History of Christmas Carols

‘Carol of the Bells’
Despite the lack of bells in the historical references of the early church, there existed a legend that at the very moment when Jesus was born, all the bells in the village of Bethlehem pealed together in one joyous cacophony of sound.
Perhaps this legend is the basis of a carol from the Ukraine, titled ‘Schedryk.’ It was discovered and arranged by Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovich, a Russian composer who was born in 1877 and eventually taught music and singing in Ukrainian schools.
A student choir from the University of Kiev first performed his version of this catchy folk tune in December 1916. It was a part of the Ukrainian National Chorus repertoire during its 1,000-plus concert tour around Europe and the Americas. It was introduced to American audiences on October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall.
A recording of ‘Carol of the Bells’ on a 1958 best-selling Harry Simeone Choir holiday album further broadened the song’s appeal.
You will hear this song tonight during the Christmas cantata: ‘Noel.’ You will hear a piece titled: ‘Ring Those Bells Medley,’ which includes ‘Carol of the Bells.’

Meanwhile…1958…49 years ago…in the United States…

President: Dwight D. Eisenhower…V.P.: Richard Nixon
Bread: .19¢/loaf, Milk: .25¢/qt., Gas: .30¢/gal., Stamp: 4¢
Best picture: ‘Gigi’ Best Actor: David Niven
TV shows: Burns & Allen, Perry Mason, I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke, Leave it to Beaver
The Harry Simeone Chorale recorded the Fred Waring song: ‘Little Drummer Boy’
Al and Jerry Lapin founded The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) in California
The Barbie doll patented by Mattel. Ruth Handler (designer) named it after her daughter
Binney & Smith (Crayola crayons) introduced the 64-count Crayola crayon box
McDonald’s hit the 100 million sold mark
Legos building blocks were introduced
Wham-O began selling the Hula-Hoop
Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were married
The Buffalo Evening News’ cartoonist, Bruce M. Shanks, won The Pulitzer Prize

Ref. HymnHistories Cyberhymnal WebEdelic DMarie TanBible Wikipedia BuffaloHistory.com

Christmas cantata

I hope you received word that our Christmas musical was postponed last night (12/16).

We had to make the decision early enough to contact the media in order to get the word out to the prospective audience; and we had to contact all those involved in the musical itself. I hope you didn't make an unnecessary trip in some pretty rough road conditions.

Diane and I were on the phones most of the afternoon. Thanks Diane!

We will present the musical in Sheridan on Sunday, December 30, 2007 @ 7:00 PM at Sheridan United Methodist church. Pray for good weather!

We will have choir rehearsal on Tuesday 12/18 @ 6:45 PM - 7:15 PM and chorus rehearsal from 7:15 -8:30 PM.

See you then...

Bud

ps for all of you wondering how our TubaChristmas went on Saturday (12/17) @ Kleinhans...there were 87 of us playing Christmas carols!

Sheridan Community Chorus

The Christmas cantata for tonight has been postponed.

We will be performing it on Sunday, December 30, 2007 at Sheridan United Methodist Church at 7:00 PM.

Sheridan Community Chorus

Christmas Cantata still on for tonight!

Report time: 6:00 PM on the platform for warm-up/sound check.

Concert time: 7:00 PM (we should begin the cantata by 7:09 PM).

The cantata should end by 8:14 PM.

A reception will immediately follow.

I will try to keep updated Chorus information on this blog.

I played with 86 other tuba players at Kleinhans last night for "TubaChristmas."

Fun stuff!

Bud: cell: 785-8341 / home: 934-7734 / church: 672-2048

Area weather forecast as of 12/15 ...

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST MONDAY

Today...Mostly cloudy. A chance of snow this afternoon. Cold with highs in the upper 20s. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 40 percent. Tonight...Snow in the evening...Then snow with a chance of sleet after midnight. Snow and sleet accumulation 3 to 5 inches. Windy with lows around 20. East winds 15 to 30 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent. Sunday...Snow and sleet in the morning...Then snow and blowing snow in the afternoon. Snow May be heavy at Times in the morning. Additional snow and sleet accumulation 4 to 7 inches. Highs in the upper 20s. East winds 15 to 25 mph...Becoming south 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent. Sunday Night...Steady snow and blowing snow in the evening...Then snow likely after midnight. Windy with lows around 20. West winds 20 to 30 mph... Becoming northwest. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

****The weather forecast is always predicated and dependent upon the will of God****

The Sheridan Community Chorus 12/16 Christmas Cantata

Sunday, December 16, 2007 at 7:00 PM at Sheridan United Methodist Church we will be singing the wonderful Christmas musical 'Noel.'

