The most beautiful Hymn of all! Ive sung it at weddings and funerals (actually I can hardly ever sing it as it chokes me up). The original, "Long Since in Egypt's Pleasant Land" was part of the Parry's Oratorio "Judith", with words added later by John Whittier.
This Brass Quintet version is a distillation of my original 10 piece brass arrangement written for own wedding (available on this website) and it has been used at many others. As you will hear, the congregation need to be musical or have some sort of direction as there are several traps to fall into but it is definitely worth it. A single line vocal part is included and there is also a full SATB choir score. It also works well as an instrumental pre-wedding piece or as an interlude.
| Trumpet Tune - Purcell |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate
|
O Come! All Ye Faithful with Fanfare and Descant
- This version includes a Fanfare which may be played either as an introduction or as an interlude before the
final verse, and 4 different harmonised verses including an original descant. Optional Timpani and Cymbals parts are included.
There are two MP3 files here, one with the optional percussion and one without.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, with Fanfare and Descant
- This version includes a Fanfare which may be played either as an introduction or as an interlude before the
final verse. The first two verses may be sung with the traditional Mendelssohn harmonies, and the final verse sung in unison with a new descant.
Optional Timpani and Cymbals parts are included.
| Hark! the Herald Angels Sing - Mendelssohn/Cook |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate/Hard
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The Shepherds' Farewell - Instrumental.
The Shepherds' Farewell (L'adieu des bergers) from L'Enfance du Christ has become a standard for choirs at Christmas.
This version has been written as an instrumental performed without a choir. The key has been changed to enable more
variety in the scoring for brass. If you like a version for performance WITH a choir, see below.
| The Shepherds' Farewell - Berlioz |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate/Hard
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The Shepherds' Farewell - for performance with choir.
The Shepherds' Farewell (L'adieu des bergers) from L'Enfance du Christ has become a standard for choirs at Christmas.
This version has been written for performing as accompaniment to a choir. The key is a semitone lower than the original to save the
trumpets from playing in F# major. If you would like a better version for performing as an instrumental without a choir, see the version above.
| The Shepherds' Farewell - Berlioz |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate/Hard
|
Fanfare to O Come! All Ye Faithful
This Fanfare may be played either as an introduction to "O Come, All Ye Faithful" or as an interlude before the
final verse. It is scored for 3 Trumpets, 4 Horns (although 2 will do) 3 Trombones, Tuba and optional Euphonium.
Timpani and Cymbals parts are included although not essential. There is also a Wind Band version of the
complete carol (including a new descant) and the Fanfare is identical, so if you are buying that,
you don't need to buy this!
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - with Fanfare and Descant.
This version includes a Fanfare and new descant. Verses 1 and 2 may be sung in traditional (Mendelssohn's) four part harmony.
These harmonies will fit even though the brass parts are developed. The final verse should be sung in unison with the optional descant part (provided).
The Fanfare may be played at the start of the piece, or before the final verse, in which case use the last 2 bars of verse 1 as an introduction.
Scored for 3 Trumpets, 4 Horns, 3 Trombones, Euphonium, Tuba and Percussion, the percussion parts are entirely optional,
just written for percussionists who are desperate to join in.
The Euphonium part is optional, as are the 3rd and 4th Horn parts, although it would be sad to lose the Horns!
This arrangement may also be played as an instrumental without choir.
A version for Brass Quintet is also available.
| Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Mendelssohn/Cook |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate/Hard
|
| Fountains' Flourish - Alun Cook |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate/Hard
|
| Trumpet Tune - Purcell |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate
|
| Trumpet Voluntary (ORIGINAL KEY) - Clarke |
listen to mp3
|
Difficult
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| Trumpet Voluntary (EASIER KEY) - Clarke |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate
|
As you will hear, the congregation need to be musical or have some sort of direction as there are several traps to fall into, but it is definitely worth it. A single line vocal part is included and there is also a full SATB choir score. It also works well as an instrumental pre-wedding piece or as an interlude.
| Dear Lord and Father of Mankind - Parry |
listen to mp3
|
Moderate/Hard
|
| I Was Glad - Parry |
Moderate/Hard
|
| Jerusalem - Parry |
Moderate/Hard
|
These arrangements of movements from Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" aim to fill the gaps in what has already been written for Wind Band. Other versions have movements missing or suddenly go into bizarre keys (a semitone difference from the original between two movements that are supposed to segue)! It is pretty difficult for anyone to claim that they haven't been influence by the Ravel orchestration, but I have tried to set that aside and work from the original piano score.
| The Gnome - Mussorgsky |
Very Hard
|
|
| Baba Yaga - Mussorgsky |
Hard
|
|
| Great Gate of Kiev - Mussorgsky |
Exhausting
|
The Santa Express
- At Christmas in the depths of the English countryside on the Kent and Sussex border, steam railways
run Santa Specials as a Christmas treat for young and old alike. My original score was for saxophones,
but its popularity has led me to scores it for orchestra and now for Wind Band. The score is
not too demanding and Piccolo, Cor Anglais, Eb Clarinet, Alto Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone, Horns 3 and 4
and Harp may be omitted.
Dasher and Dancer
- A light hearted piece in a Christmas mood. Originally written for a clarinet ensemble, its popularity has
led to this arrangement for full band. It is very busy for the woodwind players but not actually too difficult.
Large scores do not always play well through scorch so I have included an MP3 which, although not a real band,
gives a better idea of the over all sound.
O Come! All Ye Faithful
- The Fanfare may be played either as an introduction to O Come, All Ye Faithful or as an interlude before the final verse.
In the printed score, the Fanfare is written at the start, but the final page of the score contains a standard introduction in
case you wish to play the Fanfare before the final verse. The score is slightly condensed for clarity, with some
instruments sharing a stave (bassoon 1 and 2 etc) but the parts are all individual, again for ease of reading.
A vocal part is also included with the new descant. If you just want the Fanfare, look for the Brass version
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
- The Fanfare may be played either as an introduction or as an interlude before the final verse, in which
case use the last 2 bars of Verse 1 as an introduction. Verses 1 and 2 may be sung in traditional
(Mendelssohn's) four part harmony. These harmonies will fit even though the band parts are developed.
The final verse sould be sung in unison with the descant provided.
The score is slightly condensed for clarity, with some
instruments sharing a stave (bassoon 1 and 2 etc) but the parts are all individual, again for ease of reading.
A vocal part for the descant is also included. There are also versions available for Brass Quintet and Full Orchestral Brass.
In Dulci Jubilo
- The original is written for two choirs with two solo trumpets. For performance I suggest these soloists are placed on
either side of the band. There is a choice of parts for the soloists, either individual parts or combined. The
standard of the band parts would suit performers of about grade 6 standard, but the two solo trumpets need to be Grade 8
standard (and confident).