Music Notes 12-1-24

O Come, O Come Emmanuel is one of the older hymns in the hymnbook, its roots stretching

back to the “O Antiphons” (an antiphon being a short sentence that is sung or said before or after

a psalm or canticle), which are part of the Magnificat Vespers of the last 7 days of Advent in

liturgical Christian traditions. The earliest references to the O Antiphons can be found in the

writings of Boethius, who was a Roman senator and philosopher in the 6 th century. The earliest

references to the tune Veni Emmanuel was found in a 15 th century French manuscript, and was

part of the Libera Me in the Vespers. By 1851, the tune was familiar and was published for the

first time paired with a similar text by Thomas Helmore in a book called Hymnal Noted. The

text we sing most commonly in the English-speaking world was translated in 1861 and published

in Hymns Ancient and Modern. This arrangement was part of my Christmas Album, which we

recorded in May of 1989. I assembled 24 of the best singers I could get and we recorded 10 a

cappella arrangements in a “live from the floor” setting (in the choir room at my wife’s church in

Granada Hills). The arranger, Ken Neufeld, who was my right-hand man in those days, wrote

the arrangement and later uploaded the performance to YouTube. Ken has been soloist and

ensemble singer in groups ranging from trios to large massed choirs, professionally and

otherwise, covering classical, jazz, sacred, secular, and even comic repertoire. He has sung and

acted nationally and internationally on stage, screen and television. He has appeared in sit-coms,

musicals, and dramatic works---including those of Shakespeare. In addition, Ken is an award-

winning composer/arranger, with well over 300 works to his credit. These include choral/vocal

settings, keyboard and instrumental pieces, as well as full-scale musical theatre. His music has

been performed worldwide, including renowned venues in Europe, the Antipodes, and across the

States. They have also won local, national and international awards and honors. Over the years,

he’s been published by nearly a dozen well-known publishers. More recently, he even began his

own online publishing company: Kensington Choralworks.

Alfred Burt is a Christmas legend and mainstay among carolers. He was a jazz musician who

was born in Michigan and studied at the U of M in Ann Arbor. He served in the army during the

2 nd World War and played trumpet and cornet with the Army Air Force Band and he subbed in

with the Houston Symphony. His father, Bates, an Episcopal rector, began a tradition in their

family prior to moving to Pontiac in 1922 - the creation of a Christmas card, which he sent to

family members and parishioners. On these cards were original Christmas carols, with both the

words and music by the Reverend Burt. After Alfred graduated from college, his father asked

him to take over as composer and write the music for the family Christmas card in 1942,

"Christmas Cometh Caroling". From then on, Alfred would write the music for the family's

Christmas cards. His father sent him the lyrics for the carols from Michigan, first in 1943 (Jesu

Parvule) and then in 1944 (What Are The Signs). Burt completed the music from his base. Burt

married his childhood sweetheart, Anne Shortt (August 14, 1922 – November 30, 2000), on

October 13, 1945. Finally earning his discharge in early 1946, he formed a short-lived band; after

the group disbanded, he and Anne returned to Michigan to spend time with his father. The 1947

Christmas card, Nigh Bethlehem, was the last collaboration between Alfred and Bates Burt.

Reverend Burt died of a heart attack early in 1948. Alfred and his wife chose to continue the

family Christmas card tradition in his honor. Burt resumed his career in New York as a musician

and arranger/composer. Meanwhile, Anne remained in Michigan, where the Burts' only child,

Diane Bates Burt, was born on March 8, 1950. While she was pregnant, Anne, in consultation

with Alfred, asked an old family friend, Wihla Hutson (1901–2002), the organist at Rev. Bates

Burt's church, to write the lyrics for the annual Christmas card, which Alfred then would set to

music. This carol, entitled Sleep, Baby Mine (or Carol of the Mother) was a lullaby for their

unborn child. In the spring of 1950, Alfred, Anne and six-week-old Diane moved to Pacoima.

Burt finished the last of his carols, The Star Carol, this week’s offertory, on February 5, 1954.

Less than two days later, he died. The Star Carol would be used on the final Burt family

Christmas card that holiday season. The artwork and printing of the card was donated by

Columbia Records with a staff photographer providing the photo of a little girl looking at a

Christmas ornament. Many thought it was Al's daughter, Diane Burt. Diane lives in Santa

Monica these days and is a good friend. She formed and runs an outfit called The Caroling

Company, which, of course, features her dad’s music (as well as all the usual suspects) and has

recorded an album of his carols. The Burt Carols are unique, in that they are carols, as opposed

to songs, and as such are the only truly American Christmas carols of any renown.