Sheet Music: Score4 Christmas carols / music by Houston Dunleavy ; words by Laura E. Goodin.by Houston Dunleavy (2005)
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These four carols try to fill a void in that they are for choirs
and soloists to sing, but also try to look at the themes of the
Christmas story from fresh, and not always comfortable positions.
We have tried to illustrate how Christmas has a prickly side too.
In that we are not the first - look at Dickens's Scrooge.
However, at the back of our minds has been that Christmas loses a
lot of its real meaning without the tragedy and triumph of the
Easter story. The cosy image of the baby lying all "meanly
wrapped" is nice enough. But in about 30 years' time, the man he
will grow into will suffer a gruesome and unjust death. Where is
the cosiness in that? What is the point, unless the triumph
occurs then rather than alongside angels and wise men?
The ambivalence of Christmas is not a popular theme during the
holiday season itself. Traditions and memories overwhelm
uncomfortable feelings and unexpected points of view. The human
need for certainty - a formidable force at any time - becomes a
compulsion: Christmas must be, and be about, all that it has
always been about. People who admit doubt and sadness in the face
of the Christmas story are often accused of not having faith, or
told, more prosaically and rather fatuously, to think about Baby
Jesus and "feel the joy of Christmas". For the people in these
carols, certainty is not an option. They, like many of us
(perhaps even most of us), look out on a cold and scary universe
and can't quite see how it all fits together. In spite of that,
they, like us, are choosing to do their best. To use the
intellect they have, weak though it seems,
to try and understand. To use their hearts and voices and hands
to support and encourage each other. We don't know for sure that
it all makes sense somehow. But we can take the chance
that it does.
Published by: Wirripang [M-720060-37-8] — 1 score (23p. -- A4 (portrait))
Carol of the word -- Carol of the wise -- Carol of the crowd -- Carol of the difficult child.
Includes programme notes, lyrics and biographical notes on composer.
Typeset edition.
ISMN: M-720060-37-8
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This work also exists as the following versions:
- Male Choir with piano
- Browse other works published by Wirripang
- Browse other works for SATB Choir with piano
- Browse other works by Houston Dunleavy
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