If there is a need to cancel the concert due to inclement weather, I will post it on this blog.

You can call the church office: (716) 672-2048 or

my cell: (716) 785-8341 or home: (716) 934-7734

Pray for a great, powerful presentation.

Motivation

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing—that's why we recommend it daily.
-Zig Ziglar

Sheridan Community Chorus

We are cancelling tonight's (12/13/07) chorus rehearsal because of inclement weather.
You all sounded great on Tuesday...see you Sunday @ 6:00 PM.

Sheridan Community Chorus in concert (12/16)

The Sheridan Community Chorus will be in concert on Sunday, December 16, 2007 at Sheridan United Methodist church (2679 East Main Road [Route 20] in Sheridan, NY 14135).

For further information contact Bud: 716.934.7734 or tubamanbud@gmail

or click on the "comments" icon here on the blog.

Receive Sheridan Community Chorus schedule updates

Give us your email address or your mailing address and we will keep you updated as to the schedule of the Sheridan Community Chorus.
Send us an email to tubamanbud@gmail.com
or leave a message on this blog by clicking on the "comments" icon.

Bud's World

'Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer'

Ad-man Robert L. May created ‘Rudolph’ in 1939. He wrote a whimsical little story and circulated it at Christmas time in pamphlet form among the Montgomery Ward mail-order department. Ten years later, composer Johnny Marks composed a musical setting, and ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ burst onto the holiday scene in Gene Autry’s hugely successful recording. The whole story of ‘Rudolf’ appeared, out of nowhere, in 1939. The Santas at Montgomery Ward stores gave away 2.4 million copies of the booklet entitled ‘Rudolf the Red-Nose Reindeer.’ May, who worked in the advertising department at Montgomery Ward, wrote the story, and Denver Gillen illustrated the booklet. Robert May was rather sickly, shy and introverted as a child and he loosely based the Rudolph character on his childhood feelings of alienation from children his own age. The original name of the red-nosed reindeer was to be Rollo, but executives didn’t like that name, or the other suggested name of Reginald. The name Rudolf came from May’s young daughter!
[As a side note to this story: Robert May’s wife passed away from a long and terminal illness about the same time he created Rudolph. Since he had created Rudolph as a Montgomery Ward employee, the company held the copyright to all royalties received from the story. Deeply in debt from all the medical bills resulting from his wife’s illness, May persuaded Montgomery Ward’s corporate president, Sewell Avery, to turn the copyright over to him in January 1947.
With the rights in hand, May’s financial security was assured.]

From the Choir Loft
This afternoon at 3:00, we will be singing our Christmas musical, ‘Noel’ at St. Joe’s Roman Catholic Church (1451 Payne Ave. in North Tonawanda). It is a special honor for me since this is Father Louis Dolinic’s church. Father Louis is one of my very favorite people, and a very talented organist! If you’d like to join us, a large group is meeting in our church parking lot to car-pool up to North Tonawanda. They will be leaving the church at 12:30 and will be returning after the concert. If you'd like to join us, you are more than welcome. We can use your support!

History of Christmas Toys
In 1949, Ole Christiansen, a Danish toy maker, began to manufacture toy blocks with a new twist. Christiansen created a plastic brick that can be locked together in different configurations…The Lego, which comes from the Danish ‘leg godt,’ meaning “play well” was born. The world's children spend 5 billion hours a year playing with LEGO bricks. The Lego Blocks fit together in 102,981,500 different ways! (For those of us from N.T., that’s almost 103 million!)

Today in history
December 9
1793 – Noah Webster established NY’s 1st daily newspaper (‘American Minerva’)
1907 – Christmas seals went on sale for the 1st time in Wilmington, Delaware
1965 – “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” premiered on television

Church office: (716) 672-2048, Bud: (716) 934-7734, email: tubamanbud@gmail.com
www.frombudsworld.blogspot.com

Bud's History of the Carols

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” (1868) pg. 230
Words: Phillips Brooks (1835 – 1893)
Music: Lewis H. Redner (1830 – 1908)

