This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussions opens the holiday season with Advent, Christmas, and secular holiday music. We will begin with the Advent hymn “O Savior, Tear Open the Heavens.” We can trace the music to a German Catholic hymnbook from 1668, although the composer has not been identified. The lyrics were written by a Jesuit priest Freidrich Spee, who lived from 1591 to 1635. He died from plague that he contracted while ministering to soldiers. He wrote a book of secular songs, including Christmas and Easter hymns. But he is perhaps most famous for his opposition to witch hunting and writing a book opposing witch hunting, in which he observed: “Torture has the power to create witches where none exist.”
Wind-Band Holiday Concerts
- December 5, Thursday, 7 p.m., Brass Band of Huntsville
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 12200 Bailey Cove Road, Huntsville, AL - December 8, Sunday, 3 p.m., Brass Band of Huntsville
Whole Backstage Theater, 11120 Rayburn Ave., Guntersville, AL - December 10, Tuesday, 7 p.m., New Horizons Band of Huntsville
Sandra Moon Community Room, Old Grissom High School, 7901 Bailey Cove Road, Huntsville, AL - December 13, Friday, 7-9 p.m., Rocket City Jazz Orchestra
Wall Highway Baptist Church, Madison, AL - December 14, Saturday, 2 p.m., Rocket City Trombone Christmas Stovehouse Governors Drive, 3414 Governors Dr., Huntsville, AL
- December 14, Saturday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Rocket City Jazz Orchestra
Downtown Huntsville Library, 915 Monroe Street, Huntsville, AL
Recording Aired for This Episode
- O Savior, Tear Open the Heavens
Composer: Unknown (music, 1668) & Friedrich Spee (words, 1591-1635), arranged by Adreas Ludwig Schulte (1969- )
Performer: National Police Symphonic Band of Portugal
Album: Au Cirque
Also see .
- Medieval Christmas Medley
Composer: Arranged by Alastair Wheeler
Performer: National Police Symphonic Band of Portugal
Album: Au Cirque
- Swingle Bells
Composer: James Lord Pierpont (1822-1893)
Performer: Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Collingwood
Album: Royal Christmas
- In My Arms
Composer: Andreas Ludwig Schulte (1969- )
Performer: National Police Symphonic Band of Portugal
Album: Au Cirque
- Anvil Chorus
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), arranged by Jerry Gray (1915-1976)
Performer: U.S. Air Force Orchestra
Album: Remembering the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Orchestra
- Song of the Volga Boatmen
Composer: Arranged by William Finegan
Performer: U.S. Air Force Orchestra
Album: Remembering the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Orchestra
- Pomp and Circumstance March 1
Composer: Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Performer: U.S. Army Concert Band
Album: The Firebird and Other 20th Century Masterpieces
- Overture to "Nutcracker"
Composer: Piotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Performer: Bavarian Police Orchestra
Album: Frohe Weihnacht
- Overture to "Nutcracker"
Composer: Piotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), arranged by Duke Ellington (1899-1974) and Billy Stayhorn (1915-1967)
Performer: Harmonie Ensemble New York
Album: The Nutcracker Suites
- Sicilienne
Composer: Gabriel Faure (1845-1924), arranged by Jose Schyns (1959- )
Performer: Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides
Album: Phoenix Ascending
- Phoenix Ascending
Composer: Rossano Galante (1967- )
Performer: Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides
Album: Phoenix Ascending
