|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
O
R D E R
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I
N T R O
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
With
this collection, I attempted touch on more universal themes within the
Christmas context. Not everyone who celebrates Christmas is a Christian.
And Christmas does not have purely Christian origins. Today it is a
festive season that is widely celebrated.. What is undeniably universal
at Christmas time is the redeeming impact of a child's birth. This birth
celebration also coincides with the change of seasons, the announcement
of the sun's return, the promise of a new beginning, and the awe awakened
both by new life and the movements of that celestial body that maintains
us all.
It is true that the tradition originated in the northern hemisphere and therefore finds much of its character in that part of the globe. How can Southerners ever appreciate the wonder around the pine tree, which keeps its green leaves even in the heart of Europe's deadly winters? ("O Tannenbaum"). Furthermore, in the South we totally miss the cozy embrace of lights and lamps against the white background of thick layers of snow. And yet we do understand much of "shepherds on the open fields", and what is more, no European December night can deliver a "silent night, mighty night" like the explosions of stars on a clear night in the Karoo. I also added an "African Christmas night" - cheerful African-inspired music for a hot summer's evening. Whether we are in the north or south, we all know and understand the necessity of being together, of reconciliation and the universally binding power of a shared meal. With time, the South should make more contributions to the treasure of Christmas melodies, but for now, something of the width and warmth of Africa to import into the songs that stood the test of time. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I
N D E X
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|