Three years after his return from a trip to the Holy Land in 1865, Philadelphia preacher Phillips Brooks found himself still deeply moved by Bethlehem’s “simplicity and wondrous beauty.” Brooks wrote about his horseback journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where he assisted with the midnight service on Christmas Eve, 1865. “I remember standing in the old church in Bethlehem, close to the spot where Jesus was born, when the whole church was ringing hour after hour with splendid hymns of praise to God. How again and again it seemed as if I could hear voices I knew well, telling each other of the Wonderful Night of the Savior’s birth.”
He penned some lines that he thought captured the serene atmosphere of the place where Jesus was born, and asked the organist of his church, Lewis Redner, if he could compose a melody.
Redner was a wealthy real estate broker as well as the church organist at Holy Trinity Church. Redner struggled with his task day after day, until, waking from a nap on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, he seemed to hear “an angel strain” and was finally inspired to jot down a tune that matched Brooks’ verses perfectly.
That was in 1868, but ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ did not gain its universal popularity until 1882, when it was published in the new hymnal of the Episcopal Church.

Meanwhile…1868…139 years ago…in the United States…

U. S. President: Andrew Johnson…Vice-President: None
U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson
Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) was opened
Brigham Young married his 27th and final wife
William Hinds received a patent for the “Candlestick”
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company was formed (Snoopy came later)
Frederick Olmsted was hired to design the City of Buffalo’s public parks

Ref. ThenSingsMySoul Cyberhymnal TimelinesOfHistory SilverCreek.com DmarieCapsule RDM Lego

Sheridan Community Chorus

Schedule for Sunday (12/9/07)

St. Joseph's R.C. church...1451 Payne Ave. North Tonawanda, NY.

Those helping with the set-up at St. Joe's in N. Tonawanda...please meet us in N.T. @ 11:30 am.

Those traveling from Sheridan with the group, please arrive at Sheridan United ready to leave at 12:30 pm

We will warm-up and do a sound check at St. Joe's @ 2:00 pm.

Concert begins @ 3:00 pm.

There will be a reception following the concert.

Please remember concert attire (white/black/Christmas color accessories).

Please remember to bring both choral books ('Noel' & 'The Gift Goes On.')

We will need help tearing down the sound system following the concert.

Thanks for all your help.

Sheridan Community Chorus

We had a great rehearsal last night! Thanks!
We are rehearsing at S.U.M. on Thursday (12/6/07) @ 7:00 pm.

Plans for concert on Sunday 12/9/07...
Set-up people are planning to arrive at St. Joe's in N.T. at 11:30 am.
Car-pooling people are leaving the S.U.M. parking lot at 12:30 pm.
Warm-up/sound check at St. Joe's in N.T. is 2:00 pm.
Concert at St. Joe's in N.T. is 3:00 pm.
DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR BOOKS!

The Story of Two Wolves...

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence , empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Sheridan Community Chorus rehearsal schedule

Only two rehearsals left until our first concert at St. Joe's R.C. church in North Tonawanda (1451 Payne Avenue).
Tonight (12/4/07) @ 7:15 pm - 8:30 pm at Sheridan United Methodist church.
Thursday (12/6/07) @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm at Sheridan United Methodist church.

Remaining rehearsals (all at Sheridan United Methodist church):
12/4 @ 7:15 pm
12/6 @ 7:00 pm
12/11 @ 7:15 pm
12/13 @ 7:00 pm

Bud's World

Christmas Tunes
‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!’
One oppressively hot day in July 1945, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn were in Los Angeles to talk with their publisher, Edwin H. Morris. Their business finished, Cahn suggested that they go to the beach to cool off. But Styne, always businesslike, thought they ought to work a little first. He suggested that they cool off by writing a winter song. Cahn finally agreed and dashed off the beginnings of a lyric; Styne responded with the beginnings of a tune. Before long, ‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow’ was finished. Vaughn Monroe’s recording shot to the top of the pop charts during Christmas of 1945.

The Christmas season from the choir loft
As Christian musicians, our main focus is to worship God with our music. God created us for fellowship and with fellowship comes communication. We communicate our thoughts and feelings through our songs. In the Bible, from the time of Moses up until the present time, God has blessed us with powerful, inspired sacred music to worship Him. During this blessed Christmas season let us lift our music in worship to Him. We desire to honor Him for who He is!
“He is the reason for the Season!”

