Composed by Traditional. Arranged by Bob Mathews. Celtic, Christian, Christmas. Score and parts. 19 pages. Bob Mathews #6607391. Published by Bob Mathews

String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.749221

Composed by Traditional Carols. Arranged by HELEN MARPLE-HORVAT. Christian,Christmas,Classical,Praise & Worship,Sacred. Score and parts. 42 pages. Helen Marple-Horvat #4854417. Published by Helen Marple-Horvat (A0.749221).

The Angel Gabriel, Coventry Carol, O Come Emmanuel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCM1oh2jWA0

I have always enjoyed singing carols in minor keys, and when it comes to arranging, love the harmonic possibilities, especially for false relations. I have arranged three so far, and if you buy them as a bundle, the third one is discounted. You can watch the Youtube of The Angel Gabriel here, but you can also find the others by typing Helen Marple-Horvat, Songwriter, Arranger and Composer into Youtube, or research them on the Sheet Music Plus Site.

In my arrangement of ‘Angel Gabriel’ I have included various harmonisations of the wonderful tune, and a short contrapuntal development section in the middle to add some interest. In both ‘Coventry Carol’ and ‘O Come Emmanuel’ there are a few surprises in the counting so watch out! It isn’t always obvious, but with a few rehearsals, will give you a fresh takes on these very old carols.

Capriccio Quartet are professionals, and play in higher positions with few open strings, lots of vibrato and slurred bows. That would be fine for Grade 5 players and above. However, I don’t want younger players to feel daunted! All three carols are in good keys for strings, with the double stopping always including an open string. They can also use open strings freely without detracting from this ancient style, or try one note per bow, dropping the first violin down an octave. The recording of Coventry Carol is at a very fast pace which shows off the rhythmic drive of the arrangement. I also love it much slower so that the intense dissonance can be brought out.

There are two short excerpts from Coventry Carol and O Come Emmanuel, but full recordings are available to view on the single titles on the Sheet Music 
Plus Catalogue Index under my name.

String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1110405

Composed by Jacques Offenbach. Arranged by Diego Marani. Chamber,Classical,Instructional,Romantic Period,Standards. 9 pages. Diego Marani #712732. Published by Diego Marani (A0.1110405).

A barcarolle (from French, also barcarole; originally, Italian barcarola or barcaruola, from barca 'boat') is a traditional folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers, or a piece of music composed in that style. It is characterized by a rhythm reminiscent of the gondolier's stroke, almost invariably in 6/8 meter at a moderate tempo. In classical music, the most famous barcarolle is Jacques Offenbach's Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour from his opera The Tales of Hoffmann. This easy arrangement for string quartet (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello) is suitable for classroom, repertoire and recital.

String Quartet String Quartet - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1089863

Composed by Christmas Carol. Arranged by Kate Agioritis. Christmas,Holiday,Traditional. Score and parts. 7 pages. Musika Publishing Australia #694077. Published by Musika Publishing Australia (A0.1089863).

This traditional arrangement of 'Deck the Halls' for String Quartet (with optional violin 3 substitute for viola part) is also available as part of our collection of 15 carols, 'Carols For Four'. .

String Quartet String Quartet - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.836707

Composed by Brian Joyce. Christmas,Contemporary. Score and parts. 67 pages. Brian Joyce #3226073. Published by Brian Joyce (A0.836707).

What’s Christmas without a few toys?

Here is a new suite of older carols for string quartet in which each musician is required to play a wee bit of percussion in addition to his or her real instrument. The potential for entertaining visual theater is nearly as high as the potential for mishap. (If all goes according to plan, nothing should actually go airborne.)

This is something of a sequel to my earlier Christmas quartet And Therefore Be Merry, which has never been out of print since it was first published over twenty years ago. But where that work was a continuous medley, this is a set of independent and more fully developed movements, each able to stand on its own.

As mentioned above, each member of the quartet is responsible for a small item of percussion. These are all things which could readily be found in a local school band room: a triangle, a tambourine, a suspended cymbal - played with a soft (yarn) stick - and a small frame drum, played with the bare hand.

These are all earlier, earthier carols than what one typically finds on the radio or playing over the speakers at the mall. They include Gloucestershire Wassail, Riu Riu Chiu, Angelus ad Virginem, The Sans Day Carol, The Wexford Carol, and Masters in This Hall. Being perhaps less familiar, they bring a welcome respite from the overworked seasonal fare we all hear a bit too much of each year. They speak of simpler times, and of a far less frantic approach to Christmas. These fresh and inventive arrangements will make a useful addition to a quartet’s repertoire, provided the players have the requisite spirit of adventure.

Score and Parts total 67 pages. Performance time is about 14 minutes.

String Quartet, Mandolin Quartet - Intermediate - Digital Download Composed by Turlough O'carolan. Arranged by Simon Mayor. Baroque Period, World, Folk. Individual Part, Score. 76 pages. Published by Simon Mayor

Composed by Traditional Christmas Carols. Arranged by Nicolás Cortés Castillo. Christian, Christmas. Score, Set of Parts. 50 pages. Published by Nicolas Ernesto Cortes

String Quartet String Quartet - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.982357

Composed by Traditional Carol. Arranged by Paul Ferington. Christian,Christmas,Praise & Worship,Sacred. Score and parts. 7 pages. Paul K Ferington #6450789. Published by Paul K Ferington (A0.982357).

