This arrangement of a beloved carol and lullaby offers young and developing bands the opportunity to develop musical expression in a legato style and through various keys (Eb, Ab, Bb major). Throughout, contrasts in dynamics and instrument textures add interest to this simple but lovely tune, while numerous instrument doublings help ensure players' security.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

Music for Concert Band

Still, Still, Still — Concert Band, Grade 1.5 (Medium Easy)

A vehicle for the budding oboist, this lyrical arrangement for young and developing bands features the oboe on melody in the first presentation of the tune and recapitulating at the work's end. Although conservative in range and technical demands, it incorporates a variety of instrumental, dynamic, and harmonic contrasts that make it both simple and elegant, and ideal for developing musicianship in every section of the band.

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Shepherds' Rocking Carol — Concert Band, Grade 1.5 (Medium Easy)

"See, Amid the Winter's Snow" is the popular title for the hymn tune HUMILITY by Sir John Goss (1800-1880). This arrangement of Goss's tune offers young and developing bands the opportunity to explore this humble yet lovely melody through contrasting key signatures (Eb, Ab, F major), various instrument textures, attractive harmonies, dynamic contrasts, and legato style. 

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

See, Amid the Winter's Snow — Concert Band, Grade 1.5 (Medium Easy)

Echoes of the ancient contrast with sounds of the modern in this exciting work that's ideal for a holiday concert or at any time of the year. The triumphant, rising-and-falling melody of the medieval carol on which this fantasy is based is presented first in a maestoso duple meter, then gives way to a joyful, spiritoso exploration of the tune in triple meter.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

Personent Hodie — Concert Band, Grade 3 (Medium)

Ideal for graduation ceremonies or any concert, this hymn-like piece features a lyrical melodic line accompanied throughout by a moving-quarter-note countermelody with continuous suspensions and resolutions, creating rich harmonies. Instrument textures are varied, and transitions/modulations from keys of concert Bb to Eb to F add interest. Very playable, with lots of opportunities for musical expression.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

Concert Band

May the Road Rise Up to Meet You — Concert Band, Grade 2 (Medium Easy)

This powerful orchestration of Gustav Holst's setting of the solemn 17th-century French carol, PICARDY, is ideal not only for holiday concerts, but is a strongly evocative and musically challenging selection for any concert or contest program.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence — Concert Band, Grade 3 (Medium)

This beautiful chorale is ideal both as an everyday exercise in tone, tuning, and musicianship, and as a lyrical selection for your Christmas / winter holiday concert. In this arrangement, both the familiar harmonization by J.S. Bach and original harmonies by the arranger are employed, as well as original material for the introduction, interlude/modulation, and ending.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

How Brightly Shines the Morning Star — Concert Band, Grade 1.5 (Medium Easy)

An ideal vehicle to teach lyrical playing in young/developing bands, "El Noi de la Mare" ("The Mother's Child") is a traditional carol of the nativity from the Spanish region of Catalonia, made famous by the Spanish guitar master Andres Segovia as an encore to his performances. Although ranges and technical demands are conservative in this Grade 1.5 arrangement, its rich harmonies, colorful instrument textures, and opportunities for dynamic shaping make it very satisfying, musically, for holiday concerts or at any time of the year.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

El Noi de la Mare — Concert Band, Grade 1.5 (Medium Easy)

Ideal for Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances, spring concerts, and patriotic events, this harmonized setting of the bugle call, "Taps," is a fitting tribute to fallen heroes and veterans past. Opens with solo trumpet and woodwind accompaniment, followed by full ensemble building to a stirring climax, then resolving to a peaceful, reverent conclusion.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

Day is Done...Safely Rest — Concert Band, Grade 2 (Medium Easy)

Pairing the joyful French traditional carol, "Angels We Have Heard on High," with the chorale tune "How Brightly Shines the Morning Star", "And Glory Shone Around" is an ideal selection to open a holiday concert. A resounding opening allegro featuring brass fanfares, rapid woodwind scales, percussive punctuations and the melismatic "Gloria" evokes "the glory of the Lord [that] shone around" and the "multitude of the heavenly host praising God," according to the gospel of Luke. A softer andante, featuring the "Morning Star" chorale, evokes the quiet peace and humble surroundings of the Holy Child, "wrapped ... in swaddling cloths and laid ... in a manger." This chorale builds in intensity before giving way to a recapitulation of the opening allegro, with key change, that powerfully concludes the piece.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

And Glory Shone Around — Concert Band, Grade 3 (Medium)

“A French Noël” is a setting of the tune accompanying the text “Il est né, le divin Enfant,” published in Airs des noêl lorrain (1862) and there called “Ancien air de chasse” (“Old hunting air”) due to its similarity to an old Normandy hunting tune.

Following a short introductory fanfare, the “A” section of the tune is presented by clarinets and saxophones, handing off to brass and upper woodwinds on the “B” section. A short transition from the repeat of the “A” section modulates from the opening key of Bb major to Eb major, with brass then taking up the tune. Throughout, contrasting instrument textures and simple-yet-creative harmonizations add interest to this delightful piece, easily playable by young and developing bands.

Sheet music available for purchase at JW Pepper.com — follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3aILjQs

Todd Marchand / ConSpiritoMusic.com

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