This collaborative cantata looks at the Christmas story through the eyes of first-hand witnesses, who share their unique perspectives on the miraculous birth of Jesus. Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, a shepherd, a wise man, and the aged saint Simeon all share their stories through dramatic monologues. A blend of original and familiar carols provides a dramatic sonic backdrop for these inspiring stories. Ed Hogan's stunning orchestration makes this piece a versatile work that can be presented equally well with piano only or with full orchestral accompaniment, and the optional inclusion of congregational singing of familiar carols ensures a meaningful worship experience for the entirety of the congregation.

Noel White was born in Berea, Kentucky to parents who were in the pastoral ministry. His mother and father died within five months of each other, inspiring him to adopt the story of the butterfly as his symbol for life. He is a graduate of Danville High School, Union College, Wesley Theological Seminary, and Lexington Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry degree. Married to his college sweetheart, Betty Jane, they have two adult children, Mary Jane White and John Noel (Lori) White, with three grandchildren Jenna, Laurel and Daniel. Dr. White has been a YMCA professional in Kettering Ohio; he served United Methodist Churches in Kentucky for 21 years; was senior pastor at Shiloh Church in Dayton, Ohio for 5 years, where the service was televised in Southwestern Ohio and in Eastern Kentucky; and he served as President of Penney Retirement Community in Florida for 12 years. After retirement, for eight years he served a small membership church in San Mateo, Florida. Since then, he and Betty Jane have returned back home to their roots in Kentucky. Since childhood he has been interested in storytelling, believing that is the key to effective public speaking, teaching and preaching. He never ceases to be amazed at the ten thousand people who attend the International Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee in October of each year. He believes that every person's life is a story that needs to be told, and finds this technique to be very effective in funerals, memorial services and celebrations of life. This is the reason he has written this book, and he hopes the techniques mentioned here will be used by others to enable services of remembrance to be more effective and deeply remembered.

(Faber Piano Adventures ). A collection of Christmas and winter holiday favorites arranged to provide work on arpeggios, scales, 2-hand gestures, balance between hands, balance within the hand, chord voicing, and octave playing all within a delightful musical context. Includes: Skaters' Waltz * Jingle Bells * Auld Lang Syne * A Celebration of Carols (A Christmas medley containing O Little Town of Bethlehem, We Three Kings, and Good Christian Men) * Silent Night * We Wish You a Merry Christmas * and more.

From Andrew Gant, Oxford professor and renowned British composer, The Carols of Christmas is a joyous account of the history behind our favorite carols--from Advent through Epiphany. Everyone loves a carol--in the end, even Ebenezer Scrooge had a soft spot for them! They have the power to evoke a special type of mid-winter joy, like the aroma of gingerbread or the twinkle of lights on a tree. It's a kind of magic. But how did they get that magic? Gant--a choirmaster, church musician, university professor, and writer--tells the story of twenty carols, each accompanied by lyrics and music, unraveling a captivating, and often surprising, tale of great musicians and thinkers, saints and pagans, shepherds and choirboys. Along the way, Gant answers some of the biggest questions he's received about these beloved carols over the years, including: How did the most beloved carols come to be? Why do we sing the versions of carols that we do? How did these carols stand the test of time? Readers get to delve into the history of favorites like "Good King Wenceslas," "Away in a Manger," and "O, Tannenbaum," discovering along the way how "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" came to replace "Hark, how all the welkin' ring" and how Ralph Vaughan Williams applied the tune of an English folk song about a dead ox to a poem by a nineteenth-century American pilgrim to make "O Little Town of Bethlehem." A charming book that brims with anecdote, expert knowledge, and Christmas spirit, The Carols of Christmas is a fittingly joyous account of one of the best-loved musical traditions.

This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.

Is there a War on Christmas? This book surveys the history of the world's most popular festival and the never-ending battles it has engendered ever since its hotly-contested invention in the Roman Empire.

Tracing the most festive Christian holiday, A Christmas Celebration is beautifully illustrated with fine art reproductions, line engravings, and vintage photography.Children are provided with answers to their questions about the yuletide season, such as 'What are the twelve days of Christmas?'Each facet of Christmas is sensitively explained to allow youngsters to understand its origin and meaning, also exploring many international celebrations.

Let the celebration of Christmas ring forth this year with the newly-released musical, Sing Me the Songs of Christmas.