Episode 362: Winter Mystery

You may be glad that the longest night of the year, what is known as Winter Solstice is highly illuminated by Christmas lights. At least in the cities. There is a lot of evidence that the actual birth of the Christ child happened at a different time of year and that the early church moved the celebration to December 25th, just days after the darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, of course. The celebrations have been going on for weeks now and the lights are beautiful, completely masking the fact that it is dark before 6pm. 

Spiritually, it is a season of mystery and since there are at least three different celebrations going on in a very short time frame, it is perfect to mark this episode of Wind & Rhythm with the theme, Winter Mystery.

A Winter's Tale: Philip Sparke
  Seika Girls High School Band, Yoshihisa Fujishige
In The Bleak Midwinter: Gustav Holst
  Isthmus Brass, John Stevens
Variants on an Advent Hymn: Fisher Tull
  Keystone Wind Ensemble, Jack Stamp
Mysterium: Jennifer Higdon
  Emory Symphonic Winds, Scott A. Stewart
O Magnum Mysterium: Morten Lauridsen
  University of Michigan Symphony Band,
  Michael Haithcock
Russian Christmas Music: Alfred Reed
  Dallas Wind Symphony, Jerry Junkin
O Magnum Mysterium: Giovanni Gabrieli
  Galliard Brass Ensemble