Preview: Carol of the Bells...and Friends
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SKU: A0.904608
Composed by Mykola Leontovych/Trad. English/Trad. French/John Baptiste Calkin. Arranged by Paul Pisano. 20th Century,A Cappella,Christmas,Concert,Contemporary,Romantic Period. Score. 5 pages. PWP Enterprises #3245623. Published by PWP Enterprises (A0.904608).2017 Holiday Contest Entry: Piano Solo - Advanced
This "Christmas Fantasietta" interweaves the famous motive from Carol of the Bells with three other carols while parodying various pianistic styles (e.g., Ginastera, Chopin, Balakirev, Brahms, and Liszt).
Conceived in a loose ABA form, the introductory four-note motive and "ding, dong" countermelody of Carol of the Bells become a double ostinato above a surprise appearance of What Child Is This in the left hand, which then seamlessly takes over the 3/4 ostinato while the right hand announces Noël nouvelet (Sing We Now of Christmas) in 6/8 above it. The initial chiming octaves soon give way to widely shifting broken octaves that further emphasize the polymeter.
The transition to I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day depicts multiple church bells, ringing the four-note motive in both hands polyrhythmically and striking the hour in the bass. Eventually the right hand quietly absorbs the motive into a canonic imitation, while the left hand plays the new carol in thick chords and continues to strike the hour.
At the return of the A section Sing We Now of Christmas reappears, supported by a cut-time version of the double ostinato. Stylistically it combines influences of the reel dance (associated with Scottish-Irish fiddle music) with quasi-Lisztian keyboard treatment. The piece concludes with a coda di bravura based on the climactic repeated-note motive from Carol of the Bells.
For pianists in search of a short but showy Christmas arrangement, Carol of the Bells...and Friends would be a perfect closer or encore for a November or December piano recital, or to play for friends and family at holiday festivities at home.
Other titles by Paul Pisano on sheetmusicplus.com:
--O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: arr. SATB divisi a cappella. Advanced Intermediate.
--Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: SSAATTBB a cappella jazz arr. a la Manhattan Transfer. Advanced.
--Sweet Little Jesus Boy: SSAATTBB a cappella gospel jazz arr. Advanced.
--Seven Limerick Songs: cycle for voice and piano, English and Italian lyrics by the composer. Available in soprano and mezzo soprano/tenor keys. Advanced.
--Nearer, My God, to Thee/I Need Thee Every Hour: arr. SSAATTBB a cappella. Advanced.
--Come, Thou Glorious Day of Promise: arr. SATB divisi a cappella. Advanced.
--Come Unto Me: SATB divisi a cappella, original setting of Matt. 11:28-29. Advanced.
--Joseph Smith Said WHAT?! Two songs for tenor and piano: 1) "You don't have to bray like a jackass," aka "In Solemn Brayer"; 2) "Josiah Butterfield." Advanced.
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