Wow! Twenty years of presenting Christmas with Cornils on the great Kotzschmar Organ. How quickly time flies! It all started in my first year as Municipal Organist with a suggestion by Russ Burleigh that I should continue a holiday organ concert tradition played by Douglas Rafter, Portland’s 8th Municipal Organist. With a modest beginning in 1990, Christmas with Cornils has blossomed into an extravagant program of powerhouse arrangements for organ, large brass ensemble and percussion, a top-notch choir, sparkling arrangements of carols for handbells and, of course, music that explores and unleashes the huge expressive range of Portland’s musical treasure – the Kotzschmar Organ! What makes this program such great fun is presenting the incredibly vast variety of carols from various centuries, cultures, and countries. These joyous tunes capture the essence of the season: hope, joy, love and peace.
The word “carol” comes from the Old French word carole, meaning a dance song or a circle dance accompanied by singing. St. Francis of Assisi, the Roman Catholic saint of animals and the environment, is often credited with incorporating upbeat Latin hymns into Christmas services in the 13th century. These energetic carols were a sharp contrast to the somber Christmas music of the day. Wandering minstrels and night watchmen that guarded the old walled cities would pass their time by singing carols. They would go from home to home, singing and entertaining people most likely in hopes of getting a treat in return.
Christmas carols and their joyous themes were banned in 17th century England by the staunch Protestant Oliver Cromwell. It took nearly two centuries before, thankfully, carols became popular once again.
Among the music that I’ve chosen for this year’s concert is the profoundly joyous opening movement of Bach’s Magnificat, an arrangement of Franz Bibl’s serene and soaring Ave Maria, Adophe Adam’s O Holy Night, and wonderful carols from Wales (Suo Gân), Germany (O Tannenbaum and Silent Night), France (Joseph est bien Marié and Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella), Spain (Ríu, Ríu Chíu), Latin America (A La Nanita Nana), England (I Saw Three Ships, Good King Wenceslas and the Twelve Days of Christmas), and the United States (I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, set to the poetry of Portland’s Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). We’ll end the concert with everyone singing carols!
It is all jubilant music. Come have your spirits lifted on December 22!
—Ray Cornils