9. Wexford Carol 3:02

Traditional Irish/arrangement by Cally Banham 

Cally Banham, English horn                      

William James, bodhran

Nathan Hershey, chord organ                                      

The drones on this track were recorded acoustically from a chord organ. Cally plays the English horn imitating the style of a bagpipe, using no vibrato, rapid mordents and extremely fast air speed to get the effect. The modulation is enacted by a direct quote from Charles Martin Loeffler's La Cornemuse from Deux Rhapsodies for oboe, viola and piano. Will improvised the bodhran part at the end, and underneath everything is an electronically generated sine wave (the only synthesized sound on Cor Christmas), to evoke a rumbling and expansive feeling. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded and mixed by Nathan Hershey and Jason McEntire. Mastered by Nathan Hershey.

Recorded at Powell Symphony Hall, Saint Louis, MO

on 3/26/2018

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded by Nathan Hershey assisted by Andy Coco

​Mixed and Mastered by Nathan Hershey

11. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming 2:34

(featuring Trombones of the Saint Louis Symphony)

Michael Praetorious/arrangement by Adam De Sorgo 

Cally Banham, English horn                   

Timothy Myers, trombone

Amanda Stewart, trombone

Jonathan Reycraft, trombone

Gerry Pagano, bass trombone                                      

Inspired by the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble recording of this poignant carol, Lo, How a Rose ​is perhaps the most emotional track on the album. The performance departs from strict rhythm and the voice leading takes the Praetorious harmonic progressions to unexpected places. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded and mixed by Jason McEntire. Mastered by Nathan Hershey.

2. Carol of the Bells (featuring Cortango) 2:50
Mykola Leontivych/arrangement by Adam Maness 

Cally Banham, English horn                       
Asako Kuboki, violin                                      
Chris Tantillo, viola                                           
Melissa Brooks, cello
David DeRiso, bass                                           
Adam Maness, piano and guitar 

Quotes abound from Skating from ​A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi, and from Astor Piazzolla's iconic tango balled, Oblivion. Adam Maness overlayed the piano part on one section of this track. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Nathan Hershey.

Recorded at Powell Symphony Hall, Saint Louis, MO

on 3/28/2018

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded by Nathan Hershey assisted by Andy Coco

​Mixed and Mastered by Nathan Hershey

10. Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella 1:34

(featuring Trombones of the Saint Louis Symphony)

Traditional French/arrangement by Adam De Sorgo 

Cally Banham, English horn                   

Timothy Myers, trombone

Amanda Stewart, trombone

Jonathan Reycraft, trombone

Gerry Pagano, bass trombone                                      

A brass chorale with an unusual visitor! In the studio we were able to find a homogenous and warm sound with this unlikely ensemble.  Arranger Adam De Sorgo made a point to demonstrate in his orchestration the traditional "Knock, Knock!" lyrics of boisterous townsfolk with loud trombone staccato notes, followed by a serene and quiet passage reflecting the "hush hush baby is sleeping" lyrics of the next verse. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded and mixed by Jason McEntire. Mastered by Nathan Hershey.

4. Christmas Time is Here (featuring Adam Maness Trio) 3:42
Vince Guaraldi/arrangement by Adam Maness 

Cally Banham, English horn              
Adam Maness, piano                                     
Bob DeBoo, bass                                           
Montez Coleman, drum set 

This arrangement was brand new from Adam the day of the recording, never before rehearsed or performed! We were all so surprised and delighted by his unexpected take on a beloved classic. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Nathan Hershey.

​

7. Little Drummer Boy 4:15

Katherine Davis/arrangement by Adam De Sorgo and Cally Banham 

Cally Banham, English horn, oboe

     oboe d'amore   

Ann Choomack, piccolo                  

Asako Kuboki, violin                                                                                 

Melissa Brooks, cello

William James, snare drum                                      

An homage to Maurice Ravel's Bolero, this track was recorded in many layers over a click track, starting with the snare drum ostinato, followed by 2 sets of parts for violin and cello, and finally adding in the melodic material played by Cally and Ann. The melodic instrumentation develops with each verse of the melody. Verse 1: piccolo solo, Verse 2: English horn solo, Verse 3: English horn duet (For the lower English horn part Cally played her 1980 English horn "Old Faithful", the only voicing of that horn on the album.) Verse 4: 2 piccolo parts, oboe, English horn, Verse 5 and Coda: oboe, oboe d'amore, English horn. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded and mixed by Jason McEntire. Mastered by Nathan Hershey.

