SKU: A0.548647

O Come, All Ye Faithful

O Come, All Ye Faithful arranged for piano trio ( piano, violin & cello) featuring a thought-provoking re-harmonization of the final verse. O Come, All Ye Faithful is an English translation of the Latin Christmas carol Adeste Fideles. No one knows exactly who wrote it. One theory holds that King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656) wrote it. Another view says John F. Wade or John Reading wrote it. Nowadays, we usually attribute it to John Wade. It seems like Stonyhurst College in Lancashire owns the oldest manuscript. It is from the year 1751.

Lyrics

Frederick Oakeley, a Catholic priest in 1841, wrote the English translation. This translation is probably the most common in English-speaking states. To begin with, the hymn had only four verses. Later, the verses grew to eight. Music directors often cut various verses because otherwise, the song goes too long. Some believe that St. Bonaventure wrote the first Latin lyrics. Others hold that King John IV of Portugal is responsible. Yet even others think the Cistercian monks wrote them.

King John IV

His subjects called King John IV of Portugal The Musician King. He became king in 1640. In addition to performing the duties of a king, he composed and wrote as a music journalist. King John built an extensive music library. Unfortunately, the massive earthquake in Lisbon ruined the library in 1755. In addition to making his library, the king started a Music School that produced many accomplished musicians. The king also worked diligently to get instrumental music approved by the Vatican for use in his churches. Aside from his authorship of Adeste Fideles, he is famous for another popular choral setting of the Crux Fidelis, a prevalent Lenten hymn.

Performance in Context

Verses are sometimes left out because all eight verses would take too long to perform. More to the point, though, some of the poems may be unsuitable for whatever church calendar they are intended. The eighth verse deals with the Epiphany, so it makes sense to sing this on Epiphany Sunday but not on other Sundays. Similarly, other poems are used for whether the event is Midnight Mass or regular daytime Mass.

 

SKU: A0.549903

Arranged with new harmony for the final verse.

Origins

The First Noel is an English Christmas carol. Even more, it was probably written in the late Cornish Renaissance period. While other versions spell the title as Nowell, this is a colloquial variation. Furthermore, Noel is an older word meaning Christmas. Therefore the First Noel translates as the First Christmas. First of all, Gilbert and Sandy published the earliest version. As a result, this version appears in the Carols Ancient and Modern songbook of 1823. William Sandy edited and arranged the book. Similarly, his partner Davies Gilbert edited and added the familiar extra verses. 

Stainer

Organist and composer Sir John Stainer published the most noteworthy customary arrangement in the 1870s.  Stainer is, above all, famous for his songbook entitled: Christmas Carols New and Old (1871). This volume served as an essential catalyst for reviving the English Christmas carol.  Other famous Stainer arrangements from this book include What Child Is This, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, and I Saw Three Ships.

Diatonic Function

The melodic structure in the First Noel is uncommon among English folk tunes. It simply repeats one phrase twice and then follows a variation refrain. All three phrases of the song end on the mediant scale degree. This is unusual because the diatonic function of the mediant is non-final compared to the more usual tonic or even dominant degrees. Consequently, this gives the song an open-ended feeling – like maybe it never ends.

Political Context

The Catholic clergy sang carols outside of the church in Latin. After the Protestant Reformation, the reformers thought it would be better for everyone to sing carols. They decided to bring music back to the common folk. So, they translated the lyrics from Latin into a common language. Moreover, the Protestants wanted more control over the music in the church than what the Vatican allowed. Protestant composers such as William Byrd composed complex polyphonic Christmas music that they called carols.

Nonetheless, some famous folk carols were composed in this era. Eminent composers in the nineteenth century began to revise and adapt them. Consequently, they revived the English carol.

SKU: A0.552118

Seven popular pieces from Handel's Water Music - most often requested for weddings. Score: 16 pages, Duration 12:15. Players may read from the score, or from the included instrumental parts.
Contents:
1. Air
2. Minuet
3. Bourrée
4. Hornpipe
5. Rigaudon
6. Minuet
7. Andante

Handel's Water Music is one of his most famous compositions. It was written for King George I's pleasure barge trip along the River Thames in 1717. The Water Music is divided into three suites, each containing a variety of movements. The music features a mix of dance rhythms such as minuets, bourrees, and hornpipes, along with lively fanfares and slower, more stately airs. Its combination of light and playful music with grandeur and pomp has made it one of the most beloved pieces of classical music. Water Music has been performed by many orchestras and is a popular choice for special occasions, such as coronations and weddings. Its enduring popularity has helped to make it one of Handel's most famous and beloved compositions.

Weddings during the time of Handel were usually quite extravagant affairs. The ceremony was typically held in a church and was accompanied by a full orchestra. Handel's own compositions were frequently used to provide the music for the ceremony. This was especially true in London, where Handel was based and where his music was extremely popular. Handel wrote a number of pieces specifically for use at weddings, including the popular Wedding Anthem and the Wedding Anthem in D Major. Handel's music provided a sense of grandeur and elegance to the proceedings and was often used to give the wedding an extra special touch.

The festivities following the ceremony were also often quite lavish, with a large feast and plenty of dancing. Handel's music was often used to provide the background music for the dancing, and he wrote many dance suites that were specifically designed for this purpose. The bride and groom would often have a special dance to the music of Handel's Water Music, a particularly popular piece for the occasion. Guests at the wedding would be treated to a variety of Handel's works, ranging from his operas to his oratorios, which often had a spiritual or religious theme. Handel's music provided a sense of joy and celebration to the wedding and helped make it an occasion to remember.

SKU: A0.532282

Romance is the name of a traditional Spanish folk tune for solo guitar. Its writer remains anonymous, but it is believed to have been written in the 16th century. In the English-speaking world, the tune is sometimes called Spanish Romance. It is also known as Romance Anonimo in Spanish. It is one of the most widely-played and recognizable pieces of traditional Spanish guitar music, and has been performed by many musicians. It has also been played in many films, notably Forbidden Games.

SKU: A0.763341

Shadow, to shadow is to follow. This original composition for piano trio is all about creating a sense of stillness and peacefulness in an ambient tonal space. The gentle rocking 5/4 time signature enables the piano to create a stable harmonic pulse, the cello enters with a simple melodic passage, followed by the violin. The music gradually moves upward and the texture becomes more complex as the dynamic rises to forte. The downward movement corresponds with the reducing dynamic and the piece ends as it began, in a quiet space. Ideal for High School ensembles, the performance duration is around five minutes and the full score has individual parts attached for each instrument. .