HERE WE COME A-CAROLLING

A YULETIDE MUSICAL MEMOIR- For all music lovers
(Edited from the original published in the Quarterly of Delhi Diocese- Darshan; October -December 2016 Issue)

White Christmas, Tropical Christmas, Misty Christmas- I’ve experienced it all. But more than all the stars, lights and trees, the Christmas Carols have been dearer to me. Over the years, many teachers, schools, colleges, choirs, choir masters and churches have moulded me to be a music lover and just like many of you, Christmas is my most favourite season of all.
Childhood memories bring me back the chimes of bells ‘Ding dong merrily on high’, the cute story song of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and the great sacrifice of the ‘Little Drummer Boy’. I remember my brother enacting as the drummer boy twice in school. Psalty’s Christmas album was one cassette I used to hear over and over again (even in the middle of the year!). In that, one song I loved the most is ‘Christmas is a time to love’. It gives an endearing message to just keep your eyes ABOVE and not to worry too much about anything.
Another Christmas song which was my dearest during childhood is ‘Jesus come into my heart’. The song goes: Many years ago, God did show, His Love so true./ When His Only Son to our World did come./ To save both me and you./ Jesus come into my heart,/ Fill me with Your Love and Light./ Children everywhere pray this little prayer,/ Ask Jesus in tonight. An innocent prayer song for Christmas.
In my senior classes of school life, the Senior Choir always sang small bits of carols which were part of the Cantata (a musical drama). I remember how we used to come back to class after practice and sing traditional hymns loudly in four parts. Friends from other divisions, especially the Science kids, were so jealous when we used to sing during class time. (We even bunked classes a few times and sat in the junior library to continue our jamming sessions!) Sweet memories.
My exposure to the vastness of harmonic Malayalam Carols started during College days. Alex Mathew sir made sure we did our practices well and on time to get ready for the big day. ‘Oru Ganam’, ‘Mahathwathin Raajaavu Aar’, ‘Ningal Ketto Marupratheshe’, ‘Pallimannikalle’, ‘Ningal Paadiyilenkil’…. So rich and meaningful is each and every song. Choirs became a habit for me those days. I feel most indebted to Thiruvalla Male Voices and Choral Society, especially our dear Choir Master, Jacob Kurien sir for teaching me so much more- Christmas, Easter and every special occasion gained a musical significance in my life. I joined the church choir around the same time, I guess. But all those years, we had very proficient Choir Masters like Jose sir and Biji sir who drilled the DoReMe's into our very system.

“Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices
O Night divine, O Night when Christ was born.”

“Whisper, Whisper, tiny baby in a manger lay
Whisper, Whisper, baby born today.”

“Unnathathilninnum vanna daivam nee
Ini Mannil Ennum Mannavarkku Rakshakanum.”

Christmases at Jagaddal had been a different experience altogether. It’s more challenging when you have to search for ideas and fix the programmes, which I had not done much before, except once in Kuttapuzha when I was in charge of the choir. But when it comes to Christmas, Jagaddal conducted it as a Mela -a real celebration, open to all villagers. Through the process of searching for a total of six Christmas programmes, I’ve found and re-found many many carols. Hillsong’s ‘Born is the King’, Glee’s ‘Extraordinary Merry Christmas’ Big Time Rush’s ‘Beautiful Christmas’ are power-packed songs. I’ve come across Hindi and Bengali versions of our traditional carols, village folk enjoying the Yuletide with simplicity and hue, and the whole world announcing the Saviour’s birth in all so many ways - through the World Wide Web. I’ve also got to know how much of Christian music is published in other languages like Punjabi, Marathi-Telegu and Tamil having the most beautiful collections. I’m truly blessed and thankful that last year we could equip our kids to learn and perform proper carols as Sub Junior, Junior and Senior Choirs- which never happened before! I must say- it was a beautiful farewell gift for the music lover in me.
Maybe because I’ve become a mother myself, I like more lullabies and songs about Mary. ‘Mary did you know’ is a very popular Christmas song which is sung, danced to and choreographed by many. The Acappella rendering of Pentatonix is the one I love the most. ‘Sukhamaayi Uranguu Kanmanni’ is a melodious choral lullaby composed by one of my B. Ed professors, Koshy sir. Thanks to him, I could sing Daphne to sleep those long infant nights.
As we have now come to parish ministry, we enjoy the feel of nightly Christmas rounds once again. The song register for this is totally different, but fun and rhythmic. People have a blast, accompanied with drums and cymbals, walking door to door, on cool winter nights, long hours, singing as loud as they can about their Saviour’s birth. I’m sure you already are humming a tune of some Malayalam favourite carol already in your mind!!
It’s difficult to share with you one favourite carol. There are just so many -traditional songs like ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’, ‘ O Little Town of Bethlehem’, ‘Away in a Manger’, and the most loved ‘Silent Night’; children’s favourites like ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Long Time Ago’, ‘Rocking Around the Christmas Tree’ and ‘Santa Claus is coming to town’ ; pop albums sung by Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Pentatonix or Glee, or the old times Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra or Boney M ; Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W Smith or Mandisa; songs from all countries, all languages of India – the varieties and types are unreachable and unending. All share the joy and spirit of Christmas. All that matters is what’s it’s all about. Jesus is the reason for the season. Love came down at Christmas.
I particularly remember being mesmerized by the carol ‘Immanuel’ by Michael Card, which I was privileged to sing with Kolkata Mar Thoma Church Choir last year: Immanuel, our God is with us; If God is with us, who could stand against us. Some songs can just hang onto you like that. ‘I’ll Shine’ is also a cute touching Christmas song which I taught in school last year: and will always be close to my heart- love you, Salome! The latest additions to my favourites are ‘Make Room’ by Casting Crowns, ‘Christmas Day’ by Chris Tomlin and ‘All I need for Christmas’ by TobyMac. Check them out for yourselves and make your own favourites into a playlist this season.
Heart-stirring eloquent lyrics. Heavenly awesome melodies. Songs of good news and hope. Christmas proclaims, year after year, the birth of the most influential, beloved, honoured, remembered man who ever walked on this planet. He came to save all mankind. He alone can comfort us in this world full of bad news and insecurity. Music was in the air the day He was born- in the songs of the angels from the heavenly hosts: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests." Sing Noel. Sing to the new born king. Let the melodies, the message and the merriness of Christmas live in our hearts forever.
Feliz Navidad.