Jingle Bells
James Pierpont (arr. Jay Dawson)
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General Info
Year: 1857 / 1992
Duration: c. 2:10
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Arrangers Publishing Co.
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $70.00 | Score Only (print) - $7.50
Instrumentation
Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet/Bassoon
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba/E-flat Baritone Saxophone
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV
(percussion detail desired)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Jingle Bells is one of the best-known and commonly sung American wintertime songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title One Horse Open Sleigh in the autumn of 1857. Even though it is now associated with the Christmas and holiday season, it was actually originally written for American Thanksgiving. It has been claimed that it was originally written to be sung by a Sunday school choir; however, historians dispute this, stating that it was much too "racy" to be sung by a children's church choir in the days it was written.
- Program Note from Wikipedia
Although it has become one of the most popular and famous secular Christmas songs, Jingle Bells seems to have been intended simply as a “sleighing song”. Music historian James Fuld notes that “the word jingle in the title and opening phrase is apparently a imperative verb”. In the winter in New England in pre-automobile days, it was common to adorn horses’ harnesses with straps bearing bells as a way to avoid collisions at blind intersections, since a horse-drawn sleigh in snow makes almost no noise. The rhythm of the tune mimics that of a trotting horse’s bells. However, “jingle bells” is commonly taken to mean a “certain kind of bell”. This is a whimsical and interesting treatment of this famous carol arranged by Jay Dawson.
- Program Note from Cockrill Middle School Honors Band concert program, 14 December 2016
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble (Chestertown, Md.) (Charles Thai, conductor) – 15 December 2019
- Frostburg (Md.) State University Wind Ensemble (Shannon Shaker, conductor) – 8 December 2019
- Cockrill Middle School (McKinney, Texas) Honors Band (Gary Williams, conductor) - 14 December 2016 (2016 Midwest Clinic)
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Holiday Treat (arr. Lopez) (1857/2002)
- Jingle Bells (arr. Dawson) (1857/1992)
- Jingle Bells (arr. Morton Gould) (1857/1952)
- Jingle Bells Fantasy (arr. Szépläki) (1857/2013)
- Jingle Bells Fantasy (arr. Wasson) (1857/1999)
- Jingle Bells Fantasy, A (arr. Swearingen) (1857/2010)
- Jingle Bells in Dixie (arr. Ployhar) (1857/1989)
- Jingle Bells - Jolly Old St Nick (arr. Bocook) (1857/2002)
- Jingle Bells March
- Jingle Bells Rhapsody (arr. Walters) (1857/1957)
- Jingle Bells! Samba Bells! (arr. Owens) (2014)
- Jingle Bells Swing (arr. Lortz) (2021)
- Jingle Them Bells (arr. Giroux) (2011)
- Jungle Jive (arr. Hodges) (2014)
- Laughing All the Way (arr. MacTaggart) (1857/2009)
- A New "Twist" to Jingle Bells (arr. Adams) (1857/1978)
- Swingin' Jungle
Resources
None discovered thus far.
- Dawson, J. (1992). Jingle Bells [score]. Arrangers' Publishing Co.: [s.l.].
- Jingle Bells, Wikipedia Accessed 24 December 2015