Under Covers 10: Holiday Covers
posted in: Features
Attention Shoppers: the OurStage seasonal Holiday Channel is back with more good tidings each and every day! Comprised of both songs sacred and secular, originals and classic remakes, this year’s channel is in full swing. Browse through now to hear some great cheery tunes before the season is over! Below are two of my favorites. Let us know your favorites in the comments below!
The roots of the holiday song Carol of the Bells can be traced all the way back to ancient Ukranian folklore, when it was once thought to contain magical properties due to its use of Hemiola. Its seasonal timing occurs because the chant the modern tune is based on told the story of a swallow flying into a household on New Years Day to proclaim the prosperous year ahead. The original version we are familiar with today was composed in 1916 by Ukranian Composer Dmytrovych Leontovych and was originally intended for purely a cappella use. Over the past 97 years, the song has become one of the most covered holiday songs in existence thanks, in part, to its gloomy minor hook. From rock fusion orchestra Trans Siberian Orchestra to punk band Thrice, the renditions of this tune range far and wide. Tulsa eccentric pop experimenters Admiral Twin take advantage of their percussion and converted the piece into a polyrhythmic sensation, with the drums playing in 4/4 while the melody stays within the traditional 3/4 . More over, they layer soulful vocal harmonies throughout, most notably in the Merry Merry Merry Merry Christmas run directly following the chorus.
Originally recorded for Charlie Brown and company, Christmas Time is Here ”written by Vince Guaraldi” is one of the most relaxing Christmas songs around. Contrary to holiday tunes focused on the excitement and anticipation of the big day, Christmas Time is Here highlights the calm after the frenetic present opening, egg nog-toasting and likewise jolly activities. A cozy moment of relaxation by the fire while the snow falls outside, if you will. Two versions of this song are widely known to the public: the Peanuts version with the children’s chorus sing-a-long, and the 6-minute jazz ballad. OurStage Artist Max Worden‘s rendition sounds most similar to the latter, but instead of using a standard jazz trio arrangement, he uses all brass. And it is beautiful. A professional jazz artist, Mr. Worden can play the trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn and a number of specialty trumpets. Aside from the new intro and outro, the form of the song is more or less the same. The soft timbre of quietly-played brass adds an entirely new dimension of relaxation to this serene Christmas song, and will having you not eagerly awaiting the morning, but more so the period that follows.