Arrangements for Brasses

Christmas Carols of the Commonwealth
Arranged by Dale Elmshaeuser

This medley of carols in the Arrangements for Brasses series comes from The Oxford Book of Carols, and features Christmas melodies that have not been tiresomely over-performed. The five carols in fast-slow-fast-slow-fast format are "A Virgin Most Pure;" "Remember, O Thou Man;" "The Cherry Tree Carol;" "In the Bleak Mid-Winter" (Cranham); and "Down in Yon Forest." The styles range from slow and sonorous with highly melodic lines, to rapid staccato passages, and end in a fast triplet meter interspersed with hemiolas. Each carol can be played separately, or the entire medley can be played straight through with the bridges provided. "Remember, O Thou Man" is a good carol to play again during the following Lenten season.

This arrangement is scored for a standard brass quartet (I & II Trumpets, and I & II Trombones) plus optional Tuba. I & II F Horn parts and a Baritone T.C. part are included, so that the ensemble can be formed in different ways, or various doublings may be made for larger ensembles. This is an instrumental composition, not suitable for congregational accompaniment. The difficulty level is 4.

Full set includes a Conductor/Keyboard Score, transposed parts for individual instruments, background notes, and suggestions for rehearsal and performance.