The words to "
Once in Royal David's City" are written by Dublin,
Ireland-born Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (1818-1895) and first
published in her 1848 collection, "
Hymns for Little Children". This text
by C.F. Alexander, wife of the Bi
shop of Derry, was later set to music by English composer Henry John Gauntlett (1805-1876).
Allison Crowe now tells the song's story:
http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/souling
Allison Crowe’s gorgeous voice brings tidings of comfort and joy with “Souling” – her 11th full album release.
The artist, one of our greatest living musicians, singer-songwriters
and performers, has always created authentic music. With this newest
song set her voice is heard wholly a cappella.
The songs
themselves have a purity of expression – a 21st century take on music of
faith and spirit – sounds and themes aired by carollers and soulers of
old.
The genesis of “Souling” is found in the bond Allison
Crowe’s formed with the creative family at Theatre Newfoundland and
Labrador. Founded in 1979, this professional theatre company presents a
dynamic and diverse repertoire of plays and maintains, as well, a strong
commitment to youth theatre in the Atlantic Canada community.
For these past three Summers TNL’s engaged Crowe as Musical Director of
“Newfoundland Vinyl” - a perennial favourite at the annual Gros Morne
Theatre Festival. Following another hit season at GMTF, in late August
of this year TNL Artistic Associate SaraH McDonald invited the Corner
Brook, NL-based musician to serve the same role with a vibrant
production of “A Christmas Carol”.
The Adaptation of this
classic Charles Dickens story by playwright Jeff Pitcher, TNL’s Artistic
Director, excited Crowe’s musical imagination – as did the desire of
McDonald, the play’s Director, to incorporate songs in the style of
Victorian Era carollers.
So inspired, Allison Crowe immersed
herself in curating the music for the abundantly-talented, multi-aged,
choir of singers who performed in “A Christmas Carol” at the Corner
Brook Arts and Culture Centre from November 27th – 30th, 2014.
This artistic process of selection and arrangement led to her recording
solo versions of those songs that will receive another distinct breath
of life from the TNL vocal ensemble.
(In parallel fashion, the
first season’s run of “Newfoundland Vinyl” brought forth Allison Crowe’s
album of the same name – one of 2013’s top recordings. Culture blog
Muruch praised it as a “lovely, vintage collection of traditional Irish
and Canadian folk ballads, lively sea chanteys and drinking songs,
parlour songs and country tunes” possessing “unique charm” and “the
timeless beauty of a classic folk album”.)
In 2003, (and
expanded in 2004), Allison Crowe released Tidings – an album of singular
interpretations - “River” (Joni Mitchell), “Hallelujah” (Leonard
Cohen), “In My Life” (The Beatles) and more from the secular canon –
alongside such favourite traditional carols as “Silent Night”, “The
First Noel”, and “O Holy Night”. Tidings has proven to be a modern
classic – “music for the season and all time”.
This time out,
as befits TNL’s telling of “A Christmas Carol”, Allison Crowe gives pure
voice to the sacred songbook. “Souling” is:
Soul Cake
I Saw Three Ships
That Night in Bethlehem (Don Oíche úd i mBeithil)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
The Wexford Carol
The Holly and the Ivy
In the Bleak Midwinter (Cranham)
Ding Dong Merrily on High
Once in Royal David’s City
Wassail Song
“Souling” is available now via Allison Crowe’s own website @ http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/souling as well as on iTunes @ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/souling/id933188580 plus CD Baby @ http://cdbaby.com/cd/allisoncrowe10 and all major digital music outlets worldwide.
Labels: a cappella, Allison Crowe, British Columbia, Canada, carol, Christmas, Corner Brook, GMTF, hymn, Jeff Pitcher, joy, Labrador, Nanaimo, Newfoundland, Noel, peace, Souling, TNL