An intimate and tender arrangement (2:30) of this 1591 English melody Coventry Carol for Holiday use in schools, churches, and community events; recommended for Intermediate-Advanced string players. .

Composed by Traditional Irish Melody. Arranged by John A. Dempsey. Christian, Spiritual, Sacred, Celtic, Christmas. Score, Set of Parts. 20 pages. Published by John A. Dempsey

String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1141224

Composed by Traditional Carol. Arranged by Nyssa Sanguansri. Christmas. Score and parts. 9 pages. Nyssa Sanguansri #741526. Published by Nyssa Sanguansri (A0.1141224).

String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1518714

Composed by Jaques Offenbach. Arranged by Richard E Brown. Classical,Contest,Festival. 13 pages. Dacker Music #1092836. Published by Dacker Music (A0.1518714).

A barcarolle was originally a traditional Venetian gondolier song, usually in gentle 6/8 meter (think “Santa Lucia”). The name has also long been used in classical music for other compositions in that style. Of a great many barcarolles in the literature, the best-known is probably the duet “Belle nuit, o nuit d’amour “ from Jacques Offenbach’s final opera “Les Contes d’Hoffman.” This is a reasonably faithful arrangement for string quartet of that famous melody.

String Quartet String Quartet - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.734418

Composed by Traditional English Carol. Arranged by Dennis Ruello. Christmas,Holiday,Renaissance,Standards,World. Score and parts. 7 pages. Chicory Music #5324901. Published by Chicory Music (A0.734418).

The Boar's Head Carol
This Christmas carol talks about a feast during midwinter in which a wild boar was served as the main dish and its head placed in a situated position to symbolize bravery and abundance. Closely related to the Norse tradition of boar sacrifice to their goddess Freyja during the feast of Winter Solstice, this song originated from an urban legend in Queen's College, Oxford back in the 15th century which tells of how a scholar from Queen’s College managed to kill an attacking boar and offered it at dinner.

The song was first published in English during the 1520’s in a book entitled Christmase Carolles Newly Emprynted at London in the flete street, which was written by Jan van Wynken de Worde. It is also said to be the very 1st Christmas carol to ever be publish in English because it dates back that early.

Although the modern versions of the song makes no mention of Christmas, the original verses does so in The boar's head we bring with song, in worship of Him that thus sprung, of a Virgin to redress all wrong; Noel

This Intermediate Level arrangement starts out in C Major and modulates to D Major for the final chorus .

Performance time is approx. 1 minute 45 seconds. 

String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1505206

Composed by Traditional. Arranged by James M. Guthrie. Chamber,Christmas,Historic,Renaissance,Traditional. 14 pages. Jmsgu3 #1080594. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.1505206).

The Coventry Carol is an essential and historically significant English Christmas carol with several notable aspects:

Origins and History
It originated in the 16th century in Coventry, England.
The carol was part of a medieval mystery play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors.
It was performed annually by local trade guilds as part of religious community events that told Bible stories.

Unique Subject Matter
Unlike most Christmas carols, it does not celebrate the birth of Jesus but instead commemorates the Massacre of the Innocents.
The lyrics are from the perspective of mothers in Bethlehem mourning their children who are about to be killed by King Herod's soldiers.

Musical Characteristics
It has a haunting, plaintive melody in a minor key, which adds to its somber mood.
The original medieval melody has been lost, but the current tune dates back to at least 1591.

Historical Preservation
The carol narrowly survived being lost to history. The original manuscript was destroyed in a fire in 1879 but was preserved thanks to earlier transcriptions by scholars. It gained renewed popularity after being broadcast from the bombed ruins of Coventry Cathedral in 1940 during World War II.

Cultural Impact
While not as widely known as some carols, it remains an important part of English Christmas musical traditions.
Its poignant lyrics and melody have made it a powerful and moving piece for many listeners.

Thus, The Coventry Carol represents an important piece of medieval English musical and theatrical history and a unique perspective on the Christmas story that has endured for centuries.

String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1269203

By David Catherwood. By Traditional English tunes. Arranged by David Catherwood. Chamber,Christmas,Holiday. 18 pages. Opus 3 Music #861739. Published by Opus 3 Music (A0.1269203).

Suite - 3 Lyrical English Christmas Carols

1) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
2) O Little Town of Bethlehem
3) The First Nowell

These 3 traditional English carols may be performed separately, used to accompany singing or put together as above to form an effective concert item  

Perfect for Holiday concerts, Christmas carol services or Community concerts!
 
The download includes a full score and the following parts...

1st Violin
2nd Violin
Viola
Cello


(Each of these three carol arrangements is also available separately on Sheet music plus and Sheet music direct however there is a considerable saving buying all three together in this bundle).