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Overview
Every Christmas, I get in the mood to write some Christmas music. This is somewhat unfortunate, in that I generally have to wait at least a year before I can hear the music performed. Brightest and Best was one of those projects over Christmas vacation. (Yes, Brightest and Best is an Epiphany carol, not a Christmas carol, but I fell it love with it anyway.)
I have a collection of 100-year-old hymnals, and in The American Hymnal, published in 1913 by The Century Co. (last century, obviously), I found this little gem. The tune is named “St. Ninian” and was composed by John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876). I was unfamiliar with it, but it certainly seemed worthy of being remembered.
I usually create an arrangement of such pieces. That is, I re-shape them from a hymn into an anthem or motet (see, for example, Let Us Be Merry or Let All Mortal Flesh).
My first task, then, was to simply improve upon existing setting, especially with an eye out for improving the counterpoint within the piece. A few tweaks to the melody, some to make it flow better, some to better work with similar tweaks to the harmony, and many refinements to the individual lines… I liked the result, and even though I had intended to expand it into an anthem, the tweaked carol just seemed so… whole. I liked the carol so much I didn’t (yet) create a full arrangement of it.
The Recording & Video
During the summer of 2016, I embarked with the Byrd Ensemble on a recording of (most of) my a cappella choral works (released in March 2017 as “Stories“). In one of the recording sessions we had a few spare minutes, so I asked them to also record Brightest and Best.
The beauty and clarity of their singing was inspiring–that experience stayed with me, and as I thought about what carol I wanted to do a setting of this year, I kept coming back to Brighest and Best. But I wanted a visual for the carol. I’ve always loved animation (Bugs Bunny, Disney, Rocky & Bullwinkle), and had wanted to try my hand at is for as long as I can remember. Why not for Brightest and Best?
At that first thought, the project captured my imagination. I very much wanted to give the world a Christmas present that would honor Jesus, and it sure was a blast and a joy working so hard on this project. I hope you enjoy it, and are inspired by it. “…richer by far is the heart’s adoration…”
The Text
Brightest and Best
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall.
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all.Shall we not yield Him, in costly devotion
Odors of Edom and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would His favor secure.
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration;
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.—Reginald Heber (1785-1826)
