The Music Tree: Christmas, Part 4

A fun easy concert piece for children could also be used by adults in a singing Christmas treeThe flashlight choreography is simple and really makes it special.

A Christmas Special comprises a collection of four joyful songs exploring the ‘lighter’ side of Christmas. Three classic songs and one newly composed arranged for soprano alto and combined men's voices with a straightforward piano accompaniment - ideal for beginner choirs and for choirs in which the male singers are few or at the stage when their voices are changing. Songs include: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas  Jingle Bells  O Christmas Tree and a crowd-pleasing original by Alexander L’Estrange and Peter Gritton  Another Christmas. The songs formpart of the Choral Basics Series which has been carefully designed to provide rewarding varied repertoire for beginner choirs. Perfect for singers of all ages the series offers attractive idiomatic arrangements for SA and SAMen choirs with carefully considered vocal ranges and straightforward piano accompaniments that support the singers. Embracing world music spirituals folk song pop classics hit shows and original pieces this series offers everything a budding choir could wish for. 

Get into the festive spirit with this trio of wonderful new arrangements for choir featuring all-time favorites Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree Let It Snow and All I Want for Christmas Is You. Guaranteed to have your audiences reaching for the mistletoe in no time! Choral Basics is a recently created series that offers straightforward and rewarding repertoire for the beginner choir. Perfect for singers of all ages the series offers simple 3-part choral arrangements for soprano alto and a combined male voice part. Consultant editor Alex L'Estrange has brought together an array of repertoire including world music spirituals pop classics show hits andoriginal pieces. Carefully considered for the level the arrangements pay particular attention to breathing vocal ranges and technique whilst straightforward piano accompaniments support the vocal lines. The series offers great value for money as each volume comprises a set of contrasting songs for easy programming.

The second volume of a thousand and one all-time hit songs ranging from essential standards to the latest pop hits - a must for all singers and musicians. / Chant Et Guitare

Return to the simple joys of the Christmas season with Vince Guaraldi's jazz renditions of traditional carols and original music written for this classic holiday favorite. Includes: Christmas Time Is Here Hark theHerald Angels Sing Linus and Lucy O Christmas Tree. Available: SATB SAB 2-Part ShowTrax CD. Approx. Time: 4:50.

Return to the simple joys of the Christmas season with Vince Guaraldi's jazz renditions of traditional carols and original music written for this classic holiday favorite. Includes: Christmas Time Is Here Hark theHerald Angels Sing Linus and Lucy O Christmas Tree. Available: SATB SAB 2-Part ShowTrax CD. Approx. Time: 4:50.

The tradition of the Christmas tree in Western Europe dates back to a time long before any Christianization had taken place. During the severely cold winter nights so it was believed evil spirits tried to ?kill? nature. Needle-leaved trees were the only ones which kept their green colour throughout the year and therefore became symbols of immortality. These ?living? trees said to be the work of benign spirits were brought into people?s houses to ward off evil life-threatening powers. In the 14th century people first started to decorate Christmas trees. It was a pagan custom originated by the inhabitants of Alsace. This custom was taken over by the Church in thecourse of the 15th and 16th century. At first the decoration consisted mainly of edibles such as apples and wafers but later small presents were added. Legend has it that the reformer Martin Luther was the first person to decorate a Christmas tree with candles. The flickering candle flames were meant to create the image of a starry sky in which Christ?s apparition could be recognized. The German organ-player Ernst Anschütz from Leipzig was the first person to notate the song ?O Tannenbaum? the melody being a well-known folk song. Next to ?Stille Nacht? ?O Tannenbaum? is the most famous German Christmas song now known throughout the world. In the United States of America the melody of ?O Tannenbaum? has even been used in four States (among which the State of Maryland) for their State song. In David Well?s arrangement the song is first heard as many of us know it. After this introduction however it is transformed into a solid rock version and the beat has been changed. In the second part the familiar three-four time is back but here the rhythm is different from the original. After the richly ornamented rock beat the basic theme can be heard once again and the composition is concluded in a festive manner.

A selection of all-time Christmas favourites including Jingle Bells O Christmas Tree Silent Night Deck The Hall and more arranged for Piano solo duet or trio.With the exception of one piece ChristmasQuodlibet all the pieces may be played in one of four ways:as a solo melody part onlyas a duet with melody and bassas a duet with melody and trebleas a trio with all threepartsAll three parts are required to perform Christmas Quodlibet.The score format provides ease of reading for all and suggested hand positions and fingerings are provided as aids for the less advancedstudent.

