The Gift: Global & diverse improvised Solo Harp Fantasies on Christmas Songs from around the World

There are certain songs that bloom only in December, like my 15-year old Christmas Cactus plant does. You could play them in spring or summer, but you’d likely sound as out-of-season as a wool hat in a Florida July – except for “What Child is This?” which lives a double-life as “Greensleeves.” 

These melodies hibernate until early December – and then emerge like old friends, with memories and warmth.

But what if they have another side to them?  What if they have friends who you don’t know yet?  Like our world: global, diverse, transforming and full of new friends we could know just by saying hello.

So When I decided to make my solo harp Christmas album “The Gift,” I decided to explore songs as if I didn’t already know them and look for ones I didn’t know yet. I wanted to look at “Joy to the World” with a Latin rhythm, and pair it with a carol from Puerto Rico, to reharmonize “O Tannenbaum” to see what “Angels We Have Heard On High” might sound like if it put on a cowboy hat, a pair of boots, and just a hint of Country Western twang. 

Thus, I invite you to enjoy “The Gift” – 15 Fantasies on carols from around the world – England, France, Catalonia, Ukraine, USA, Scotland, The Philippines, Puerto Rico, Germany – a celebration of this musical season, and a tiny, heartfelt taste of the diversity of Celebration around the world.  

In creating these arrangements, I took on the project of improvising fantasies on many carols I’ve known for years and also looking for traditional carols that were completely new to me. Listen and download here – or scroll down for fun facts about this album and the creation of it.

Fun Facts about this Album

• This is my best friend’s all-time favorite album of mine
• The entire album is completely improvised (so don’t ask for the written music)
• Some of these Carols were completely new to me – though some I’ve known all my life.
• This was recorded all on solo harp, no overdubs. I recorded it before I’d transitioned to the lever harp, so it’s all played on a classic concert harp – but it doesn’t all sound Classical by a long shot
• After recording this album, I reinvented some of the arrangements for full orchestra & harp –  and since then, I’ve played in Holiday Programs with ensembles from community orchestras to professional symphonies like the St. Louis Symphony.
• My original impulse was: “How much fun can I have with Holiday tunes?.” I surprised myself by how much fun I was having and, in the middle of the project, decided to challenge myself by re-harmonizing my – ’til then – least-favorite carol, “O Tannenbaum” (“Oh Christmas Tree”) The result? I completely fell in love with the tune.
• The cover design was a mandala I created one day when I decided to learn to draw mandalas. It may be one of the simplest mandalas ever created – kind of like a haiku mandala
• This album was originally recorded in 1995 before I had the electric “DHC” harp that has become my signature instrument, so this recording is a kind of transitional project.

This post was previously published on December 23, 2023.