From Deseret News archives:
Pianist aims for 'reverence'
Music notes
He had just released his new holiday album "Christmas Hymns," which is reviewed in this section today.
"People had kept asking me to do a Christmas album," said Sandy native Cardall. "I had done 'The Christmas Box' for Richard Paul Evans 10 years ago, which was basically a soundtrack to the book. But this was the first time I had actually sat down and recorded a Christmas album that came from me."
Cardall, who was classified as a New Age pianist back in the '90s, said he wanted to return to that peaceful, "new-agey" feel with this album.
"The term 'New Age' is basically no more on radio," said Cardall. "But I wanted the album to have that reverence."
One of the songs that Cardall said nailed the feeling he wanted is the opening track, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."
"I was working with Steve Newsome on the song and he came up with the cello line as I worked in the melody," said Cardall. "It was beautiful, mysterious. And we did it in six-time so it swings a bit."
Cardall wanted "The Carol of the Bells" to be edgy and a bit ambient.
"It's a beautiful work and I wanted to have this undertone that brought the notes to the surface," he said.
The aforementioned songs are only two of the 20 that Cardall had in mind for the album. Out of those 20, he chose 10 that would make the final release.
"I weeded things out because they didn't sound right or they didn't fit the feel of the album. I had help with my producer (Jonathon Shults) to make some of the decisions.
"I had been pouring over songs for years," said Cardall. "And I'll probably make a another holiday album with some of the other songs I didn't choose for this album. But that doesn't make those songs less beautiful. They just didn't fit on this album."
Cardall began recording on the album in July.
"It was a year for Christmas," he said. "But now the album is out, I can finally sit down and enjoy Christmas."
The most difficult song to arrange and record was "Il Est N�, Le Divin Enfant," said Cardall. "That song almost didn't make the album. It kind of floats out there and hangs in the air and was hard to nail down."
The other songs on "Christmas Hymns" are radio friendly, said the pianist. "Every song has its own identity. And they are strong and stand well on their own. And I wanted the songs to be more heartfelt. The holiday season is so commercialized and I wanted something someone could come home and put in and relax to after braving the crowds at the malls."
E-mail: scott@desnews.com
