Holiday celebration of winter’s majesty with traditional carols, originals

A Holiday celebration of winter’s majesty from Grammy-Award winning guitarist Al Petteway & Amy White. Holiday classics, original, Celtic-inspired & traditional mountain melodies from the Southern Appalachians are performed on Acoustic Guitars, Irish Bouzouki, Banjo, Fretless Bass, Celtic Harp, Mandolin, Piano, Mountain Dulcimer, Fiddle, Whistle, Percussion and vocals. Highlights:While Roving on A Winter's Night , an Appalachian song from Scotsman Robert Burns’ famous poem “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose.” Tomorrow Will Be My Dancing Day, a carol that reflects the spirit of the ancient Celts; Wondrous Love, an Appalachian hymn;Gabriel’s Message/I Wonder as I Wander , A traditional Basque Carol paired with one of the most famous Appalachian carols collected by folk musicologist in1933;Christ Child's Lullaby, (vocal) an ancient Gaelic Carol from the Hebrides Islands off the west coast of Scotland, which is still sung as a traditional Gaelic carol at midnight masses in Scotland.

track listing with times:
1. Breakin’ up Christmas (4:10)
2. Joy to the World / The Gift (4:36)
3. The Holly and the Ivy (4:12)
4. Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella (3:07)
5. People Look East (3:21)
6. Cherry Tree Carol (5:06)
7. Into the Light (5:16)
8. Roving on a Winter‘s Night (5:27)
9. Aerial (3:49)
10. Gabriel’s Message / I Wonder as I Wander (5:00)
11. A New Year’s Carol / Sussex Carol / Tomorrow Will Be My Dancing Day (4:59)
12. Christ Child's Lullaby (4:15)
13. Star in the East / Born in Beth’ny (3:29)
total time 56:45

Al: Acoustic Guitars, Irish Bouzouki, Banjo, Fretless Bass, Vocals & Percussion
Amy: Celtic Harp, Mandolin, Piano, Mountain Dulcimer, Acoustic Guitar, Fiddle, Whistle, Vocals & Percussion

FROM THE LINER NOTES:

From al and amy: "a poignant tribute- this recurring cycle of light and darkness, of life and loss, of hope and desperation. hear songs of devotion and ecstasy, and traditional melodies that are synonymous with winter celebration. You will also hear our own contributions to this tradition. Christmas music has always had a special place in our hearts. We are particularly fond of those ancient Noels with secular roots but which now bear fruit in the sacred tradition. We like to imagine that we are following in the footsteps of all those centuries-old devotees who incorporated traditional melodies into their spiritual practice. We, too, are helping to keep this expression and tradition alive by celebrating hope, unity, eternal peace, returning light and love - through music.Thank you for tending the light with us and for fostering peace in the world! "

1. BREAKIN’ UP CHRISTMAS (4:10)
Trad. Arr. Al Petteway & Amy White
Dashing through the snow with a favorite Old-Time fiddle tune. It is rare for this tune to be performed as a fingerstyle guitar showpiece in an alternate tuning. Naturally we couldn’t resist the challenge.

2. JOY TO THE WORLD / THE GIFT (4:34)
Trad. Arr. Al Petteway / Original by Al Petteway
Joy to the World is a Christmas hymn from the 19th century with lyrics by Isaac Watts. The music was written by Lowell Mason but is ostensibly laden with themes and refrains borrowed from Handel’s Messiah
– particularly the recitative, Comfort Ye and the choruses, Lift Up Your Heads and Glory to God, both from the same oratorio.

3. THE HOLLY AND THE IVY (4:10)
Trad. Arr. Amy White
Bringing in the green is an age-old tradition hailing from before the Romans’ Saturnalia all the way through to present day. Because of its early roots the act of decorating with evergreens was inevitably linked with paganism and was initially strictly forbidden by the Christian church. However, since the church chose to schedule Christmas during the traditional time of Saturnalia, this conflict - and thus this wonderful tradition – continued despite the ban. It seems only logical now for people of all religions to embrace the green this time of year. Ultimately, this tradition is a way for us all to honor the inevitable cycle of the seasons and embrace the concept of hope in its many incarnations (be it the returning sun or son.)

4. BRING A TORCH, JEANETTE ISABELLA (3:05)
Trad. Arr. Amy White
This 14th century melody was first performed not as a sacred hymn, but as a dance. (Just as all carols have their roots in dance.) It was later published as a Christmas carol in 1553, with several variations thereafter. Today’s version most closely resembles the printed version from the early 20th century, with the French lyrics by Èmile Blémont. Our version here is purely instrumental. And though we begin with quiet tones, we end up practically rocking out during what is typically the ‘hush, hush’ refrain. We had a wonderful time playing with the odd rhythms in this carol.

