Peter Lawson
CANDLES FLICKERED ROUND THE HOLY CHILD
Goodmusic Concert Chorals GMCH023
Catalogue Number: GMCH023
Difficulty level: D What's this?
ISMN: 9790222339828
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Orchestration: 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in Bb, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns in F (3 & 4 optional), 2 Trumpets in Bb
Strings (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass)
Choir (SATB or SA+Men or SSA or TTBB)
This is the sixth carol with words written to match well-known tunes from the classical repertoire, in this case, the beautiful outer sections of the middle movement of Brahms’ Double Concerto for Violin and ‘Cello - an evergreen masterpiece from the ageing composer and his last orchestral work. The endearing warmth of this movement is partly due to the almost operatic voicing of the melody an octave apart between the soloists, with the orchestra quietly colouring in the harmonies. This voicing lends itself to a choral setting, particularly suiting the intimate simplicity of the stable where the baby Jesus lay on Christmas day, with Mary and Joseph looking on, in the company of the animals keeping out the cold night air.
In this arrangement, I have kept as far as possible to Brahms’ orchestration, modernising the Horns to those in F and with Trumpets to B flat, adapting the orchestration as necessary, as the original version is a minor 3rd lower in pitch. Peter Lawson
Duration 3½ minutes
A PACK includes a full score plus all wind, brass and strings 4/4/3/4/2.
Choral copies are available separately: SATB - GM559, SA+Men - GM560, SSA - GM561, TTBB – GM562.
Strings (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass)
Choir (SATB or SA+Men or SSA or TTBB)
This is the sixth carol with words written to match well-known tunes from the classical repertoire, in this case, the beautiful outer sections of the middle movement of Brahms’ Double Concerto for Violin and ‘Cello - an evergreen masterpiece from the ageing composer and his last orchestral work. The endearing warmth of this movement is partly due to the almost operatic voicing of the melody an octave apart between the soloists, with the orchestra quietly colouring in the harmonies. This voicing lends itself to a choral setting, particularly suiting the intimate simplicity of the stable where the baby Jesus lay on Christmas day, with Mary and Joseph looking on, in the company of the animals keeping out the cold night air.
In this arrangement, I have kept as far as possible to Brahms’ orchestration, modernising the Horns to those in F and with Trumpets to B flat, adapting the orchestration as necessary, as the original version is a minor 3rd lower in pitch. Peter Lawson
Duration 3½ minutes
A PACK includes a full score plus all wind, brass and strings 4/4/3/4/2.
Choral copies are available separately: SATB - GM559, SA+Men - GM560, SSA - GM561, TTBB – GM562.
