Awaiting an important trio of boats

Thanks to pandora.com, I heard my new favorite instrumental version of "I Saw Three Ships" on Thursday.  Jon Schmidt approaches the carol with a unique blend of force and grace on the piano.  The interlude he plays from :59 to 2:18 stays true to the song's central theme while expanding on it; during that stretch, it's easy to imagine the three ships coming closer to their destination and onlookers chomping at the bit to greet the passengers.  Schmidt's rendition strengthens my appreciation of "I Saw Three Ships" as a carol.  It's amazing how much just the right amount of embellishing can make you see a carol you've heard hundreds of times in a new light.