal the degree of insight he gains as he interacts with the Word of God. Many of his songs indicate that he has spent time meditating on scripture and gaining a deeper level of understanding (which, of course, can lead to more questions.)

If you're looking for something beautiful and contemplative in your selection of Christmas music, I would recommend The Promise album. If you're interested, many of his songs, going way back, are on iTunes. If you'd like to see what he's about, here's a couple recommendations:

Immanuel (There's another great version of this song on The Final Word)
Joseph's Song
The Promise
We will Find Him

Michael does have a podcast, featuring episodes nearly an hour long. You might also enjoy reading his column, which is brief, yet insightful. I read The Word Comes to the Shepherds this evening to my small group at our Christmas party. Like my last post, Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring, it would go well with a glowing Christmas tree and a cozy fire.

I'll leave you with a brief clip of the lyrics to Immanuel. I hope you get the chance to enjoy listening to some of Michael Card's work over the holidays.

Immanuel
Our God is with us
And if God is with us
Who could be against us
Our God is with us Immanuel

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Season's greetings, everyone. Today I'd like to continue my series of Christmas music with Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, by J.S. Bach (1685-1750). There is no shortage of arrangements of this holiday classic (you'll see 150 on iTunes!), both choral and instrumental. This one is 100% piano, and attempts to capture the simple beauty that lies at the core of the Piano by Joel style. This piece goes well with a cozy fire, a warm mug of your favorite beverage, or a snowy view from your window.

See you next time.

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Away in a Manger

Seeing it's that time of year, I'll be releasing Christmas music throughout the month of December.

This is an original rendition of the Christmas favorite, Away in a Manger, with music by James Murray (1841-1905). You already know the lyics:

Away in a manger no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head
The stars in the sky look down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

I wanted to create a soundtrack feel to this piece. Picture the scene in your mind as the piece begins near the manger, with a simple lullabye, followed by a hymn of contemplation. From there, the camera moves through the streets of Bethlehem and into the Judean hills, where we find shepherds watching their flocks. The angelic message arrives, stirring the pastoral band to action. The piece swells with more awe and wonder as the shepherds visit the manger, then proceed to announce the good news to the world.

I enjoyed recording this, and I hope you enjoy listening to it. Merry Christmas.

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