Have You Heard?

Joel Raney calls on Celtic musical traditions and instrumentation to deliver a refreshing sound for Christmas! The orchestration by Ed Hogan incorporates Irish flutes, drums, acoustic guitar, and fiddle to paint vivid imagery of a beautifully lush and green Irish countryside. Familiar Christmas carols appear, as do some familiar Christmas texts set to beloved Irish and Welsh folk songs. An ethereal opening sets the stage before breaking into an exuberant rendition of I Saw Three Ships. Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus; Away in a Manger; Gentle Mary Laid Her Child; and the beloved Angels We Have Heard on High all make appearances as the work progresses, culminating with a rhythmic re-imagining of O Come, All Ye Faithful set to the traditional Scottish melody Loch Lomond. One of the highlights of this musical is O Holy Night, written for soloist and choir and set to the timeless tune, LONDONDERRY AIR. Present the Christmas story in a uniquely captivating way with this imaginative work!