Post by Slinger on Dec 25, 2015 11:09:31 GMT
From now until Jan 4th I'm going to post 12 Christmas themed pieces of music with a little bit of info about each. Rest assured I had to look 99% of it up, so I'm not trying to look clever, 
I just think it's nicer to have a bit of background sometimes. The 12 pieces are in no particular order, some famous and some not so famous, so hopefully you'll find a few you've never heard before as well as some old favourites.
N.B. I'd be greatly obliged if you didn't post your own favourites/choices in these threads because I'm going to look very silly if you choose pieces I've picked for later in this little series.
#2 - VICTOR HELY-HUTCHINSON: CAROL SYMPHONY
A Carol Symphony, Hely-Hutchinson’s best-known work, is composed in four movements. The first, Adeste Fideles, is arranged in the form of a Bach Chorale with brass taking the Vocal lines and Strings skittering underneath. The second movement gives God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’s minor tonalities a Russian feel. The third uses the Coventry Carol and The First Nowell as its base, with particularly haunting harp theme. In the final movement, Here We Come A-Wassailling appears as well as a fugal rendering of Adeste Fideles. Victor Hely-Hutchinson was a child prodigy who went on to have a successful career as a conductor, pianist and accompanist as well as a composer and was mostly known for his works on the theme of Christmas melodies and his settings of children’s nursery rhymes.
I just think it's nicer to have a bit of background sometimes. The 12 pieces are in no particular order, some famous and some not so famous, so hopefully you'll find a few you've never heard before as well as some old favourites.N.B. I'd be greatly obliged if you didn't post your own favourites/choices in these threads because I'm going to look very silly if you choose pieces I've picked for later in this little series.
#2 - VICTOR HELY-HUTCHINSON: CAROL SYMPHONY
A Carol Symphony, Hely-Hutchinson’s best-known work, is composed in four movements. The first, Adeste Fideles, is arranged in the form of a Bach Chorale with brass taking the Vocal lines and Strings skittering underneath. The second movement gives God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’s minor tonalities a Russian feel. The third uses the Coventry Carol and The First Nowell as its base, with particularly haunting harp theme. In the final movement, Here We Come A-Wassailling appears as well as a fugal rendering of Adeste Fideles. Victor Hely-Hutchinson was a child prodigy who went on to have a successful career as a conductor, pianist and accompanist as well as a composer and was mostly known for his works on the theme of Christmas melodies and his settings of children’s nursery rhymes.