The tradition of the Christmas tree in Western Europe dates back to a time long before any Christianization had taken place. During the severely cold winter nights so it was believed evil spirits tried to 'kill' nature. Needle-leaved trees were the only ones which kept their green colour throughout the year and therefore became symbols of immortality. These 'living' trees said to be the work of benign spirits were brought into people's houses to ward off evil life-threatening powers. In the 14th century people first started to decorate Christmas trees. It was a pagan custom originated by the inhabitants of Alsace. This custom was taken over by the Church inthe course of the 15th and 16th century. At first the decoration consisted mainly of edibles such as apples and wafers but later small presents were added. Legend has it that the reformer Martin Luther was the first person to decorate a Christmas tree with candles. The flickering candle flames were meant to create the image of a starry sky in which Christ's apparition could be recognized. The German organ-player Ernst Anschütz from Leipzig was the first person to notate the song 'O Tannenbaum' the melody being a well-known folk song. Next to 'Stille Nacht' 'O Tannenbaum' is the most famous German Christmas song now known throughout the world. In the United States of America the melody of 'O Tannenbaum' has even been used in four States (among which the State of Maryland) for their State song. In David Well's arrangement the song is first heard as many of us know it. After this introduction however it is transformed into a solid rock version and the beat has been changed. In the second part the familiar three-four time is back but here the rhythm is different from the original. After the richly ornamented rock beat the basic theme can be heard once again and the composition is concluded in a festive manner.

Four Double Basses. Eight well-known Christmas carols in a new guise. Score and parts.The Programme of Christmas Carols was first performed in New Orleans in 1976. In its original version the players were required to wear Dickensian costume and a seasonal narrative preceded each of the carol arrangements. The texts appear below.Duration without text: c.20 minutesDuration with text: c.45 minutesIntroduction by Robert RoheThe introductory text assembled with the kind assistance of Father Peacock of Loyola University of New Orleans was designed for use where the receptivity of the audience warrants. So little is known about thebeloved Christmas carols it is fitting that a brief sketch of the carols' past be used to enhance the familiar music.If desired the introductory text may be omitted at the discretion of the performers.The brief text preceding each carol should be used to acquaint the audience with what to expect from a quartet that will be playing the unexpected. The text also will pace the program and will extend performance time to around 45 minutes.In performance the bass viol quartet of New Orleans wore peaked caps and turtle necked sweaters to simulate the street performers of Dickens' time. The choice of four string basses for this program was to bring the closest relatives of the true viol into play.History and development of the Christmas CarolThe celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ has been observed for nearly 2 000 years through the ritual of the Christian Church with part of that ritual being devoted to celebration in song. In those early days church music was sung only no musical instruments taking part in the service.The type of song used by the church had the name 'plain-song'. It was a single line of melody plain and unadorned sung by one or more voices. By the year 1660 A.D. it had developed a second name 'The Gregorian Chant' after Pope Gregory who encouraged the use

Your Beginning Band will enjoy this musical joke on their Christmas concert audience. While bits of The Twelve Days of Christmas O Christmas Tree and Up on the Housetop make up the body of the music the real intent of the piece is to be a humorous snapshot of a typical family at the Christmas morning gift exchange. This is a chance for your Beginners to play well known seasonal tunes in a really fun setting this year.

Clive Barnwell. Ecological musical suitable for Key Stage 2 Geography project work. There is only one tree left in the world and the children of the city take action when it is declared that the tree will be felled to make way for a supermarket. Score with ten songs parts for recorders and tuned percussion. Can be easily adapted for Christmas performance.

The Christmas Songbook. The true caroler's companion with eight color lyric sheets for use at parties, song fests, and caroling. Filled with 80 traditional carols from all over the world. Contents: A Babe Is Born in Bethlehem · A Cradle Song of the Blessed Virgin · A Virgin Unspotted · Adoramus Te Christe · All My Heart This Night Rejoices · Angels We Have Heard on High · Angels from the Realms of Glory · As Lately We Watched · As with Gladness Men of Old · Auld Lang Syne · Away in a Manger · Behold That Star · Beside the Candle Here I Stand · Bright Angel Hosts Are Heard On High · Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella · Christ Was Born on Christmas Day · Christians, Awake, Salute the Happy Morn · Christmas Hymn · Christmas Is Coming · Deck the Halls · Dona Nobis Pacem · Eastern Monarches, Sages Three · Fum, Fum, Fum · Gather Around the Christmas Tree · God Bless All · God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen · Good King Wenceslas · Greensleeves · Hark! The Herald Angels Sing · Here We Come A-Caroling · Holy Night, Peaceful Night · I Saw Three Ships · It Came upon the Midnight Clear · Jacques, Come Here · Jingle Bells · Jolly Old St. Nicholas · Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine · Joy to the World · Little Children Can You Tell · Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming · Lullaby Carol · Lullaby, Thou Little Tiny Child · March of the Toys · Masters in This Hall · Now the Day Is Over · Noel! Noel! · O Come Little Children · O Come, All Ye Faithful · O Come, O Come, Emmanuel · O Holy Night · O Little Town of Bethlehem · O Tannenbaum · Once in Royal David's City · Patapan · Prepare Thyself, Zion · Ring Out, Wild Bells · Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow · Shepherds! Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep · Silent Night · Sleep, Holy Babe · Slumber Song of the Infant Jesus · The Babe of Bethlehem · The First Noel · The Golden Carol · The Happy Christmas Comes Once More · The Holly and the Ivy · The Moon Shines Bright · The Seven Joys of Mary · The Twelve Days of Christmas · Toyland · Up on the Housetop · We Three Kings of Orient Are · We Wish You a Merry Christmas · What Child Is This? · Whence Comes This Rush of Wings? · While Shepherds Watched · You Gave Me a Mountain · You Go to My Head · Yule! Yule! · Yuletide Is Here · Yuletide Wakes.