Into The Winter's Night

We love playing this music, and its kind of unfortunate that it isn't appropriate to play at all times of the year. But then again, that's what probably keeps it so special. When we decided to make this disc, we took a very different approach from our first CD. The music dictated, at times, more than what a duo can play at one time, so you will hear a variety of orchestrations, from two flutes (alto and regular), to multiple guitar parts and flute.

The music we have selected divides into three broad categories: traditional English carols, traditional German carols, and a few contemporary holiday songs. Most of the carols have their origins in ancient times, and are performed in settings from either the Renaissance period or the 19th Century. Regardless of period, all of this music has a common thread in their settings - musical line. Whether it is the traditional voice leading techniques of the Renaissance, or the line cliches of the Christmas Song, they reflect the common vocal heritage of all of this music.

So, let the sun set, light a candle, find someone to cuddle up with, or a good book (but we'd recommend the former), and experience an hour or so of wonderfully gentle, contemplative, and, above all else, peaceful music.

Enjoy! - Aprylle & Reed

(Front Cover)

(Back Cover)

A Few Liner Notes
Ein Kind geborn zu Bethlehem (A Child is born in Bethlehem) sets the tone of this disc, a typical renaissance musical balance between bittersweet and sweet (minor and major) tonalities, with a persistent sense of forward motion. O Come, Emmanuel is based on a 9th Century Gregorian Chant in a 19th Century setting. The guitar presents the chant in three levels during the piece-in the opening in its low register, in the middle in its middle register, and as the ending in bell-like harmonics.

The next three carols (It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, We Three Kings, Deck The Halls) are basic settings with a few orchestrational twists - good, solid, traditional carols. There follows three old English carols (Coventry Carol, Down in Yon Forest, What Child is This?) in traditional settings. The last is the sacred setting of the secular Greensleeves, which, if we consider things in Contemporary terms, would have been on the Top 40 list for over 300 years. It remains one of the most recognizable and enjoyable songs of all times.

Angelus Ad Virginum is a vibrant 14th Century carol in a more contemporary setting, with a really intricate second flute harmonization interweaving the melody. The following six carols are an interesting mix of the known and unknown. There are two settings of Away in a Manger, a different arrangement based on the harmonization of William J. Kirkpatrick, and the more traditional version a bit later. A Virgin Most Pure finishes this portion in a wonderful arrangement by the English guitarist Jerry Willard.

The Drei Advent Lieder (Three Advent Songs) by the Austrian composer Franz Burkhart are contemporary settings of traditional German carols. They were originally scored for soprano, alto recorder, and guitar. In our version, oddly enough, the alto flute replaces the soprano and the flute plays the part of the recorder. Texture. The three pieces, A Ship Comes Ladened, Three Roses Bloom on a Branch, and And Our Dear Wives (Women), are yet another example of the intricacies and haunting beauty of musical line.

The last three pieces on the disc are holiday classics: The traditional Silent Night, The Holly and the Ivy, an old English carol in a very contemporary setting, and perhaps the most popular contemporary holiday song of the 20th Century, Mel Torme's The Christmas Song, in an arrangement that expresses all of the sounds and emotions of the holiday season.

We hope you enjoy listening to this CD as much as we enjoyed making it. Happy Holidays - and do find that person to cuddle with!- RD

Into The Winters Night, Price: $14.00 + S/H