5. PEOPLE LOOK EAST (3:21)
Music, Trad. Arr. by Al Petteway & Amy White, Lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon, Alt. Lyrics by Anon.
This beautiful carol encourages the listener to look eastward with hope and anticipation. The tradition of looking east crosses several religions; Muslims have their Mecca, Christians have their Eden and Pagans have their Sun. Both the traditional lyrics (from the earlier version of this Carol of the Advent, often known as Shepherds, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep) and the more recent lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon are rich with beautiful nature analogies. In this arrangement, we included those verses with nature imagery that are universal to human perception, regardless of religion.

6. CHERRY TREE CAROL (5:06)
Trad. Arr. Al Petteway & Amy White
There are more than a half dozen versions of this carol. Our arrangement includes three different versions, the first of which is most closely associated with the Southern Appalachian region. We liked all three versions so much that we couldn’t choose just one! Although our arrangement is instrumental it is worth noting that all versions have nearly identical lyrics to the original song which dates back to the early 15th century and was later collected and recorded as Child Ballad #54 in the late 19th century.

7. INTO THE LIGHT (5:15)
by Amy White
In honor of the light and the countless ways that it graces our lives. The light at the end of the tunnel. The light we reach for near the closing of our lives. The light within that we cherish and protect, and which carries us through our most trying times. And that beautiful light of promise that foretells the return of spring.

8. ROVING ON A WINTER’S NIGHT (5:27)
Trad. Arr. Amy White & Al Petteway
A traditional Appalachian version of the poem, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose by famed Scottish poet Robert Burns. We first heard this song on a Darol Anger recording and loved it ever since. Here we are, taking these old verses out again for a new spin in fresh-fallen snow.

9. AERIAL (3:48)
by Amy White
Our home is perched high near a ridge-top in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, tucked into a dense stand of trees. All through the seasons we watch birds soaring above us, past us and down into the valley below. Witnessing their flight is always an incredible experience. It often feels as if we, too, are on the wing, nearly weightless, turning and diving, all while taking in the vista below. With Aerial, I have tried to convey this sensation in song. I feel fortunate to have captured one such moment in the photograph on this CD cover.

10. GABRIEL’S MESSAGE / I WONDER AS I WANDER (5:00)
Trad. Arr. Amy White
A traditional Basque Carol paired with the famous Appalachian spiritual collected by John Jacob Niles in Murphy, North Carolina in 1933. Niles learned this song from Annie Morgan, the daughter of an itinerant preacher, whom he paid 25 cents per performance until he memorized the gist of the song. The money came in handy as Morgan’s family needed gas money. They were being run out of town after being declared a public nuisance. Niles published the song in his 1934 collection, Songs of the Hill-Folk.

11. A NEW YEAR’S CAROL / SUSSEX CAROL / TOMORROW SHALL BE MY DANCING DAY (4:59)
Britten/Trad./Trad. Arr. Amy White & Al Petteway
Three favorite carols from childhood. My family often hosted carol-singing parties during the Christmas season. These carols were among my parent’s favorites so naturally they became mine, as well. Ah, such fond memories of delicious treats and harmonies by the fireside and again outside in the crisp cool air, singing door to door.

12. CHRIST CHILD’S LULLABY (4:15)
Trad. Arr. by Al Petteway & Amy White
This beautiful carol comes from the Hebrides Islands off the west coast of Scotland. It is still sung as a traditional Gaelic carol at midnight masses in Scotland. We love the mother’s loving perspective in this lyric.

13. STAR IN THE EAST / BORN IN BETH’NY (3:29)
Trad. Arr. Al Petteway & Amy White
Star in the East is included in the famous shaped note hymnal “The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion” compiled by William Walker in the mid-19th century. Just like I Wonder as I Wander, this carol Born in Beth’ny (or Jesus, Borned in Bethlea) was collected by John Jacob Niles and is considered to be a traditional Appalachian carol. We thought this tune invited a festive treatment worthy of a Renaissance Fair.

CREDITS:
All compositions & arrangements by Al Petteway and/or Amy White (BMI)
Recorded & mixed by Al Petteway at Fairewood Studios, Fairview, NC
Mastered by William Wolf, Wolf Productions, Inc., Falls Church, VA
Graphic design by Amy White, Fairewood Studios, Fairview, NC
All scenic and art photography by Amy White
Live concert photo taken at the National Geographic Society by Stephen St. John
Al & Amy play Kevin Ryan, RainSong & Larry Sifel guitars, their mandolin is by Weber, Harp by Dusty Strings, Piano by Boston, Dulcimer by Tom Fellenbaum & Bouzouki by Stefan Sobel
Stringed instruments (except dulcimer & harp) are strung with Elixer & D'Addario Strings and are outfitted with McIntyre pick-ups and L.R. Baggs pre-amps
Capos were provided by G7.