Noël

George Frederick McKay (June 11, 1899 – October 4, 1970) was a prolific modern American composer.

McKay was born in the small frontier wheat farming town of Harrington, Washington. His family later moved to Spokane, where he attended school up to his college years. He was attracted to American folk-song, including jazz and blues and Native American themes, and admired composers who involved national folk-culture in their music, e.g. Heitor Villa-Lobos, Carlos Chávez, William Grant Still, Antonín Dvorák and Béla Bartók. Many of McKay's symphonic works center on folk themes and include pieces dedicated to Native American music.

He was the first graduate in composition studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., in 1923.

He was a prolific writer, composing orchestral, chamber, and solo instrument compositions, including works for the organ. His organ sonata No. 1 was the National Prize Winner for 1939 and received a performance at the American Guild of Organists meeting the same year.

I've had this piece for years but never tried it before. It has a nice sense of melody and harmony, plus an excellent flow and forward line. I don't see anything in that makes me think of a Christmas piece, but I suppose every Christmas work doesn't have to quote a carol or Christmas song, does it?

Several photos of George Frederick McKay are attached below.

I wish you all blessings of the season!