In 1972, we picked up a record that had a huge influence on our musical take on Christmas. There’s certainly something in me, my make-up, that steers me away from the more conventional or popular styles of Christmas music. We fell in love with the ‘Matthew Green Orchestra’, with its driving guitar & Moog synth backings, pop-folk style singing. Popular Christmas carols done like folk songs. I was never going to be able to do the songs in church-hymn style – these grabbed me. ‘We Three Kings’, ‘Away in a manger’, ‘Angels we have heard on high’ and a host of others have been part of our repertoire ever since.
Some of the music is folk song anyway. Others, like ‘Silent Night’, were written & performed on lute in the first place & ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ is a calypso song.
Of course, this suits me fine. I wanted to be able to celebrate Christmas in a way that was real to me. I wanted to play these songs with guitar. Though there’s a few that don’t really go (‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ a good example), most do, & I think some work far better with a pop-folky style.
So on Christmas Eve, at the 2 early services at St Stephen’s (6.30 & 8.30) we’ll lead the music for our Lessons & Carols Service with Dorothy Mann & Beth Christian on vocals, Jon Mann on bass, Thom Mann on drums, Monica Christian on keys & Robin Mann on guitar & vocals.
‘O Come, all ye faithful’!
