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Coventry Carol by Noel Project [Email]
Genre: Holiday

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 2946
Comments: 26
Votes: 18
Plays: 978
Last Played: Nov 18, 2008 - 06:23:19 AM
Downloads: 193
Fans: 8
Uploaded: Oct 26, 2005 - 09:04:19 AM
Last Updated: Nov 30, 2005 - 11:13:43 AM
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Description:
Not all Christmas tunes are about peace on earth, goodwill toward men. This song, Coventry Carol, is a lament over the "massacre of the innocents." In the New Testament, children of Bethlehem “from two years old and under,” were killed by the order of King Herod in an attempt to destroy the infant Jesus. The Innocents have been considered martyrs since ancient times. In the Eastern Church they are known as the Holy Children. Their feast, formerly known in England as Childermas, is Dec. 28.

This jazz arrangement may strike some as odd, but we consider this piece a jazz lament. Included on the Noel project holiday CD, "Splendor Bright."

Vocals: Mystified
Guitar, piano, arrangement: Tom Atwood

splendor bright cd
now available
the lost records™

Lyrics:
(chorus)
Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child,
By, by, lully, lullay.

O sisters, too, how may we do,
For to preserve this day;
This poor youngling for whom we sing,
By, by, lully, lullay.

(chorus)

Herod the King, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day;
His men of might, in his own sight,
All young children to slay.

(chorus)

Then woe is me, poor Child, for Thee,
And ever morn and day;
For Thy parting, neither say nor sing,
By, by, lully, lullay.


Hardware:
Alvarez Guitar
Casio Privia PX-300
G5

Software:
GB2
Jampack 4: Symphony Orchestra
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delightfully somber &mdash 10/26/05 - 10:22:33 AM
Wonderful singing Myst, unique jazzy piano interlude (Tom-arranged?),
pretty horns, fun drums/bells, and fabulous guitar playing. I would
have liked to hear the guitar sound EQed with a little more treble/bass,
it sounded slightly heavy in the midrange. Overall, this is a great
arrangement! Are you really going to do more stuff of this caliber, so
sweetly tinged with winter soulfulness? Are you taking requests
(smirk)? If this is a taste of the upcoming CD, I think you will have a hit
on your hands! Especially if you publish the research for each song as
above, that kind of information always interests me!
ttfn,
Drakonis

[ Reply to This ]
delightfully somber &mdash 10/26/05 - 02:57:56 PM
Thanks Eduard. We do intend to release many more songs (hopefully of this
caliber). The plan is to put 12-15 on the CD, titled "The Noel Project," which
should be finished by December 1. Many of the songs are already 'in the can,'
some by other MacJam artists (Curry, rebsie, mandolinquent). We hought it
would be best to release them over the next month or so, instead of dumping
them all at once in December.

It's late, but what is your request, dragon? (Thanks again!)

[ Reply to This ]
delightfully somber &mdash 10/26/05 - 05:15:01 PM
Why, the hauntingly beautiful ancient Ukranian Carol of the Bells, of course :-)
I even have a version here at MacJams that I made as a Christmas/Yule gift to
my wife (Belle Fugue, "http://www.macjams.com/song/4978") It would be
wonderful if you have that song up your
sleeve.
ttfn,
Drakonis

---
deja vu, it's the next best thing to being there

[ Reply to This ]
Cool! &mdash 10/26/05 - 11:39:16 AM
Its really great the way this turns from traditional carol into a cool jazz
number and then back. The instrumentation is all excellent...great
production. Mysti's vocals are exceptional as ever.
Look forward to hearing more from the Noel Project
Steve

[ Reply to This ]
Cool! &mdash 10/26/05 - 03:00:25 PM
Thanks Steve. At first we were concerned about mixing genres (classical &
jazz) within the same Christmas carol, but decided to do it anyway, even
though, as mandolinquent put it, we risked 'jazzing up infanticide.'

[ Reply to This ]
... &mdash 10/26/05 - 01:07:24 PM
more Christamas music should be like this. When that season
begins and seasonal music pops out to feel all of the silence,
I would love to hear something like this.

Did I hear the horns do a fractured quote of "we three kings", or
are my ears just expecting it? It's close enough to make me
wonder. :-)

Lovely singing and playing.

[ Reply to This ]
... &mdash 10/26/05 - 03:02:47 PM
Thanks SO. "We Three Kings" may have squeezed its way into this piece,
although we plan to do a complete version of that tune and include it also on
the CD. Glad you liked this.

