Bells of Christmas, The

Robert Longfield

General Info

Year: 2002
Duration: c. 5:010
Difficulty: III-1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $65.00 | Score Only (print) - $6.00br />

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bells
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Hand Bells (optional)
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tam-Tam

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This interesting work for concert band with narrator opens with martial sounds that harken back to the days of the Civil War. The text of the beloved carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is revealed in the context of that historic period. The music provides a stirring backdrop as the true meaning of the text is conveyed to the audience.

- Program Note from publisher

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Prairie Wind Ensemble (Washington, Ill.) (Jim Tallman, conductor) - 11 December 2022
Ohio Northern University (Ada) Wind Orchestra (Thomas Hunt, conductor) – 10 December 2017
Atascadero (Calif.) Community Band (Randy Schwalbe, conductor) – 10 December 2017

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

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Lean on Me (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1972/2021)
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All Wind Works

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The Avengers (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2012/2017/2020)
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The Bells of Christmas (2002)
Berceuse and Finale from "The Firebird" (as arranger)
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars (as arranger) (2005)
Cakewalk (as arranger)
Carol of the Bells (as adapter)
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Fanfare for the Common Man (as arranger) (1942/1944/2007)
Fantasia on "Kingsfold" (as arranger) (2014)
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Finale to "Symphony No. 5" (as adapter) (1804-1808/2020)
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Five Little Dances (as transcriber) (1946/2013)
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Greensleeves (arr. Davis) (as editor) (2011)
Hallelujah (as adapter; arr. Davis) (1741/2004)
Hallelujah Chorus (as arranger) (1741/1994)
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Hungarian Dance No. 6 (as arranger) (1869/2005)
Hymnsong from "Mannin Veen" (as arranger) (1933/2022)
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Italian Holiday (2009)
Kalinka (as arranger) (2017)
Kentucky 1800 (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1954/2006/2017)
Lean on Me (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1972/2021)
Mamma Mia! (as arranger)
Music from "The Shape of Water" (as arranger) (2017/2018)
Oblivion (as arranger)
Over the Waves Waltz (as arranger) (1888/2017)
Overture to "Abduction from the Seraglio" (as arranger)
Parade March (as arranger)
Passacaglia (as arranger) (c. 1720/2014)
Passacaglia on an Old English Carol (as arranger) (2001)
Pat-a-Pan (as adapter)
The Purple Twilight (1993)
Rapp's Woods Ramble (2004)
Russian Sailors' Dance (as arranger) (1927/1996)
Sanctuary
Second Suite in F (as adapter) (1911/2007)
Selections from "Capriol Suite" (as arranger)
Selections from "The Nutcracker Suite" (as arranger) (1884/1992)
Slava! (as transcriber) (1977/)
Slavonic Dance No. 1, Op. 72 (as arranger)
Slavonic Dance No 8, Op 46 (as arranger)
Slavonic March (as arranger) (1878/2017)
Stille Nacht (as arranger with Chip Davis) (1818/1987?)
Street Tango (as arranger) (2017)
Summertime from "Porgy and Bess" (as arranger)
Swedish Hymn of Praise
Take the Blues Train
The Toy Trumpet (as arranger) (1937/2012)
Three Ayres from Gloucester (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1969/2016)
Transformations
Turkish March (as arranger)
Two British Folk Songs (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1993/2019)
Vortex
Water Music (as arranger) (1717/1997)
When Summer's in the Meadow
Where Valor Proudly Sleeps
The White Eagle
The X Brigade

Resources

Longfield, R. (2002). The Bells of Christmas [score]. C.L. Barnhouse; Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Perusal score