History of Christmas Toys
Crayola Crayons
In the early 1900s, Binney & Smith, a chemical company, began to produce slate pencils and a type of dustless chalk. Company executives, and cousins, Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith realized that a new wax crayon they had developed to mark crates and boxes in their factory would provide a neater and more affordable alternative to costly imported crayons for American schools. Edwin Binney’s wife, Alice, picked Crayola as the brand name. In 1903, an assortment of affordable, multi-colored crayons was offered to the American public for the first time. The first Crayola crayons came in a box of eight and retailed for a nickel. The eight original colors were black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, violet, and yellow. In the company's 102-year history, over one hundred billion Crayola crayons have been produced. Binney & Smith produce nearly three billion crayons each year—that's about seven million every day. That much paraffin wax and colored pigment is enough to make a crayon thirty-seven feet wide and four hundred and twenty feet long, higher than the Statue of Liberty! Crayola crayons are sold in more than eighty countries and packaged in twelve languages. The average American child uses 730 crayons by his/her tenth birthday. Children ages two through eight spend an average of twenty-eight minutes a day coloring. That equals 6.3 billion hours spent coloring annually! The scent of Crayola crayons is among the twenty most recognizable scents to American adults.

Today in history
December 2
1927 – The 1st Model A Fords were sold for $385
1901 – Gillette patented the 1st disposable razor


Church office: (716) 672-2048, Bud: (716) 934-7734, email: mailto:tubamanbud@yahoo.com
http://www.frombudsworld.blogspot.com/

History of Christmas Carols

“Angels We Have Heard on High” (1937) pg. 238
Words: Traditional French Carol (1862)
Music: Arranged [1937] by Edward Shippen Barnes (1881 - 1958)

According to the story of the first Christmas, it was the shepherds tending their flocks near Bethlehem to whom the angels first gave the news of the baby Jesus’ birth. And so, in medieval times shepherds who found themselves minding their little herds in the wintry mountains of southern France on Christmas Eve remembered the story of that first birth and the angels who sang of it.
They called one to the other, each from his own peak, singing the good news as the angels had sung so long ago, until finally the mountaintops themselves rang with a glorious patchwork of echoing voices.
In this favorite carol the music probably comes from a 17th or 18th century French carol, as does the text. But the back-and-forth “Gloria” refrain is probably based on a much older phrase of music, perhaps a bit of plainsong chant from the Church’s earlier days. The “gloria’s” in the chorus mimic the echo sound of the shepherds’ voices as they sang from the mountaintops. The combination of tune and text was not published, so far as we know, until it appeared in a carol collection in 1855. Edward Barnes harmonized it, as we sing it today, in 1937.

Meanwhile…1937…70 years ago…in the United States…
U. S. President: Franklin D. Roosevelt…Vice-President: John Garner
Average prices: Bread: 9¢/loaf, Milk: 12¢/qt., Eggs: 56¢/dozen,
Car: $675, Gas: 20¢/gal. Stamp: 3¢, Average Income: $1,789/year
Best Actor: Spencer Tracy…Favorite songs: ‘The Dipsy Doodle’ by Tommy Dorsey’… ‘The Moon Got in my Eyes’ by Bing Crosby…’Boo Hoo’ by Guy Lombardo
The 1st Santa Claus Training School opened in Albion, NY
Walt Disney’s ‘Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs’ movie was released
The Social Security system began levying taxes on workers’ wages
Cartoon characters Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and Petunia Pig debuted
Pierce Arrow Auto Company went out of business after battling out of receivership
Rev. James W. Reis was pastor of Sheridan Methodist Church

Ref. The Sheridan Settler Cyberhymnal RDM TanBible DmarieCapsule WarnerBros

A True Friend

Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. Proverbs 18:24
(The Message)

Recommended Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

At one time, the Sydney Swans were the laughing stock of the Australian Rules football league because they had the worst record, the worst players, the worst coach, and the worst fans. Needless to say, most of their games were played in front of empty stands. But something strange happened. The team got a new coach and a few new players and began winning. Suddenly, everyone was a Swans fan, and the stands were filled to capacity at nearly every game. On one such occasion, as TV cameras captured the joy and excitement of the crowd, one zoomed in on a man holding up a homemade sign that read, I WAS HERE WHEN NOBODY ELSE WAS!

Scripture tells us that "A friend loves at all times," setting the standard by which we should choose our relationships (Proverbs 17:17a). Fair-weather friends are easy to come by, but those relationships that are built on agape love are a rare find and a treasure to be sure; they will stick with you through thick and thin, not just during a winning season.
In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends. [John Churton Collins]

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Charismatic: Only 1 - Hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal: 10 - One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians: None - Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic: None - Candles only. (Of guaranteed origin of course.)

Baptists: At least 15 - One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.

Episcopalians: 3 - One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks, and one to talk about how much better the old one was.

Mormons: 5 - One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.

Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

Methodists: Undetermined - Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.

Nazarene: 6 - One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.

Lutherans: None - Lutherans don't believe in change.

Amish: What’s a light bulb?