From The Bad Child's Book Of Beasts

Written for David Heyes as part of his 'Fizz at 50' project. 'Gerty Goat Scuffer' (in case you wondered) is one of many nick-names we had for a much loved family dog - officially named 'Heavy Hetty' from a character in an imaginative children's book of that name. In my youth as a composition student at the RAM I discovered that walking a dog for an hour a day is the anti-dote to the long hours required as a composer 'sat you yer bum' writing at a desk and (in those pre-computer years) writing endless parts out by hand. First of these 'best friends' was a glorious Gordon Setter called 'Sophie' (my first love) who accompanied Pat and I on our honeymoon acrossScotland. Thirty years later we were privileged to enjoy the company of three therapeutic beasts; 'Merlin' (a prize winning Pyrenean Mountain Dog) 'Gael' (an over energetic Scottish Border Collie) and 'Hetty' (a unique cross between a Pyrenean Mountain Dog and a St. Bernard - something of a 'kennel-maid's Accident'). Hetty (see picture) is unfortunately no longer with us now. She had an extraordinary puppy-hood that left her with titanium plates holding her back legs together. Hetty was surprisingly active though right through to the age of nearly 10 - speciality: chasing Pheasants in the grounds at Strathmashie - but she became progressively hampered by arthritis and 'scuffed along' on her vast hairy pads with a swagger. She also used to remind our children of a mountain goat. Songs have been written about her but this is the first instrumental work that she has inspired! The pervading thematic motive of the piece (heard from the outset) cheekily alludes to an (over) famous Saint-Saëns work for double bass (but no insult is intended to Hetty!). The increasingly roving tonality and unusually sudden shifts of key combined with the use of jazz chords combines to present a short but heartfelt tribute to a unique animal that provided untold pleasure to all she came into contact with simply by just being

Includes dozens of carols which can be sung by SATB SSA or TTBB groups.Contents: Angels from the Realms of Glory • As Lately We Watched • Bring a Torch Jeannette Isabella • Christ Was Born on ChristmasDay • The First Noel • The Friendly Beasts • Fum Fum Fum • Glad Christmas Bells • Go Tell It on the Mountain • God Rest You Merry Gentlemen • Good Christian Men Rejoice • Good KingWenceslas • Here We Come A-Caroling • The Holly and the Ivy • I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day • I Saw Three Ships • Joy to the World • Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming • Lullay Thou Little TinyChild • March of the Kings • Masters in This Hall • O Christmas Tree • O Come Little Children • O Come O Come Emmanuel • O Little Town of Bethlehem • Patapan • Rudolph the Red-NosedReindeer • Shepherds Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep • Sing We Now of Christmas • The Snow Lay on the Ground • There's a Song in the Air • Wassail Wassail • We Three Kings of Orient Are • WhileShepherds Watched Their Flocks.

This book contains over 80 holiday songs arranged to be easily playable on ukulele. Ranging from classic carols such as 'Silent Night? and 'O Christmas Tree,? to popular tunes like 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas? and 'Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town,? right on through music from yuletide movies such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, this book is perfect for holiday get-togethers and sing-alongs! Titles: Angels from the Realms of Glory * Angels We Have Heard on High * As Lately We Watched * Auld Lang Syne * Away in a Manger (Murray) * Away in a Manger (Cradle Song) * The Babe * A Babe Is Born in Bethlehem * Believe (from The Polar Express) * The Bells of Christmas * Boar's Head Carol * Born Is He, This Holy Child * Bright and Joyful Is the Morn * Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella * Buon Natale (Means Merry Christmas to You) * Carol of the Birds * Celebrate Me Home * A Child This Day Is Born * Christ Was Born on Christmas Day * Christmas Comes Anew * Christmas Vacation (from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation) * The Coventry Carol * Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy * Deck the Halls * Emmanuel * The First Noel * The Friendly Beasts * Gesu Bambino (The Infant Jesus) * The Gift * Go Tell It on the Mountain * God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen * Good Christian Men, Rejoice * Good King Wenceslas * A Great and Mighty Wonder * Hallelujah Chorus (from The Messiah) * Happy Xmas (War Is Over) * Hark! The Herald Angels Sing * Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas * Here We Come A-Wassailing * The Holly and the Ivy * Holy Night, Peaceful Night * Hush, My Babe, Lie Still and Slumber * I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day * I Saw Three Ships * I Wonder as I Wander * I'll Be Home for Christmas * In the Bleak Midwinter * It Came Upon the Midnight Clear * Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring * Jingle Bells * Jolly Old Saint Nicholas * Joy to the World * The Little Drummer Boy * March of the Toys * Mary Had a Baby * Mele Kalikimaka * Noel! Noel! * O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum) * O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) * O Come, Little Children * O Come, O Come Emmanuel * O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel) * O Little Town of Bethlehem * On Christmas Night All Christians Sing * Once in Royal David's City * Patapan * Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town * Silent Night * Simple Gifts * Sleigh Ride * Stand Beneath the Mistletoe * Star of the East * The Twelve Days of Christmas * Ukrainian Carol (Carol of the Bells) * Up on the Housetop * We Three Kings of Orient Are * We Wish You a Merry Christmas * Welcome Christmas (from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!) * What Child Is This? * When Christmas Comes to Town (from The Polar Express) * You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch (from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!). / Ukulélé