Bowen & Csehy - Christmas Steepletime

The day I have been dreading has come...

We can't put it off anymore... Today I begin hauling the 14 giant Rubbermaid boxes of Christmas decorations and our 6-ft Christmas artificial tree and deck the halls with boughs of holly - FaLaLaLaLa, la la la la (what an original plug. Zzzzz).

Today is the first Sunday that was free and clear for the entire family to be in one place.

Lately, it's been a blur of Christmas school plays and parties, trips to the shopping mall to find presents, organizing Christmas get togethers for families and friends, shovelling snow all day Friday, and trying to find time inbetween all of this for my ramblings here at the yuleblog.

In the meantime, here's an album that you're either going to love or hate. It's an appropriate album for a Sunday since it was released on the Singspiration Steepletime label - formerly a division of Zondervan.

Beyond that, I have no clue about Mrs. Wilmos Csehy who plays the vibraharp or Georgina Bowen who plays the chimes. No information is given on which church they attended, where this was recorded, or what year this was released. I have Googled it every which way but Sunday and still fallen short.

This album has a great sound - I was excited to see the word vibraharp on a Christmas album cover. However, the pace they set is about one step slower than a leisurely walk of a turtle and it doesn't let up throughout the whole album. What sounds bright and fresh at the beginning sounds and feels like a funeral march at the end - my whole day in album form!

Don't say I didn't try and warn you:


Bowen & Csehy - Christmas Steepletime


Happy listening...


Capt

Comments

bongolong said…
I've been a percussionist (& drummer) for almost 45 years and love mallet instruments like the vibes & chimes, so was very interested to hear this album. You are right, it makes me think of what the music would be like at Christmas' funeral! So, I did a little magic, dropped a cut into my favorite wav/mp3 processor, and speeded things up a bit! The playing is still unsure (especially the chime player) and amateurish, but it sounds much better. I then added some reverb, which helped a bit more.

One thing I am sure of and I’m not joking about this; I know that when these ladies played for their congregation all were truly blessed. This music comes from the heart; no matter how good or bad it is, it is MUSIC!!

Fun post!

Merry Christmas Georgiana & Gladys and God bless you!!
CaptainOT said…
Bongo - I never thought of it that way! Good insight, my good man!


Capt
bongolong said…
Capt

My wife and I were leading worship for an evening service. We were asked just before the service to handle this ministry so we weren't prepared. Well, mistakes were made, no train wrecks, but not our best outing. At the end of the service we felt kinda down when someone came up to us to say how blessed they were by our worship!

This summer our church kids needed to raise money for a retreat. One of the things they did was a "Dinner Theatre Talent Show". For ten bucks each, we got spaghetti and a show. These kids did all sorts of things and again, mistakes were made but I could not have gotten better stuff if I paid big bucks for big name performers. This stuff came from the heart!!

All of this really doesn’t have anything to do with your blog, but music is a wonderful thing and has been a blessing to me my whole life. To hear a young child of 5 or 6 singing a song is magical. To hear a 95 year old grandma playing an even older out of tune piano is magic! And now that I think of it, this does have to do with your blog, and mine and anyone who runs one that truly loves music and loves to share it. What fun it is to grab someone and say, “Listen to this!!”

OK, I’ve gone on a bit longer than should be allowed, but what the heck… I love music!!

Keep up the great shares!
viliageiddiot said…
Gladys Csehy was a brilliant musician, now home with the Lord. She and her husband Wilmos (a phenomenal violinist) toured the country providing music for Bible conferences, crusades, and churches from the 1940's to the early 1980's. They also founded the Csehy Summer School of Music which is still in existence. Check www.csehy.com.
I worked for the Csehys several summers at their music camp.
She may have played the vibraharp slow on this album, but she didn't play the piano slowly, or the cowbells!
CaptainOT said…
Village - TY TY TY for the info on Mrs. Csehy! I love it when the blanks are filled it, especially by a reader of the yuleblog!

Much appreciated!


Capt
Anonymous said…
I am Executive Director of Csehy Summer School of Music. If you want more information on Wilmos or Gladys Csehy, go to our web site, www.csehy.com and send me an email. There is a biography of Wilmos available, as well as several CD's including one of their Christmas music that really highlights their talent and passion.
CaptainOT said…
Anon - It's wonderful to learn that the legacy of the Csehys is still helping budding musicians! Thanks for the info!


Capt
Anonymous said…
I was a close friend of Gladys Csehy. She was a dear woman, wonderful talented musician, and when she played the piano you could see it was an expression of love to the Lord. It was a joy to have known her.

Popular posts from this blog

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2011

2001 Playlist

Bruce Woodman Presents Christmas Carols With A Latin Lilt