Comments on: Advent 2009: “Christmas Carol,” Mildred Tanner Pettit

By: Clark

Clark — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:42:02 +0000

After listening to the audio version, I thought it had a little syncopated “rag-timey” feel. Not what I would expect for a Christmas carol, but fun to listen to. I like this series.

By: Researcher

Researcher — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:04:38 +0000

Thanks to that wonderful tool, google, it looks like you can have your own legal copy of Star Bright (perhaps I should buy one!) for less than a dollar. (I’m not in any way connected with the publisher, the composer, the composer’s heirs, etc., etc. )

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:10:37 +0000

#8: BHodges, I’ve just found “Star Bright” (words and music by Lorin F. Wheelwright, with Spanish translation by Eduardo Balderas) in the October 1959 Instructor, pp. 322-323. I thought I was going to get lucky and be able to scan and post it, because the Instructor failed to follow procedures to copyright its content during that period … but there is a specific copyright notice on “Star Bright” (” (c) 1959 by Pioneer Music Press, used by permission”) so I can’t post it.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:38:05 +0000

I guess we need to think of these as the aural equivalent of the magazine covers showing ragged little newsboys, or the jokes about Prohibition, or the Girl Queries asking about the propriety of exchanging photos. It’s an echo of our past, rather than something we want to imitate in the present.

Shucks. I’d love to discover a forgotten masterpiece … but that’s not likely, is it?

By: Researcher

Researcher — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:02:25 +0000

I have a black-market copy of Star Bright. Any bidders?

Having just had a chance to play through the first three songs, I will have to agree with Coffinberry’s assessment. It’s a rather dated piece. I purchased a collection of Christmas music for the organ several years ago and it has a number of songs similar to this one.

By: BHodges

BHodges — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:44:06 +0000

Ardis, fun idea, I like this series.

Where can Star Bright be located now aye?

By: Mormon Soprano

Mormon Soprano — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:01:33 +0000

Very cool! Thanks for posting

By: Coffinberry

Coffinberry — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:38:59 +0000

I always liked Star Bright.

By: Maurine

Maurine — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:12:34 +0000

Marjorie,
“Star Bright” is a favorite in our area. Shortly after it came out, a friend of mine added a third part to the duet. It is still sung that way by our choirs during December.

By: Marjorie Conder

Marjorie Conder — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:52:22 +0000

Music isn’t my strong point, but I do remember, with fondness, a piece titled “Star Bright” by (I think) Lorin Wheelwright. I remember it in a 1960s FHE manuel and also in a Church magazine. It was uniquely Mormon as its focus was on the first Christmas in the Americas (Book of Mormon).