Mysteries of the Christmas Mist
Sufjan Stevens’ instrumental interludes throughout Silver & Gold speak volumes to the spiritual themes of the album. In “Mysteries of the Christmas Mist,” the mere 2 minutes and 10 seconds of chaotic and ominous sound waves offer a brief respite from the more classic and nostalgic Christmas songs on the album and provides an opportunity for revelry. The piece contrasts from the preceding lush update to “Jingle Bells” and serves as a palate cleanser, setting up the listener for the succeeding, solemn, church choir voices singing “Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates.”
The song begins with one of Sufjan’s signature piano patterns: rising arpeggios that start in the lower register and span octaves, rolling each note in the triad of a chord up the piano as if brushing away its previous inhabitant. Each piano chord begins a new wave, a dominant creation with subtle percussion joining at its crest, then fading out. The tone remains mostly dark and dangerous, teasing at resolution here and there. Sparkling high, staccato notes offer a sonic snowfall: random notes falling everywhere, harp-like arpeggios complementing at times, often teetering back and forth between two notes-- like one might associate with rain falling, but with the delicate higher register of the piano, it could only mean gentle snow. After nearly 90 seconds of dissonance, the power of one broken major chord brings a beautiful resolution, which fades throughout a twinkling, playful, indeterminate end.
If Silver & Gold is the treasured Christmas party at my parent’s house, “Mysteries of the Christmas Mist” is a brief interruption from the party, stepping outside on the back porch to grab a beer for an uncle. Standing in my Mom’s gardening shoes, one size too small but the first thing in the closet, the snow on the porch nips at my heels hanging over the backs. The music and laughter inside mute when I close the door. I wouldn’t close the door at my apartment for such a short trip, but house rules don’t seem to age. It’s a simple sign of respect for the beloved brick and mortar that my childhood witnessed. The freezing air shocks my system, a sharp divergence from the rosemary and garlic brewing inside. I inhale the clean, glacial air that the winter pulls down from the Arctic, and tonight it carries fresh, white flurries and the scent of chimney smoke and Christmas dinners throughout the neighborhood. A simple string of white Christmas lights wraps the apple tree in the backyard, an ode to my mother’s minimalist design and its unobtrusive nature. The waves of cold air have already begun to build on my skin, yet I dig in the iceless cooler to grab a beer for myself, even if I don’t yet need it. Voiceless and brief, a moment of reflection, my shivering resolves as I return to the warmth, more grateful with each Christmas.
Playing Sufjan’s Christmas music at a party always garners a “what the hell kind of Christmas music is this?” from a poor soul who has yet to discover the magic of Silver & Gold or Songs for Christmas. But much like the spirit of the season, maybe the magic is reserved only for those who believe.
Emma Mac is a Radio DJ and Writer for 93.1 WXRT-FM in Chicago and 93xrt.com. Her favorite concert of all time was 2012’s “The Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long Seasonal Affective Disorder Yuletide Disaster Pageant On Ice” at Metro in Chicago. All she wants for Christmas is an ice-cold vaccine.
Twitter: @emmamacXRT
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