Pre-service music starts at 10:10 this Sunday
Be sure to arrive early this Sunday, December 14th for very special pre-service music from our Chancel Choir and guest musicians. See you then!
Music Notes – Sunday, December 14th:
This week’s musicians are UUCC Music Director Mike Carney, UUCC Pianist Karin Tooley, The Chancel Choir, The Treble Ensemble, Jody Guinn, Erik Mann, and Andrew Pongracz.
About our guest musicians:
Jody Guinn has made northeast Ohio her professional home for over 40 years. Currently, she is playing 2nd harp with the Cleveland Orchestra, including domestic and international tours. In 2022, she retired from her post as principal harp of the Akron Symphony Orchestra after 38 seasons. For many years she played for the Cleveland Ballet, the Cleveland Opera and the Ohio Chamber Orchestra. Other orchestras in which she has appeared include Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chautauqua (New York), Detroit, Erie, Florida, Houston, Philadelphia, ProMusica Columbus and Toledo. She also can be heard in several Decca and Telarc recordings with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, respectively. Notable artists with whom Jody has performed include the Three Tenors, Barry Manilow, Ray Charles, Josh Groban, the Beach Boys, The Who, and tenor André Bocelli.
Jody is a founding member of the Salzedo Harp Duo, along with her colleague Nancy Lendrim of the Toledo Symphony. The Duo has released three albums on the Azica Label and have given concerts across the country and appeared at the World Harp Congresses of 2002 and 2008. Their recording of Debussy’s “Clair de lune” was heard on an episode of the popular CBS daytime soap opera, The Young and the Restless.
Jody received her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Colorado State University and received her Master of Music degree in Harp Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying under world renowned harpist and pedagogue Alice Chalifoux. Jody shares her love of the harp with about 15 students of all ages. She is on the faculties of Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music, Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Jody plays a Lyon and Healy Style 23 Concert Grand harp.
Erik Mann is Executive Director of the non-profit Cleveland Classical Guitar Society, a role in which he has combined his love of classical music and education. Erik is a faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music and serves on the committee for review of stringed instrument applications of the Fulbright US student program. Erik’s performances on the classical guitar include the Cleveland Orchestra, Glimmerglass Opera, Erie Philharmonic and Erie Chamber Orchestra. Erik holds degrees in music performance from Towson University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. In 2015 he was one of only 25 arts leaders nationwide chosen to enroll in the Community Arts Education Leadership Institute of the National Guild for Community Arts Education.
Andrew Pongracz has been the principal percussionist of The Cleveland Chamber Symphony since 1999. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hiram College and a Master of Music degree from Cleveland State University. Andrew is also the principal percussionist of The Youngstown Symphony and principal timpanist with The Cleveland Pops orchestra, and performs regularly with The Erie Philharmonic, Great Lakes Theatre, and The Cleveland Playhouse. Andrew has also performed with Aretha Franklin, The Who, Charo, Kansas, Yes, and Frankie Valli. He lives in Lakewood with his wife, Brenda, and their two sons, Alexander and Christopher.
About Sunday’s music:
Conrad Susa (1935-2013) was an American composer best remembered for his operas and vocal works. In the printed score, Susa says about his 1992 work Carols and Lullabies of the Southwest: “Philip Brunelle suggested I write him a companion to Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols. After several years of me writhing in doubt, a friend, Gary Holt, showed me a collection of traditional Spanish carols he had sung as a boy in Arizona. Excited, I juggled them around to form a narrative. I noted their many connections with Renaissance music along with their homey, artful simplicity. Finally, the overriding image of a Southwestern piñata party for the new baby led me to add guitar and marimba to Britten’s harp and to compose connective music and totally re-conceive the carols.” While all of the texts are in Spanish, many historical, regional, and dialectal variations are to be found within the work, including Castilian, Biscayan, Catalonian, Andalusian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican.
¡Oh, mi Belén!
This quiet lullaby opens with alto and tenor voices, perhaps representing Mary and Joseph as they begin their journey toward Bethlehem. But the lyrics also hold the possibility that we all are pilgrims being guided by the same holy light.
¡Oh, mi Belén! Oh, my Bethlehem!
Llegó tu hora bien amada, Your hour has come, beloved,
¡oh, mi Belén! oh, my Bethlehem!
La luz que irradias sin cesar, The light that shines without ceasing,
es como un faro que nos guía is like a beacon that guides us
en nuestra ruta, noche y día. on our way, night and day.
El Desembre Congelat
Often found in church hymnals as “Cold December Flies Away,” this lively Catalán carol metaphorically compares Jesus’ birth with the coming of spring.
El desembre congelat, confús es retira. The frozen December retreats.
Abril, de flors coronat, The whole world admires April,
tot el món admira. crowned by flowers.
Quan en un jardí d’amor, When in a garden of love,
neix una divina flor d’una rosa bella a divine flower, born from a beautiful rose,
fecunda y poncella. fruitful and fragrant.
El primer Pare causà la nit tenebrosa Our first Father brought on the night
Que a tot el mon ofusca la vista penosa. which shrouded the world in darkness.
Mes en una mitja nit, brilla el sol que n’és eixit But at midnight, the risen sun shines
D’una bella aurora announcing a beautiful dawn,
que el cel enamora. delighting the sky.