[ Reply to This ]
very impressive &mdash 10/26/05 - 02:01:39 PM
It's nice to hear a different kind of Christmas music...especially
music as wonderful and well produced as this! The story behind
the music is quite interesting. Are you guys going to actually sell
this CD when it is done? I hope you do...

[ Reply to This ]
very impressive &mdash 10/26/05 - 03:04:46 PM
Thanks, Eric. We're going to see if we can even give it away first. Mainly as
Christmas gifts for friends, family.

[ Reply to This ]
very impressive &mdash 10/26/05 - 06:14:50 PM
That would be a nice Xmas gift, for sure... well, I definitely want a copy
and I will pay for it if need be! There's gotta be a way you can market
and sell it...hmmm....

[ Reply to This ]
stunning &mdash 10/27/05 - 07:44:54 AM
Wow, This is beautiful! How I enjoy hearing the whole picture. Your voice
is wonderful and sweet. The way in beautiful jazz piece comes and goes
in the middle is really well done... and this is truely a Childermas
Masterpiece!!!! Thankyou for sharing this!

[ Reply to This ]
stunning &mdash 10/30/05 - 04:06:24 PM
Thanks NightBird. We thought about whether or not to jazz up the middle. I
guess we weren't sure if it would work or not. Glad you like it - and consider
it a (Childermas) masterpiece.

[ Reply to This ]
Wow &mdash 10/28/05 - 10:50:10 AM
I love the arrangement. The change in feel is very cool. Chord progression is nicley original.

[ Reply to This ]
There is a dream though it is sad. &mdash 10/29/05 - 06:34:34 AM
Very unique music.
It is in dream.
This feels the possibility of music.
I like this jazz very so much!!

However, .. I did not think you.."Noel Project".
Thank you for the comment.
On this occasion, I give a reward.
Dear "official Tadashi translator"

[ Reply to This ]
There is a dream though it is sad. &mdash 10/30/05 - 04:08:37 PM
The biggest reward for us is being named the official Tadashi translators for
MacJams. We will freely interpret your verse so that others here may share in
your enlightenment and funkiness.

Thanks!

[ Reply to This ]
Dig ther Noel cats... man... &mdash 10/30/05 - 12:28:01 AM
What a cool treatment... It all has a very dig-able vibe. Finally some
Christmas music that I want to listen to, and will this season.
Myst, your voice is just perfect. Singing in your upper register really
shows the wonderful purity of your voice.
Love this piece!


[ Reply to This ]
Dig ther Noel cats... man... &mdash 10/30/05 - 04:14:15 PM
Thanks Mr Spike. We are glad you dig this - and agree with your comments
about Mysti's voice. The project considers itself lucky to have bribed her...or
rather persuaded her to join in.

[ Reply to This ]
unique! &mdash 10/30/05 - 01:48:17 PM
This is beautiful....very different to the versions I've heard. I like the Jazz idea! I'm used to it being sung a lot slower, so this is a cool change!

[ Reply to This ]
Wow &mdash 10/30/05 - 04:12:12 PM
This is one of your best singing performance, Mysti. What a fun mix of
classical and jazz styles. I could go on and on but I'd rather just listen
and enjoy. Wonderful, you two.

[ Reply to This ]
Wow &mdash 10/30/05 - 04:15:45 PM
Thanks elf and Peter. We appreciate the kind words from both of you.

[ Reply to This ]
good grief! &mdash 10/30/05 - 05:09:38 PM
this is amazing - that's all - amazing! oh and thank you xxx

[ Reply to This ]
Beautiful &mdash 10/31/05 - 06:55:34 PM
and wonderful arrangement and performances!

[ Reply to This ]
Thank you... &mdash 11/03/05 - 06:20:26 PM
...caroline and AC.
We're glad that you enjoy this piece--and hope that you'll enjoy the others we
post here as part of this Project as well!


[ Reply to This ]
wow. &mdash 12/03/05 - 10:45:32 AM
totally inspired. Totally christmas cool. Thank you guys so much!!!!

[ Reply to This ]
A Beautiful Take &mdash 12/12/05 - 12:41:54 PM
I have to confess, the first couple of times I heard it the sudden jump from one style to the other threw me a bit. I like both parts, but the suddenness was startling.

I like it more and more each time I hear it, though. I'm used to the standard English boys' choir take on the carol. This is quickly becoming the one I prefer.

[ Reply to This ]
Merry Christmas! &mdash 12/25/05 - 07:50:27 AM
This odd lament was the first Noel Project piece posted. Seems like it
was ages ago that we recorded this. Thanks again for listening! See you
next year!

[ Reply to This ]
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