If you buy my music, I will make more.

If you liked the Twelve Days project and you'd like to support me in making more music, the album is now available to purchase from Bandcamp. You can pay as little or as much you like, and you can download the music in a variety of formats (including FLAC and .ogg). The recordings themselves are still under a CC BY-SA license, so having downloaded the album you can put it on USB drives and give...

Twelve Drummers Drumming

I wonder if the "true love" in the song remembered to get a gift receipt.Image from was feeling indecisive, so you get something of a baker's dozen. Think of the second track as a sort of bonus track, or save it for the Epiphany tomorrow. Either way is good.I wasn't planning on singing this first one, but the tune for this American version of the Joys of Mary is fantastically haunting. I'd love...

Eleven Pipers Piping

I suppose the Lords-a-Leaping and those dancing ladies have some appropriate music, now, at least.Image from seems that the version of this I have has rather more verses than standard. That's alright, it will give you time to learn the refrain if you're singing Puer natus in Bethlehem by artsyhonkerPuer natus in Bethlehem, alleluia,Unde gaudet Jerusalem, alleluia, alleluia.Refrain: In cordis...

Ten Lords-a-Leaping

Image from pretty little carol, which, like "Away in a Manger", I've only ever heard sung to a different tune than this A virgin most pure by artsyhonkerA virgin most pure, as the Prophets do tell,Hath brought forth a baby, as it hath befell,To be our Redeemer from death, hell and sin,Which Adam’s transgression had wrapped us in. Refrain Aye, and therefore be you merry, Rejoice and be merry,...

Nine ladies dancing

Image from the rising of the sun to the ends of the earth, let us sing of Christ the Prince,born of the Virgin Mary.Image from A solis ortus cardine by artsyhonkerA solis ortus cardineAd usque terrae limitemChristum canamus Principem,Natum Maria Virgine.Beatus auctor saeculiServile corpus induit,Ut carne carnem liberansNon perderet quod condidit.Clausae1 parentis visceraCaelestis intrat...

Eight Maids-a-Milking

Can you milk swans? Or do the maids bring their own cows? I'm not convinced about all these presents.Image from I don't have much to say Ther is no rose of swych vertu by artsyhonkerREFRAIN: Ther is no rose of swych vertuAs is the rose that bare Jhesu.Ther is no rose of swych vertuAs is the rose that bare Jhesu.Alleluya.REFRAINFor in this rose conteynyd wasHeven and erthe in lyttyl...

Seven Swans-a-Swimming

I think it's illegal to eat swans over here, except with special permission of the Queen or someone important. I'm told the ones on Wanstead Lake were swimming quite happily today; I didn't get there to have a look, myself.Image from a little something to bring in the New Year. The Shorter New Oxford Book of Carols says "This may have been written for the rumbustious festival of the...

Six Geese-a-Laying

More geese!?This isn't the most popular tune for this particular carol; though it is in Carols for Choirs 1, I've never heard it sung in a service.Any mother will tell you that "no crying he makes" is a complete fiction; it's bad theology to imply that the Christ child was not fully human, as well as fully divine. But I like this tune, so here you Away in a manger by artsyhonkerAway in a manger,...

Five Gold Rings

Finally off the poultry! Though if you look closely there is the Holy Spirit, represented by a dove, in this stained glass window of the is very much a mixture of old and new. The words date from the 15th Century. The music dates from 2010 and is by one Chris Upton, who has released it under my favourite license, CC I Syng of a Mayden by artsyhonkerI syng of a maydenþat is makeles,kyng of alle...

Four calling birds

As usual, no birds. I guess turtle doves just aren't nocturnal...Image from know about this piece of music thanks to Francis Roads, Tim Henderson and the London Gallery Quire, where I play serpent and occasionally sing a bit or wave my arms about.I've transposed it down a semi-tone for comfort, and am playing the instrumental bassline on the horn rather than a string instrument; a string...