El mes de maig ha florit, The month of May has blossomed,
sense ser encara, not yet in full flower,
Un lliri blanc i polit de fragancia rara, a white and polished lily of rare fragrance,
Que per tot el món se sent, that from East to West,
de Llevant fins a Ponent, all the world can breathe in
Tota sa dulcura i olor amb ventura. its sweetness and scent with blessedness
This Puerto Rican Christmas carol features soloists Leon Michaud, Steve Sanford, and Mike Carney during the verses, and then the full chorus joins in during the exuberant refrains.
Hacia Belén se encaminan Towards Bethlehem they walk,
María con su amante esposo, Mary with her lovely husband,
llevando en su compañía traveling in the company
un todo un Dios poderoso. of an almighty God.
Alegría y placer! Joy and pleasure!
Que la virgen va de paso For the virgin passes by,
con su esposo hacia Belén. with her husband, towards Bethlehem.
En cuanto Belén llegaron, When they arrived in Bethlehem,
posada el punto pidieron, they searched for an inn,
nadie les quiso hospedar, but no one would accommodate them,
porque tan pobres les Vieron. because they were so poor.
Alegría y placer! Joy and pleasure!
Los pajarillos del bosque, al ver pasar los esposos, Birds of the forest, seeing Mary and Joseph,
les cantaban melodías con sus trinos harmoniosos. sang songs with their harmonious trills.
Alegría y placer! Joy and pleasure!
Chiquirriquitín
This manger carol is almost two songs in one: the playful refrains give way to more stately and declamatory a cappella verses which are strikingly different in tone.
Ay, del chiquirritín, chiquirriquitín, Oh, in the manger,
metidito entre pajas, lying in the straw,
Ay, del chiquirritín, chiquirriquitín, Oh, in the manger,
Queridi, Queridito del alma. darling boy, little darling of our soul.
Por debajo del arco del portaliño Below the arch of the stable,
se descubre a María, José y el Niño. we find Mary, Joseph, and the Child.
Entre el buey y la mula Dios ha nacido, Between ox and donkey, God was born,
y en un pobre pesebre lo han recogido. and in a poor manger they received him.
Campana sobre Campana
The sound of ringing Christmas bells can be heard throughout this joyous Spanish carol, represented by the use of the vibraphone and by the vocal and instrumental parts that surround and support the jubilant melody.
¡Campana sobre compana, y sobre compana una! Bell after bell! one bell after another!
Asómate a la ventana, Come to the window,
y verás al Niño en la cuna. and see the child in the cradle.
Belén, campanas de Belén, Bethlehem, bells of Bethlehem,
que los ángeles tocan that the angels play,
¿Que nuevas me traéis? What news do you bring to me?
Recogido tu rebaño, You rounded up your flock:
¿Adónde vas pastorcito? Little shepherd, where are you going?
Voy a llevar al portal requesón, manteca y vino. I’ll bring cheese, butter and wine.
Si aún las estrellas alumbran, If the stars still shine,
¿Pastor dónde quieres ir? Shepherd, where do you want to go?
Voy al portal por si el Niño I’m going to the stable to see if the child
con Él me deja dormir. will let me rest alongside him.
En Belén Tocan a Fuego
This carol is full of surprises: meter and tempo changes, striking poetic imagery, and dramatic flair in both the vocal and instrumental parts. Soloists Lucy Carney, Pamela Schenk, and Jane Peterson are featured.
En Belén tocan a fuego, In Bethlehem a fire begins,
del portal salen las llamas. from the manger come the flames;
Porque dicen que ha nacido for they say he was born,
El Redentor de las almas. The Redeemer of souls.
(refrain) Brincan y bailan los peces en el río, Fish in the river jump and dance,
Brincan y bailan de ver a Dios nacido. They jump and dance to see God’s birth.
Brincan y bailan los peces en el agua, Fish in the water jump and dance,
Brincan y bailan de ver nacida el alba. jump and dance to see the dawn’s birth.
En el Portal de Belén nació un clavel encarnado In Bethlehem’s stable, the incarnate was born,
que por redimir el mundo that by redeeming the world,
se ha vuelto lirio morado. has turned into a purple lily. (refrain)
La Virgen lava pañales, The Virgin washes clothes,
y los tiende en el romero. and hangs them on the rosemary bush.
Los pajarillos cantaban The birds sang,
y el agua se iba riendo. and the water flowed rejoicing. (refrain)
A la Nanita Nana
This gentle Christmas lullaby was written by Spanish composer José Ramón Gomis with lyrics by Juan Francisco Muñoz y Pabón. It was first published in 1904 and has become well known and loved throughout the world.
A la nanita nana, nanita ea… (a cooing sound from mother to baby)
Mi Jesús tiene sueño bendito sea nanita sea. My Jesus is sleepy, blessed be He.
Fuentecilla que corres clara y sonora, Fountain that runs clear and sonorous,
Ruiseñor q’en la selva, cantando lloras, Nightingale in the forest, singing sadly
Callad mientras la cuna se balancea. Hush, while the cradle rocks.
Fum, Fum, Fum
This Catalan Christmas carol is believed to be at least 500 years old. The meaning of the repeated “fum” is unknown: it may refer to smoke rising from a chimney, or could represent the sound of a guitar or drum being played. Most likely, the word has no special meaning and is simply a lyrical device similar to the “fa la la” refrains found in traditional British carols such as “Deck the Hall”.
-Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director