By Tom Weber Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN It’s not always easy to get into the Christmas spirit in April, but Cathy Arhelger had no choice. Arhelger, a Rochester-based flutist, planned to record a CD of Christmas music in time for this year’s holiday season. However, her accompanist, pianist Jan Matson, had travel plans for May through October. The music had to be recorded before then. “So, we were playing Christmas music over the Easter break,” Arhelger said.
“It was a lot of fun.” The 22-song disc features piano and flute arrangements of traditional carols and more modern Christmas songs. Among the pieces are “The Star Carol,”"The Wexford Carol,”"Greensleeves,” Gesu Bambino” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is presented in an arrangement for solo flute, while “Patapan” is performed on solo piccolo. All of it, according to someone who should know, is worth hearing.
“Your record is just great and you play all flutes very well indeed,” world-renowned flutist James Galway told Arhelger in an e-mail after hearing the CD. “The arrangements are great and the whole thing was very well put together. I just loved the recording.” Seven of the pieces are arranged by Minneapolis composer Nancy Grundahl. “The arrangements were for soprano voice and piano, and she gave me permission to record them on flute,” Arhelger said.
“The Star Carol” is Arhelger’s favorite Christmas carol and she licensed the song so she could write and record her own arrangement of it. Arhelger has taught flute in Rochester for 26 years, and for several years was a member of the Rochester Symphony Orchestra. This is Arhelger’s second recording, and thanks to that Easter-season recording session, is coming out at just the right time. “Everybody loves Christmas music,” she said.