1. White Christmas (featuring Cortango) 4:34

Irving Berlin/arrangement by Adam Maness 

Cally Banham, English horn                          

Asako Kuboki, violin                                      

Chris Tantillo, viola                                           

Melissa Brooks, cello

David DeRiso, bass                                           

Adam Maness, piano                                         

​Listen for quotes from Welcome Christmas Day (Fah Who Foraze, Dah Who Doraze) from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas​ by Albert Hague. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Nathan Hershey.

Recorded at Powell Symphony Hall, Saint Louis, MO on 3/26/2018 and Sawhorse Recording Studios, St. Louis, MO on 8/27/18 and 10/10/18

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded at Powell by by Nathan Hershey assisted by Andy Coco and at Sawhorse by Jason McEntire

​Mixed and Mastered by Nathan Hershey

5. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (featuring Adam Maness Trio) 4:07
Irving Berlin/arrangement by Adam Maness 

Cally Banham, English horn              
Adam Maness, piano                                     
Bob DeBoo, bass                                           
Montez Coleman, drum set 

Classical meets jazz in this arrangement designed for two musical languages. Cally and Adam had performed this tune as a duo before, but this recording session was the first time the whole trio improvised this accompaniment! Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Nathan Hershey.

​

Recorded at Sawhorse Studios, St. Louis, MO on 6/12/18

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded & Mixed by Jason McEntire

​Mastered by Nathan Hershey

Recorded at Sawhorse Recording Studios, St. Louis, MO on 8/27/18, 9/17/18, 9/18/18, and 9/20/18

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded and Mixed by Jason McEntire

Mastered by Nathan Hershey

Recorded at Brighton Studios, St. Louis, MO on 7/28/18, 8/21/18 and 10/15/18, Hershey Residence, St. Louis, MO on 10/9/18 and 10/14/18, and Sawhorse Studios on 10/10/18

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded & Mixed by Nathan Hershey and Jason McEntire

Mastered by Nathan Hershey

MUSICIAN

Recorded at Nate Hershey Productions, St. Louis, MO

on 9/16/19, 10/15/19, and 10/20/19 and Brighton

Studios, St. Louis MO on 11/5/19

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded and Mixed by Nathan Hershey
Mastered by Nathan Hershey

6. Silent Night (featuring Cortango) 5:15

Mannheim Steamroller/arrangement by Chip Davis/adapted by Banham/Maness 

Cally Banham, English horn and oboe                         

Asako Kuboki, violin                                      

Chris Tantillo, viola                                           

Melissa Brooks, cello

David DeRiso, bass                                           

Adam Maness, piano 

Allegra Lilly, harp

William James, suspended cymbal                                       

Adapted from the large orchestral arrangement by Chip Davis for Mannheim Steamroller, this track was largely recorded at Powell Hall, including one portion with a complete string section doubled overlay. Later on, the suspended cymbal and oboe parts were added at Sawhorse. Cally plays English horn throughout the track until the very end, when the oboe can be heard. The piano accompaniment to the cello solo at the beginning was improvised by Adam. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded by Nathan Hershey and Jason McEntire. Mixed and mastered by Nathan Hershey.

Recorded at Powell Symphony Hall, Saint Louis, MO

on 3/27/2018

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded by Nathan Hershey assisted by Andy Coco

​Mixed and Mastered by Nathan Hershey

13. Comfort ye from "Messiah" 2:28

George Frideric Handel/arrangement by Cally Banham 

Cally Banham, English horn                          

Asako Kuboki, violin                                      

Chris Tantillo, viola                                           

Melissa Brooks, cello

David DeRiso, bass                                           

"Comfort ye, 

Comfort ye my people,

Saith your God.

Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,

and cry unto her,

that her warfare is accomplished,

that her iniquity is pardoned."

Isaiah 40:1-3

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Nathan Hershey.

Recorded at Sawhorse Studios, St. Louis, MO on 6/12/18

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded & Mixed by Jason McEntire

​Mastered by Nathan Hershey

Recorded at Powell Symphony Hall, Saint Louis, MO

on 3/28/2018

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded by Nathan Hershey assisted by Andy Coco

​Mixed and Mastered by Nathan Hershey

3. In the Bleak Midwinter (featuring Cortango) 4:15
Gustav Holst/arrangement by Adam Maness 

Cally Banham, English horn                      
Asako Kuboki, violin                                      
Chris Tantillo, viola                                           
Melissa Brooks, cello
David DeRiso, bass                                           
Adam Maness, piano  

Cally and the string players performed from a set score while Adam Maness improvised the piano part. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Nathan Hershey.

14. Arabian Dance from "The Nutcracker" 3:36 (digital only)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky/arrangement by Cally Banham and Adam De Sorgo

Cally Banham, English horn, bass oboe, oboe
Chris Tantillo, viola
Elizabeth Chung, cello
William James, tambourine

Nathan Hershey, chord organ                                      

This digital only bonus track release features a new take on a beloved Christmas classic, and was made possible by a generous grant from the Regional Arts Commission Saint Louis. The thick layers of sound were created by using multiple tracks of viola, cello and reed instruments, while intactly honoring the original score by Tchaikovsky. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Nathan Hershey.

Recorded at Sawhorse Studios, St. Louis, MO on 6/12/18

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded & Mixed by Jason McEntire

​Mastered by Nathan Hershey

CALLY BANHAM

Recorded at Powell Symphony Hall, Saint Louis, MO

on 3/27/2018

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded by Nathan Hershey assisted by Andy Coco

​Mixed and Mastered by Nathan Hershey

Recorded at Powell Symphony Hall, Saint Louis, MO on 3/26/2018

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded by Nathan Hershey assisted by Andy Coco

​Mixed and Mastered by Nathan Hershey

8. Do You Hear What I Hear 2:56

Gloria Shayne Baker/arrangement by Adam Maness 

Cally Banham, oboe

Adam Maness, piano

William James, tambourine, triangle,

     sleigh bells, wind chimes                                      

This track is in two sections. The first is a simple statement of the known melody played by Cally over a multi-layered track created by Adam Maness. Some of the sounds are percussive piano key hits onto muted piano strings. The track then transitions to an adaptation of the original score of Gian Carlo Menotti's Shepherds' Dance from Amahl and the Night Visitors. Strains of Do You Hear What I Hear are superimposed on oboe. Cally plays both parts of the oboe duet from Amahl​. The tambourine part matches the original score, and Adam recreated the string parts from the original score with the same method of playing percussive key hits on muted piano strings used in the first section. Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded and mixed by Nathan Hershey and Jason McEntire. Mastered by Nathan Hershey.

Recorded at Brighton Studios, St. Louis, MO on 7/28/2018, and Sawhorse Studios, St. Louis, MO on 8/27/18 and 9/20/18

Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey
Recorded & Mixed by Nathan Hershey and Jason McEntire

​Mastered by Nathan Hershey

12. In Dulci Jubilo 2:10

(featuring Trombones of the Saint Louis Symphony)

Traditional/arrangement by Adam De Sorgo 

Cally Banham, English horn                   

Timothy Myers, trombone

Amanda Stewart, trombone

Jonathan Reycraft, trombone

Gerry Pagano, bass trombone                                      

This lively carol rounds out the suite of three which features the trombones. 

"This group is so tight, you would swear it was the entire Canadian Brass."

     - LA Stage and Cinema Cor Christmas​ review

​Produced by Cally Banham and Nathan Hershey. Recorded and mixed by Jason McEntire. Mastered by Nathan Hershey.