Program 2004

Welcome to the 25th annual Christmas Revels!
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Nothing is more quintessentially Scottish than the pipes. Their haunting sound is sure to stir up even the most drop of Scottish blood. But these are not the great Highland pipes made to be played from a hilltop, they are the sweeter-voiced Scottish small pipes more often used for indoor entertainment. The great pipes, capable of expressing deep melancholy or triumphal joy, have taken on an iconic stature that defines the Scot, but Scotland has been home to a much broader variety of instruments than is commonly thought. The fiddle is another icon of Scottish music, but did you know that the fiddle and cello duo was the "band" of choice for dancing, bothat court and in the countryside?

Pipes, fiddle and accordion share the stage here with the violincello and other cultivated instruments, demonstrating the unique mix of the wild and the cultured in Scottish music that is the source of its charm. The Auld Alliance with France created a court life in 18th-century Edinburgh akin to that of Versailles. The lairds and their ladies were more likely to dance a pavane than a jig, and a passionate Robert Burns wooed many a young beauty with his refined songs and verses, as well as his rough good looks.

As always in Revels we are interested in what links cultures together at this time of the year, and the Highlands are home to many ancient customs and traditions that celebrate the Hogmany, the Scottish version of the winter solstice feast. From the kindling of the new fire to the distinctive Highlands guisers' play, the shortest day is here being celebrated in ways that may be familiar at some level, but different enough we hope to bring freshness to our annual gatherings in Symphony Space.

Now loosen your belts, clear your throats and even if you haven't sung a note all year, prepare to sing with us for the next couple of hours—and you're in good company.

Patrick Swanson, Artistic Director, Revels, Inc.

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