Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 22, 2020, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE C3 C 3ARTS ? LIFE I MUSICTUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020 ? WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM Yuletide earworms have the power to endure Comforting Christmas classics take on yet more meaning in pandemic year WHY do we love Christmas music? We know all the obvious reasons: It conjures treasured memories of holidays past; it allows us to revel in the season's spirit simply by listening; it gives us a sense of peace through familiar- ity - we've heard these songs a thousand times before. But there's another reason we cling to songs such as White Christmas, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: The character of the music itself conveys comfort and joy. Meaning that even apart from the lyrics, the songs' melodies and harmonies - and the way performers deliver them - mostly have been de- signed either to put us at ease or to uplift us. The music does this every bit as much as the words, if not more so. Think of the most ubiquitous and beloved of all holiday songs, Irving Berlin's White Christ- mas. It may seem unlikely that a Russian-Jewish immigrant who was born Israel Isidore Baline would pen the song that epitomizes Christmas in America (and beyond). But Berlin, who essential- ly created the template for the Great American Songbook, knew exactly what he was doing. The song's yearning harmonies and gradually ascending, aspirational melody express a sense of longing - which is quickly resolved. Thanks to the music, we feel the desire of the song's protagonist, who's "dreaming of a White Christ- mas." That dream is realized by the song's end, if not by the lyrics then by the music, which ends sweetly. And whose recording of White Christmas long ago became the standard against which all others are compared? Bing Crosby's, of course, his luxuriant baritone and ultra-relaxed delivery epitomizing everything warm and comforting about the holidays. The lilting melodic embellish- ments with which he dresses up the melody are like ornaments glistening on a Christmas tree, brightening an already delightful experience. Don't forget that White Christmas was originally written for the 1942 musical Holiday Inn, star- ring Crosby and Fred Astaire. Or take the endearing sentiments of Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, another holiday standard. The song's simplicity echoes Berlin's White Christ- mas, but tinged with passing, minor-key chords as the lyrics envision a time when "our troubles will be out of sight." More bittersweet than Berlin's classic, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas allows for the pain that sometimes accompanies the holiday season, even as the song ends with a message of hope. Here, too, the tune's most well-known rendition tells us something, for who better than Judy Gar- land to capture the darkness stirring beneath the surface? She famously sang it in the 1944 film musical Meet Me in St. Louis, itself a nostalgic look back at a seemingly more innocent time (the turn of the previous century). Sweetness and foreboding intermingle in Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, which tells us that "through the years we all will be together/if the fates allow." The genius of this song lies in the way both the music and lyrics articulate a wish that all will be well, while acknowledging that danger always lurks. Which is not to say that every classic Christ- mas song taps into our complicated dreams for the holidays. Others take a different approach, the songwriters instead seeking to stir optimism, cheer and euphoria. The buoyant rhythms of Meredith Willson's It's Beginning to Look (a Lot) Like Christmas, for instance, quicken our pulse not only because of the sprightly tempo the song demands but also because of its constant shifting between what musicians call "duple" and "triple" rhythms - dividing the beat by two or three. This back-and-forth rhythmic tension gives the music an irresistibly bouncy quality, as if we were jubilantly skipping through the season. Similarly, there's energy to spare in James Brown's recording of Santa's Got a Brand New Bag, which adds a welcome touch of funk to the holiday equation. And though Donny Hathaway's landmark This Christmas unfurls in long and soulful melody lines, there's no mistaking the rhythmic pulse that pushes it ever forward. Along these lines, the sassy swing of Santa Baby, as sung by Eartha Kitt, reminds us that Christ- mas music can be saucy, too. And who can resist Jose Feliciano's jubilant recording of his Feliz Navidad? Granted, practi- cally anything that Feliciano sings carries an in- cantatory pull. But here he turns a comparatively simple song into quite the celebration. When he arrives at the euphoric bridge, all seems right with the world. Of course, there are way too many indelible Christmas songs to acknowledge here. But we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Jingle Bells, to which Frank Sinatra brought 1950s' chic, and Ave Maria, on which Vikki Carr lavished her sumptuous, larger-than-life instrument. Surely no Christmas choral work is more widely known than the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's Messiah. True, the composer originally envisioned this as an Easter-season oratorio, but the fact that it has long since become a Christ- mas tradition in the United States helps us under- stand some of what we're looking for in holiday music: exuberance, which Hallelujah provides in profusion. Before the pandemic struck, no holiday season was complete without singer Johnny Mathis's Christmas Show, the veteran crooner turning auditoriums across the country into seasonal shrines. But it's what Mathis does musically with Christmas standards that really illuminate why he has been able to pick up where Bing Crosby left off, personifying the Christmas season to millions of listeners. Ironically, though we won't be able to experi- ence such shows in person during this pandemic season, the music seems even more valuable now, in that it carries extra meaning. Whatever hopes or joys that Christmas songs contain surely are heightened by what the world has suffered in 2020. So