Joy to the World / Angels We Have Heard on High / Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Carol of the Bells
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Silent Night
Patapan
Christmastime Fantasia (Deck the Halls) - by Joshua Messick
The First Snowfall - by Joshua Messick
O Holy Night
I Saw Three Ships / Good Christian Men Rejoice
What Child Is This?
The Wexford Carol
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Sweet Little Jesus Boy
No matter where you find yourself this Christmas season, the masterful and magical touch of Joshua Messick’s hammered dulcimer music will transport you to places of hope, joy, wonder, and love: Majestic mountaintops where snowflakes whirl wildly and mysteriously around you. A dusty den where one candle still glows and well-worn stockings embrace childhood memories. A vast, lonely desert where stars guide and comfort you through their ancient, ebony skies. A crowded city street where sounds shift into song and strangers smile like friends. Where once again, the whole world sounds as it should: Sweet, soft, sacred, and sublime.
Produced by Joshua Messick
Arrangements by Joshua Messick
Engineered, Mixed, and Mastered by Randy Wills at Exceptions Studios
Cello by Max Dyer
Percussion by River Guerguerian
Piccolo by Rita Hayes
Photography by Lynne Harty
Artwork and Design by Katie Moritz
The hammered dulcimer is presented with acoustic authenticity without overdubs or digital effects.
Mom and Dad, Thank you for the Christmas memories that helped inspire this album. Max Dyer, Your cello music is inspirational and healing in my life.
With “Hammered Dulcimer Christmas” Joshua Messick has set a new standard, both for hammered dulcimer recordings and for Christmas albums. His command of the instrument is nothing short of astonishing, his imagination is restlessly creative, and his interpretations of the season’s carols and hymns take them into fascinating new realms while always honoring their integrity. He balances tradition and innovation superbly to give us a fresh, exciting take on holiday favorites that never violates their spirit. “Hammered Dulcimer Christmas” is a beautiful and transcendent listening experience – an essential addition to every Christmas CD collection.
– Robin Bullock
