John Van Deusen

In The Bleak Midwinter

by John Van Deusen

supported by

marzvdv So refreshing to hear such beautiful music! The perfect Christmas album. Thank you John. Favorite track: O Come All Ye Faithful.

pspence My fiancé asked if I could find a playlist for our Christmas decorating, cooking, dozing, etc. I guess I just found it... Favorite track: O Holy Night.

Daniel Sellers So calming, and I love the addition of some other hymns.. New favorite Christmas album! Favorite track: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.

joelknell This is so great! Thank you.

the-most-hated-woman-in-america thumbnail

more...

	/

Streaming + Download

Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.

Purchasable with gift card

name your price

1.	Come Thou Long Expected Jesus 02:14	info
2.	Angels We Have Heard On High 02:11	info
3.	Little Drummer Boy 03:02	info
4.	O Come All Ye Faithful 02:13	info
5.	The First Noel 02:38	info
6.	In The Bleak Midwinter 03:25	info
7.	Joy To The World 02:44	info
8.	We Three Kings 02:33	info
9.	Hark The Herald Angels Sing 02:20	info
10.	O Come, O Come, Emmanuel 03:17	info
11.	What Child Is This? 02:34	info
12.	O Holy Night 03:32	info
13.	Go Tell It On The Mountain 02:09	info
14.	Silent Night 02:25	info

about

"Calming, comforting, minimalist beauty." - The Gospel Coalition.

This collection of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany hymns is meant to be listened to by candlelight or while decorating a Christmas tree. Hopefully this simple album will bring peace and calm to your winter abode. Please share it with your loved ones.

I tracked the vocals and guitars live and then overdubbed everything else.

Andrew Joslyn's string arrangements and performances are the real shining star of this album. He wrote and recorded them all in a week and a half! If you review the album, please mention his excellent creative contribution.

This album was born out of bleak times: I was the acting Director of Music, Worship and Arts at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Anacortes, WA when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down in-person worship services. We started live-streaming our services immediately and I led by myself for over a year. When Advent came, I just sort of felt like our congregants (and myself) needed to hear very gentle and calming hymns. I started playing them with my capo high on the neck in keys that forced me to sing gently. It did something good for my soul and mental health. So, I did the exact same thing when recording this album live at the Unknown.

credits

released November 23, 2022

Produced by John Van Deusen
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Nicholas Wilbur at the Unknown - Anacortes, WA
© John Van Deusen - 2022 - JVDandme - BMI - Tablehouse Publishing

Vocals, guitars, piano/keys, bass, drums/percussion, other - John Van Deusen
String arrangements by Andrew Joslyn - violin, viola and cello performed and recorded by Andrew Joslyn at home on Bainbridge Island, WA
Additional violin - Jess Alldredge - Recorded at home in Seattle, WA
Vocal on Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Tenielle Neda - Recorded in Australia
Acoustic guitar, vocals, bass and drums recorded at The Unknown.
JVD overdubs were self-recorded while home with Covid-19.

For:
Grandma Peggy Van Deusen
and
Westminster Presbyterian Church of Anacortes, WA.

Thank you: Andrew Joslyn, Nich Wilbur, Rachael Farris, Tenielle Neda, Jess Alldredge and Westminster Presbyterian Church

Cover art: Red School House (Country Scene)
1858 - George Henry Durrie American - Public Domain via the MET
tinyurl.com/redschoolhousepainting

All songs © Public Domain
Except
Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone, Katherine Kennicott Davis, Henry Onorati © EMI Mills Music

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus - Charles Wesley
Angels We Have Heard On High - Edward Shippen Barnes, James Chadwick
Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone, Katherine Kennicott Davis, Henry Onorati
O Come All Ye Faithful - John Francis Wade
The First Noel - Anonymous
In The Bleak Midwinter - Christina Rossetti
Joy To The World - Isaac Watts, George Frideric Handel
We Three Kings - John Henry Hopkins Jr.
Hark The Herald Angels Sing - Felix Mendelssohn, Charles Wesley
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - John Mason Neale
What Child Is This? - William Chatterton Dix - Greensleeves
O Holy Night - Adolphe Adam, Placide Cappeau
Go Tell It On The Mountain - Spiritual adapted by John W. Work
Silent Night - Joseph Mohr, Franz Xaver Gruber

license

about

John Van Deusen Anacortes, Washington

Small town songsmith - Anacortes, WA.

contact / help

Contact John Van Deusen

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like John Van Deusen, you may also like:

Chrysaline
by Josh Garrels

supported by 29 fans who also own “In The Bleak Midwinter”

Josh, your music has been a wonderful discovery for me recently as I have found myself being drawn back to the Lord. Thank you for what you do. In this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdenous. 1 John 5:2-3 Nathan Smith
go to album
Peace To All Who Enter Here
by Josh Garrels

supported by 29 fans who also own “In The Bleak Midwinter”

Poetic lyrics of his always touch me and the way he takes his time is slow food to my soul. I'm a 73year old fan.... kmilhous
go to album
Christmas Songs Vol. 1
by manchester orchestra

supported by 17 fans who also own “In The Bleak Midwinter”

Jesus was a black communist jew from Palestine 🇵🇸 to that alone can I say amen, not the white Californian surfer dude evil empire distortion we get today rocketredfern
go to album
Trust
by Armlock

The Australian rock duo's album tackles frayed relationships, disappointment, and closure. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 11, 2021
go to album
Slow Century
by I Was A King

Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub produced this lush and hooky collection of pop songs. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 29, 2019
go to album
Love Is Love
by WOODS

This "distinctly New York record" finds the band looking for love with their signature psychedelic sound. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 9, 2017
go to album
All Delighted People EP
by Sufjan Stevens

supported by 16 fans who also own “In The Bleak Midwinter”

It may not be a full-fledged LP, but All Delighted People is probably my favourite of Sufjan's works. Without an overaching album theme to tie the songs together, it felt like Sufjan was free to experiment on each track and give them their own unique sound. And because of that (and Sufjan's talent), every track on there is a standout track. Angkasawan
go to album