Saturday, November 24, 2012

Listen To This

Long story here. I've had this album for ages.  I wanted to share it several years ago, but I couldn't get it divided up into tracks.  It's 37 tracks are divided only into two sides, and there are many, many songs on here from different countries that I am not familiar enough with to tell you when they start and stop.  And I suppose it doesn't help that this is one of the worst Christmas records I will ever share with you.  Well, worst implies bad, and it's not bad, it's just very difficult to listen to for any period of time.  I've been hard pressed to listen to any of the tracks all the way through, and many of them are only a minute long.  You see, this was recorded from singing wineglasses, a little trick I saw on Real People once growing up, where someone fills wineglasses with a little water, then spins a wet finger around the edge in such a way that the glass begins to vibrate.  The structure of the glass and the level of the water determine tone, and with a whole lot of practice and a lot of glasses, you can make a song.  Mr. Hansen made an entire album, and probably a career in exactly that way.  My parents and I tried it in the kitchen immediately after the show, and while we made a little noise, no one would call it music.  Anyhow, the first time I recorded this, I tried to cut it into individual songs and couldn't get anywhere.  I kept coming up with more tracks than what's listed on the sleeve.  I tried again this year, and I think I finally got it right.  There are some familiar songs that you can use to guide you through this, but many of them are somewhat obscure (to me, at least) carols that are hard enough to recognize, but play them on a wet wine glass and good luck!  Having said lots of negative things about this, you should still download and listen to it.  This is likely to be the most unique Christmas music you hear all season, unless The Captain revisits his Christmas steam whistle.  Please have a listen to Einar Hansen On The Eighteenth Century Glass Instrument-Christmas Music From Around The World (MGM E3277, Mono, 1955).

1. Argentina: A Maiden Was Adoring God The Lord
2. Austria: Silent Night
3. Australia: Ring Out, O Bells! Your Peals Today
4. Africa: Glory To That Newborn King
5. Belgium: De Aenbidding Der Herders (Shepherds' Christmas Song)
6. Brazil: Glad Christmas Bells
7. Canada: Where Were You, O Maiden? (D'ou Vients-tu, Bergere)
8. China: Chen Mei Ke (Lord, For Thy Revealing Gifts)
9. Czechoslovakia: Lullaby Carol (Hajej, Nyjej, Jezisku)
10. Croatia: Happiness The Sun Is Bringing (Cestit Sviety)
11. Denmark: On Christmas Shopping (Hvilken Voldsom Traengsel Og Alarm)
12. Ecuador: Sweet And Precious Jesus (Dulce Jesus Mio)
13. England: God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
14. Finland: In The Silence Of This Night (I Denne Stille Nattens Fred)
15. France: Angels We Have Heard On High (Les Agnes Dans Nos Campagnes)
16. Greece: Thy Birth, O Christ
17. Germany: A Mighty Fortress (Ein'feste Burg)
18. Holland: A Child Of Beauty Was Born To Us (Ons Is Gheboren Een Kinderkijn)
19. Hungary: Angels From Heaven (Menyböl Ar Angyal)
20. India: What Child Is This? (An Adaptation Of Greensleeves)
21. Ireland: Carol (Amhran Nodlag)
22. Italy: Sleep, O Holy Child Of Mine (Dormi, Dormi O Bel Bambin)
23. Japan: Lowly Shepherds Of Judea
24. Mexico: The Rocking Of The Child (El Rorro)
25. Norway: Idenne Sode Juletid
26. Portugal: O, Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)
27. Philippines Islands: Pagka-Tao (A Tagalog Carol)
28. Poland: Rockabye, Jesus (Lulajze Jezuniu)
29. Russia: Glorious Yuletide, Glad Bells Proclaim It
30. Puerto Rico: Shepherds At Bethlehem (Pastores A Belen)
31. Scotland: Child In The Manger (Leanabh An Aigh)
32. Switzerland: Christmas Carol (Weihnachtslied)
33. Spain: Catalan Christmas Song (Canso Da Nadal)
34. Sweden: Christmas Is Here Again (Nu Har Vi Jul Igen)
35. United States: Jingle Bells
36. Venezuela: Nino Lindo
37. Wales: Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly

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4 comments:

  1. A sweet new addition to our Christmas classic list. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You're right about the crystal, but I think the glass was arranged (with a wood frame) as an actual instrument.

    I'd read about it somewhere, and someone famous in American History (like Benjamin Franklin) was fond of playing it.

    Obviously, I don't remember the details, but it's probably somewhere on the Internet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. KL is correct in that this is a Glass Armonica, invented by Benjamin Franklin himself. You may learn more about this strange instrument at www glassarmonica com (insert dots).

    Interesting share, Ernie!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is now actually the second glass armonica Christmas album I have. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

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