#MusicMonday – January 7, 2019

It’s Music Monday, the first one of the new year, and we’re officially in the throes of winter, except…it’s really not feeling like winter.

I spent the first ten days of winter in Southern California.  While it wasn’t 80 degrees everyday (quite the contrary, it was actually 45 degrees on Christmas Day), it certainly felt more like March or April than December in wintertime.  Since I came home on December 28th, it pretty much has been the same thing – relatively mild.  We have winters like this where I live, it isn’t uncommon by any means, and I’ll take it as long as we can have it.

Now that I’ve packed away the Christmas music, I’m back to picking music that fits the season, my mood, or something I’m doing.  And since we’re in winter, I thought a winter-themed Not Christmas song would be appropriate to kick off the new year.

When I first heard today’s song, I was in college and a video had been making the rounds online, featuring an amazing Christmas light display synced with the song itself.  I’d seem amazing, albeit stationary, light displays; nothing like this video.  This was pre-YouTube (I think I saw a clip on the news and looked it up at school while working on homework in the library), and it was incredible.  YouTube has made it possible to watch newer viral videos and sensations, but has also given us the opportunity re-watch classics like today’s video.

The most amazing thing about today’s song is that this amazing light display became the official music video for the song, and in 2005, the video and song were used for a 30-second commercial. It may be an instrumental song influenced by a classical sound, but it is heavy with progressive rock, symphonic metal, and heavy metal.  The group that performs it is Trans Siberian Orchestra, and that song is “Wizards in Winter.”

Let’s capture the magic of a power song combined with amazing visual imagery that predates the concept of viral videos and online streaming platforms.  Click play, and live in the moment!

“Wizards in Winter” was released as part of Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s 2004 album The Lost Christmas Eve.  It opens the group’s concerts.  It reached #18 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart.

As for the video, the Christmas light design was done by electrical engineer Carson Williams of Mason, Ohio.  Williams took his fame from this video and started a custom light animation business, Consar Lights.  He has designed light displays for businesses around the country, and even in Canada.  But his original display took two months and 16,000 lights to accomplish.  And it was all before there was such a thing as viral sensations on the internet.

Pretty cool stuff.

So there you have it, the wonder of winter in dramatic music form.  Hopefully, we won’t see winter in another (more undesirable) form anytime soon.

I can only hope.  I really hate snow.

Have a fantastic Monday, and enjoy the music!