the spiritual message of Silent Night, Holy Night, the palpable nostalgia of (There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays and the sublime tone painting of The Christmas Song will resonate that much more deeply this time around, as we perceive them through the harsh experiences of the past several months. Another reason to love Christmas music. - Chicago Tribune HOWARD REICH Irving Berlin wrote the classic song White Christmas for the 1942 musical Holiday Inn, which also featured Easter Parade. The day the music died... is every day Musicians desperate for sources of income, inspiration as pandemic endures S INCE the pandemic began, there's been a lot of talk about supporting local business. There's been less about support- ing local artists who, in 2020, have faced an uphill battle wherein most of their revenue streams - touring, merchandising, festivals, even the venues where they might someday play - were snatched away and are likely among the last to return in full swing. For musicians, especially those starting out, making a living from music alone was a challenge long before COVID-19. But the pandemic has made it much harder to do so, and the near future looks bleak, too. Without meaningful support from fans and community, artists will struggle to keep doing what they do best. Manitoba Music executive director Sean McManus says giving that sup- port can have a major impact on art- ists' well-being, and their bottom line, so in that spirit, the local non-profit is in the midst of a blitz to encourage Manitobans to keep their favourite musicians and bands going. "There's just so much uncertainty," says McManus. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to help. Buying music and merch Much of an artist's expenses go into producing their music, McManus says, but without touring and live shows to promote that work, it's very difficult to earn money off that investment. "The expectation of a lot of music fans these days is to go on the internet (and find music free)," he says. Stream- ing services such as Spotify or Apple Music allow artists to grow their influ- ence, but they are far from democratic: according to Spotify's second-quarter results, the company's revenue grew by 13 per cent over 2019, but much of that money is distributed to global stars such as Bad Bunny, whose work was streamed over eight billion times. Soundcharts, a music industry analy- sis blog, calculated last year that the top streaming services issue payouts ranging from $0.0032 to $0.00436 per stream. That's great when you get eight billion streams,but not quite as profitable when you get 2,000. So buy- ing music directly from local artists, their labels or local music stores can more directly lead to financial gain for musicians and adjacent groups, and lead to more opportunities down the road. McManus says many local bands have created their own web stores on sites such as Bandcamp, offering fans the opportunity to purchase physi- cal and digital copies of music and merchandise, as well. You don't even have to wait in line at the merch table to see if a T-shirt is available in your size. These purchases have a cascad- ing effect: the people who make the merchandise are artists and the people who work to make the music happen stand to gain, too. Stream and share, follow artists Streaming is not a perfect system, but it does have its perks, offering artists a way to get discovered by fans, promoters, labels and other artists, and giving fans a way to explore much more music than they could fit on a shelf. "Being on Spotify or Apple Music and streaming, especially with a paid account, helps out artists even more, and liking, following and sharing mu- sic helps the artist's algorithm and that helps more people listen to it," McMa- nus says. "That helps generate revenue in the long term for artists, as well." Beyond revenue, following an artist online on streaming platforms and social media is a way for them to grow their audience and maintain connec- tions with their fans. Plus, since the pandemic began, many artists have made great strides in creating digital content, including livestream shows, often free of charge. Tuning in, engag- ing with the artist and clicking "like" or "share" can go a long way. Plus, listening to one local artist often leads listeners down a rabbit hole of artists from similar genres, labels or locales: your favourite new band could be one click away. Manitoba Mu- sic's social media regularly shares new music and updates from local artists' work, as do music publications such as Stylus magazine and university radio stations CKUW and UMFM. And if you're not a social media or streaming-service user, call into your radio station to request local tunes, McManus says. Buy a ticket, attend a virtual concert The artists wish you could be in the same room as them, but for the time being, that's not an option. However, virtual concerts are a solid alternative: you can eat your own food or drink your own beer while listening to art- ists such as William Prince (who just played a virtual show from the West End Cultural Centre) play directly to you (tickets were $25). So keep an eye out for live shows, such as Dec. 21's free Winter Solstice show with Rhonda Head and Miriam Hughes, streaming on Facebook on the MoonVoices page. Following Manitoba Music on social media, artists or individual venues is a good way to keep abreast of when shows are happening. Tell an artist you're listening "Even if you've done your Christmas shopping or your holiday shopping, or are unable to buy a piece of merch or a CD or album, reach out to an artist and let them know you're listening to them," McManus says. "It's a pretty lonely time for artists right now, so as we go through the winter, we're going to be really focused on making sure we stay connected and that we're doing OK." That doesn't cost a thing, but it can make a big difference, he says. ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca BEN WALDMAN JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Sean McManus, executive director of Manitoba Music, says in addition to losing gigs, recording deals and concerts, 'It's a pretty lonely time for artists right now.' C_03_Dec-22-20_FP_01.indd C3 2020-12-21 5:45 PM ;