Rejoice and be Merry Miller

979-0-065-17765-6

Timothy Miller

Rejoice and be Merry

6 Christmas songs for Voices & piano

DEMO

www.notebutikken.no

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ISMN 979-0-065-17765-6

NMOD15409

Rejoice and be Merry

These six songs are entirely new, not new arrangements of the melodies, traditional or otherwise, commonly associated with the words. Like my previous publication, Six Christmas Songs (Cantando 4817) no specific choral forces have been imagined and almost any collection of enthusiastic singers can perform them. In spirit I like to think of them resembling ‘gallery carols’ where vocal and instrumental forces could be very variable but where there was a whole-hearted commitment to the music-making. The text of the first song is actually from a gallery carol and this gives this collection of Christmas songs its title too, Rejoice and be merry’. Essential to the performance of these songs are the main tune, always labelled ‘Leading voice’ in the score, and the piano accompaniments. Descants and ‘Second voice’ parts will enhance the songs but with the exception of Awake, and join the cheerful choir, where the second voice is essential, they may be left out. There are opportunities in these songs to add instruments, especially percussion, to the piano accompaniment.

These songs are lovingly dedicated to the memory of Lisa May Haywood.

Performance notes:

1. Rejoice and be Merry

Page 7

The tempo chosen must take into consideration the figuration in the upper part of the accompaniment which should sound clear and rhythmic. The descant may be jettisoned or used for only one (for example, the last) verse. The descant may be performed instrumentally with some sections of the musical line transposed up an octave, if this proves more effective Percussion may be added, perhaps varying the instruments for each verse. A skilled clarinettist or violinist might play the right hand part of the piano accompaniment as a solo but doubling the line would sound untidy if not thoroughly rehearsed. The lowest part of the piano accompaniment may be doubled by a cello, double bass or bassoon.

2. Away in a manger

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Page 10

The second voice part, on the lower vocal stave, can be jettisoned or performed instrumentally (transposed up an octave if this gives a better result). If percussion is added it should be discreet. A cello or double bass, arco or pizzicato, may double the lowest voice of the piano. A group of wind instruments might play the upper part of the piano accompaniment in bars 5 to 12 but it should not be too overpowering.

3. Awake, and join the cheerful choir Page 13

The second voice part, written on the lower stave, is more or less essential here. There’s great potential for the addition of percussion instruments in this song which should be taken as fast as possible, as if of a sleigh on a down hill run! Doubling the lowest part of the piano accompaniment might slow things down.

4. See amid the winter snow

Page 17

The shift in musical character between the verse (written in roman script) and the refrain (written in italic script) should be captured, but not by increasing the tempo. Percussion instruments, if added, need to be sensitively chosen. A cello or double bass (or bassoon if it can be played softly enough) may double the lowest part of the piano accompaniment. In bars where the left hand has notes written in the treble clef (for example bar 6, 8) the added bass instrument should sustain the long tone.

5. The first ‘Nowell!’

Page 21

The descant may be played instrumentally – transposed up an octave if this is found to be more effective, or double voices. A cello, double bass or bassoon may effectively double the lowest part of the accompaniment where the voice comes in, playing only the first beat of the bar lightly, in keeping with the waltzing lilt. Where the lefthand part has eighth-notes in it, the first note only should be played. There are certain bars (24 and 35 for example) where it may be easier not to double the bass at all.

6. The Holly and the Ivy

Page 27

The fanfare figures (as found, for example, in bars 1 to 2) may, of course, be played by brass instruments played an octave higher if this gives a better result. The bass may be doubled by cello, double bass, bassoon, trombone, tuba or even timpani. It’s possible that the triads in the right hand of the accompaniment could be played by a trio of bright brass instruments.

The descant makes an important contribution in this song. It can of course be doubled or played instrumentally. There is quite some scope for percussion in this song. In addition to bolstering the driving march rhythm some fun can be had ascribing each named attribute of the holly –blossom, berry, prickle, and so forth – a different instrumental sound, perhaps all combining in the final, riotous refrain “The rising of the sun” etc.

Timothy Miller, Kleppe

21.05.2020

DEMO

Moderato ma robusto

In loving memory of Lisa Haywood

1. Rejoice and be merry

Descant Leading voice

Text: Traditional - a gallery carol

Music: Timothy Miller (1957-)

joice and be

joice wise when and a they be bright were mer star come, ry in they in the their

blesséd, blesséd

this found bles is the séd the Mes for birth si e day ah, ver of sweet be

2. Away in a manger

Text:

Music:

& & ?

down cry love his ing me, sweet he I head. makes. pray. The I Bless

stars love all in thee, the the Lord dear bright Je child sky sus! ren looked Look in

down down thy where from ten he the der lay, sky, care, The And And

Allegro molto

3. Awake, and join the cheerful choir

Text: Traditional

Music: Timothy Miller (1957-)

pon scends voi joy this from ces and joy heav'n lou pi ful to dly ous

morn! earth, raise, mirth,

Second voice

œ this to them with

And And And And œ .

morn! earth, raise, mirth,

our an claim

glad joy glad all, Ho ful ly with san news join grate nas to the ful

loud us cheer heart they ful and lysing bring band voice, For O Of Pro

. ˙ born! birth. skies. birth.

Leading voice

See Lo! Say, 'As a with ye we

4. See amid the winter snow

Text: E Caswall

Music: Timothy Miller (1957-)

Born He What Lo! for who your we

& ?

œ œ us built joy saw on the ful a

See He Where An the who, for gels,

earth star news won be ry to drous

Hail,

& & ?

Hail,thou

Hail,

DEMO

5. The first 'Nowell!'

Text: English traditional carol

Music: Timothy Miller (1957-)

light, sheep, And Ona

Bornthe

& & ?

Alla marcia

Text: Traditional

Music: Timothy Miller (1957-)

hol hol ly ly and bears the a i blos vy, som, When As

theyareboth li full ly grown, flower; Of And

whiteasthe

Ho be ly our bears sweet the sa crown. voiur. The

risingofthesun,Andthe

Ma ry bore sweet Je susChrist, For

toredeemusall. The

Ma ry bore sweet Je susChrist, For

toredeemusall. The

DEMO

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