The Crossing

Item: The Court Of A King
Author: Roger Appelinski

The Court Of A King

(1998)

Reviewed by Roger Appelinski

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Label Grrr RecordsThe LighthouseUnsorted 1998

celtic folk world

"This recording is a bit of a travelogue, beginning in ancient Israel, moving through the story of Christ's birth in the world, on to His 'birth' in each of our lives, and finishing with the longing for His return." These are the first words that appear in the liner notes for The Court Of A King.

I listened to the album once before opening the liner jacket. I'm glad I finally read the liner notes, because I really didn't quite "get" the album the first time through. Knowing the upbeat jigs that The Crossing usually performs, I was perplexed by some of the downbeat, even haunting tracks. Now, it makes sense. The liner notes explain this journey in detail, so, let me tell you about some of the highlights.

"O Come, O Come Emmanuel" opens the project with an effective illustration of the mournful longings of the Hebrew prophets as they sought the Messiah (Isaiah 7:13). A single flute very slowly playing the melody of the tune, backed by a didgeridoo, captures the meaning of the song in a haunting way.

"The Christ Child's Lullaby" could be the only Christmas carol originally written in Scots Gaelic. It tells of the awe that Mary must have felt in looking at her Son, knowing He was the Christ. The song is fairly simple, led by acoustic guitar and female lead and backing vocal echo, leading to a highland pipe solo at the end. I just love the lyrics:

My love, my treasured one are You, my sweet and lovely Son are You. You are my love, my darling, You; unworthy I of You. Your mild and gentle eyes proclaim the loving heart with which You came; tender, helpless tiny babe with countless gifts of grace.

King of kings, most holy One, God the Son, eternal One. You are my God and helpless Son, High ruler of mankind.

There are a few interesting lyrical twists to the album, such as the inclusion of Latin phrases (with translations included in the notes) in "In Dulci Jubilo/Lark In The Morning/The Bridal Jig" and the Norwegian "Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker." The former is a joyous jig, while the latter is a more downbeat track with an English spoken translation.

The Crossing also includes the London version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" which is a bit different than we're used to in the States. The title track is another highlight, with a male lead vocal backed by other men, a cappella. It tells of going to the holy lands: "I am no ancient, no shepherd, no king. I have no gold, no gift do I bring. I'm only a man here who's remembering when this lowly stable held court to a King."

If you haven't heard the Crossing before, I strongly encourage you to consider adding this to your Christmas music collection. It's unique, and a great collection of traditionally Celtic instruments: highland and uillean pipes, bouzouki, bodhran, dulcimer, and others, along with flute, cello, guitar, and harp. But, it isn't what you'd expect with Celtic music; this album goes through as much of a musical journey as it does a lyrical one.

Only a few songs are derived from popular carols, so this isn't going to be one you're likely to put on at your Christmas party. But, I think that if you're interested in sitting down and pondering the birth of Christ, this would be an exceptional choice for you. I dare say there isn't another Christmas album like this one.