Concert Music: Holiday Music for the Concert Setting

Choral & Vocal Works
Orchestral & Instrumental Works

Holiday Music: Choral and Vocal Works

A Collection of A Cappella Carols — NEW!

This ever-growing collection of unaccompanied carol arrangements and original carols is intended as a resource for all kinds of choral groups, whether they perform in a concert or church setting.

Click here to learn more about this collection of carols.  

A Symphony of Carols

A joyful celebration of the holiday season, this is a dramatic 45-minute work for SATB chorus, soprano soloist, chamber orchestra, and organ. 

Click here to learn more about this piece and to hear sound clips.  To order the CD, click here.  

A Wreath of Carols

This collection of eclectic carols by Peter, Ethel, and Richard Bloesch, was originally written for a church service, but most of these carols can also be performed as individual pieces in a concert setting.  Scored for SATB choir with soprano, alto, and tenor soloists, organ, and strings (at least 3, 3, 2, 1, 1).  

Note:  Only several of these carols require organ; most are either a cappella or accompanied by strings.  Click here to learn more about these carols.  

Ding Dong! Merrily on High

This brief and energetic setting of "Ding Dong! Merrily on High" makes a rousing opening to a holiday concert;  Written for SATB chorus a cappella;  Ca. 1 min.  

All My Heart This Night Rejoices (chorale motet)

A contrapuntal motet based on the chorale melody "Warum Sollt Ich";  For SATB chorus a cappella or doubled by oboe and/or strings;  Ca. 2 mins.  

Once in Royal David's City (carol)

A new musical setting of the familiar text, written for SATB chorus a cappella;  Text by Cecil F. Alexander (1848);  Ca. 3.5 mins.  when all four verses are sung.

Note:  I expanded and orchestrated this carol for use in "A Symphony of Carols."

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree (carol)

An original carol for SATB chorus a cappella;  Anonymous text from an early American collection, 1784;  Ca. 2.5 mins. when all five verses are sung.

Whence Is This Frangrance? (carol)

A short canon for 2-part chorus (SA/TB) accompanied by piano or organ;  Ca. 1 min.

A Setting of Three English Carols

A short quodlibet for 2 voices and piano, using the following carols:

• Voice 1:  "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day"
• Voice 2:  "I Saw Three Ships"
• Keyboard:  "Sussex Carol"

The 2 voice parts could be 2 soloists, or divided SATB chorus (SA/TB), or divided women's chorus;  This carol could be sung through twice, with voice 1 as SA and voice 2 as TB the first time, and then switching the parts for the repeat;  Ca. 30 seconds (or 1 min. if sung through twice)

Various pieces for SSAA chorus with piano accompaniment, including:

• "How Far Is It to Bethlehem?"
  A gently flowing arrangement of an traditional English carol;  Words by Frances Chesterton;  Ca. 3 mins.
• "Wassail!"
  A lively arrangement of the traditional Gloucestershire Wassail;  Ca. 2 mins.

(Note:  I'm in the process of composing more holiday carols for SSAA chorus with piano accompaniment, and plan to create a set of them.)

On the Morning of Christ's Nativity (song cycle)

A neo-Baroque song cycle for baritone solo with piano accompaniment;  Ca. 10 mins.;  Text:  Four excerpts from John Milton's "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity" (1629):

• "This is the month, and this the happy morn,"
• "It was the winter wild,"
• "But peaceful was the night," and
• "Ring out, ye crystal spheres"

Holiday Music: Orchestral and Instrumental Works

A Festive Holiday

Currently in progress, this piece will be a festive arrangement of several holiday carols, scored for a large holiday pops orchestra.  (Most of my Holiday Pops music is scored for chorus and full orchestra, but this will be an instrumental piece.)  Ca. 7 mins.  Read more about this piece.

A Holiday Interlude for Strings

A lush arrangement of "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "Quem Pastores";  Scored for strings (at least 3, 3, 2, 1, 1, with an optional version containing a divided cello part);  Ca. 3 mins.  

• Hear sound clip of the first carol ("In the Bleak Midwinter")  (Note:  This is not a professional recording.)

A Holiday Suite for Flute, Viola, and Guitar

This piece was commissioned by Red Cedar Chamber Music, and contains the following carol arrangements:  "Wassail," "In the Bleak Midwinter," "I Saw Three Ships," "Away in a Manger," and "Ding Dong! Merrily on High."

To learn more about this piece and to hear sound clips, click here.  

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

An arrangement of the traditional British version of this carol, scored for 2 flutes, 1 bassoon, and keyboard;  Ca. 4 mins.  

Holiday Suite for Two Violins and Piano

This piece was designed to offer a very simple piano part;  The violin parts are of moderate difficulty;  Ca. 7 mins.;  The suite contains these carols:

• "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,"
• "Ding Dong! Merrily on High,"
• "What Child Is This,"
• "Good King Wenceslas," and
• "Personent Hodie"

A Little Christmas Suite

A charming four-hand piano arrangement of three traditional carols;  Ca. 8 mins. Contains:

• "The Boar's Head Carol,"
• "O Jesulein Sweet," and
• "Wassail!" (the Gloucestershire Wassail)