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BasSOON It will be Christmas

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James Stephenson

James Stephenson


Subtitle: For 2 or 3 Bassoons and Wind Ensemble


General Info

Year: 2007 / 2013
Duration: c. 5:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Stephenson Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $230.00   |   Score Only - $46.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Solo Bassoon I-II-III (2 or 3)
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III

  • Crash Cymbals
  • Crotales
  • Glockenspiel
  • Ratchet
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Triangle
  • Vibraphone
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

In 2007, I was commissioned by Michael Krajewski (principal pops conductor of Atlanta, Houston Symphonies and Philadelphia Orchestra) to write a new orchestral Christmas work, after I suggested the title of BasSOON It Will Be Christmas, At the time of the suggestion, I didn’t know what I would write, but once he agreed, it was time to get busy.

Obviously, the piece would feature the bassoons, and in a short time, the idea came to mind of mixing famous bassoon audition excerpts with popular Christmas carols. Who would have guessed that the following excerpts/carols blended together so well?:

Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Dukas) + We Three Kings (intro) —– God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen + Carol of the Bells (snippets) —– Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart) + Joy to the World —– March to the Scaffold (Berlioz) + Bassoon Concerto (Mozart) + Pat-A-Pan + O Come All Ye Faithful —– Cadenza + Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky) —– Figaro (in variation) + We Wish You a Merry Christmas —– Symphony No. 4 (Beethoven) + Sorcerer’s Apprentice —– ending

The piece has been played by numerous orchestras, and I am sincerely grateful to Mark Walker, at Troy University, who approached me with the idea of doing a wind ensemble setting.

- Program Note by composer


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble (Hampton, Va.) (William Garlette, conductor) - 14 December 2019
  • Dallas (Tx.) Winds (Jerry Junkin, conductor) – 17 December 2018
  • Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) Symphonic Band (Kirt Saville, conductor) – 9 December 2015
  • Callanwolde Concert Band (Decatur, Ga.) (Raymond Handfield, conductor; Shelly Unger, bassoon) – 6 December 2015
  • Dallas (Tex.) Winds (Jerry Junkin, conductor) - 23 December 2014
  • Troy (Ala.) University Symphony Band - December 2013


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

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