Peace in thy hands,
Peace in thine eyes,
Peace on thy brow;
Flower of a moment in the eternal hour,
Peace with me now.
With those words, we welcome composer Abbie Betinis back to Classical MPR for the world premiere of her annual Christmas Carol.
Betinis continues a family tradition begun in 1922 by her great-grandfather, Bates Burt, then continued by Betinis's great-uncle, Alfred Burt. Some of Alfred Burt's carols, such as "Caroling, Caroling" and "The Star Carol" became part of the standard Christmas repertoire.
Abbie picked up the tradition by writing a new carol every year, and for the past 14 years, she has premiered them on Classical Minnesota Public Radio.
This year's carol, "Peace with Me Now," tells a story of dying and rebirth, symbolized by the robin in winter, carrying a torch from the old year into the new. It also reflects a new dimension in Abbie's life as a performer: This year, she joined the a cappella group, The Fairlanes, so she chose their men's voices in close harmony for the new carol. Abbie also brought a carol by Alfred Burt, "We'll Dress the House." Listen to the complete interview above, or click the audio tracks at right to hear songs by themselves.
Thanks to the MPR Carolers — otherwise known as The Fairlanes — for bringing the music to life!
Abbie Betinis -- alto/first tenor
John Barrett -- second tenor
Dave Jacobson -- baritone
Bob Peskin -- bass
Peace with Me Now
Clouded with snow
The cold winds blow,
And shrill on leafless bough
The robin with its burning breast
Alone sings now.
The rayless sun,
Day's journey done,
Sheds its last ebbing ligh
On fields in leagues of beauty sprea
Unearthly white
REFRAIN:
Peace in thy hands,
Peace in thine eyes,
Peace on thy brow;
Flower of a moment in the eternal hour,
Peace with me now.
Thick draws the dark,
And spark by spark,
The frost-fires kindle, and soon
Over that sea of frozen foam
Floats the white moon.
All the night's dews,
All the world's leaves,
All winter's snow it would seem
Here with their quiet to have stilled,
Stilled in life's dream.
(REFRAIN)
Lyrics from the poems Winter and The Ghost by Walter de la Mare (1873 – 1956), published 1912.
Love the music?
Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.
Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.
YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.
