JAMES KALLEMBACH composer
  • HOME
  • Biography
  • MUSIC
    • About My Music
    • Peruse SATB
    • Peruse SSA & TTBB
    • Peruse Solo Voice
    • Peruse Instrumental Music
  • CONTACT
  • Recordings
  • ChoralPerusal

Chorus Pro Musica to premiere "The Tryal and Examination of Old Father Christmas"

Boston's Chorus Pro Musica under the baton of new artistic director Jamie Kirsch recently commissioned a new work for their 2014-15 season for December 19th at Old South Church, Boston. I am honored to write for this stellar choir with a great history under talented new leadership. I have always been drawn to early American history and Boston, in particular, so I chuckled at the thought of "Puritan Christmas," seeing as early Boston was particularly adverse to holidays, and Christmas, it seemed, was particularly despised. Indeed, the Pilgrims spent their first Christmas building their first civic structure and John Winthrop, the founder and first governor of the Commonwealth, generally declared it a day of fasting and prayer. 

As I started to sort through the sordid underground Christmases of early America, I stumbled upon: The EXAMINATION and TRYAL of OLD Father CHRISTMAS, Together with his Clearing by the JURY, At the Assizes held at the Town of Difference, in the County of Discontent by Josiah King (great title!). Granted this is a British text, it successfully pokes fun at the Puritans while emphasizing that, although Christmas is often a time of excess, it is also a time to think of others, cherish your neighbor, and hope for peace both near and afar.

Return To GALLERY
All photos of James Kallembach are courtesy of  Erielle Bakkum Photography.

Choral

ORATORIOS/MAJOR WORKS
SATB
SSA/TTB

Art Song

A PRIMER OF BIRDS
FOUR ROMANTIC SONGS
JOHN AND ABIGAIL ADAMS

Recordings

​FOUR ROMANTIC SONGS
PASSION
MOST SACRED BODY
© COPYRIGHT 2015.
​ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.