Twas in the Moon of Wintertime
Traditional, arranged by Anne McGinty
General Info
Year: 1987
Duration: c. 4:55
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Neil A. Kjos Music Company
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $35.00 | Score Only (print) - $5.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
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 I-II-III, including:
- Bass Drum
- Chimes
- Crash Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal
- Timbales
- Tom-Toms (2)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
The Huron Carol (or Twas in the Moon of Wintertime) is a Canadian Christmas hymn (Canada's oldest Christmas song), written probably in 1642 by Jean de Brébeuf, a Jesuit missionary at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Canada. Brébeuf wrote the lyrics in the native language of the Huron/Wendat people; the song's original Huron title is "Jesous Ahatonhia" ("Jesus, he is born"). The song's melody is based on a traditional French folk song, "Une Jeune Pucelle" ("A Young Maid"). The well-known English lyrics were written in 1926 by Jesse Edgar Middleton, and the copyright to these lyrics was held by The Frederick Harris Music Co., Limited, but entered the public domain in 2011.
The English version of the hymn uses imagery familiar in the early 20th century, in place of the traditional Nativity story. This version is derived from Brébeuf's original song and Huron religious concepts. In the English version, Jesus is born in a "lodge of broken bark" and wrapped in a "robe of rabbit skin". He is surrounded by hunters instead of shepherds, and the Magi are portrayed as "chiefs from afar" who bring him "fox and beaver pelts" instead of the more familiar gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The English translation uses a traditional Algonquian name, Gitchi Manitou, for God, which is not in the original Wyandot version. The original lyrics are now sometimes modified to use imagery accessible to Christians who are not familiar with Native Canadian cultures.
The song remains a common Christmas hymn in Canadian churches of many Christian denominations. Because the melody spans a modest range, it is ideally suited to instruments that have a limited pitch range, such as the Native American flute.
- Program Note from Wikipedia
Media
State Ratings
- Arkansas: II
- Kansas: III
- New York: Concert Band III
- Virginia: III
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Mid America Freedom Band (Kansas City, Mo.) (Lee Hartman, conductor) – 12 December 2021
- University of South Alabama (Mobile) Symphony Band (Jason Rinehart, conductor) – 7 November 2016
- Mid America Freedom Band (Kansas City, Mo.) (Ian Bradt, conductor) – 13 December 2015
- Heart of Texas Concert Band (San Antonio) (Mark Rogers, conductor) – December 2015
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Alabama Folksong Fantasy (2007)
- All the Pretty Little Horses (as arranger) (1998)
- American Folk Trilogy (as arranger) (1992)
- American Rhapsody
- Amphion
- And the Heart Replies (1992)
- Athenian Festival (1990)
- Atlantis (1986)
- Bach: Air (as arranger) (c. 1730/)
- Bach: Chorale and Variation (as arranger) (1994)
- Chant Fantastique (2004)
- Chorale Prelude (1992)
- Clouds (1994)
- Discovery Overture (1985)
- Emily (The Ghost) (2008)
- Equinox (2009)
- A European Christmas (1984)
- A European Christmas II (1985)
- Glory (2005)
- Greensleeves Fantasie (as arranger) (2005)
- Hall of Heroes (2000)
- Hieroglyphs (2003)
- Holton-Arms Fanfare (2001)
- Japanese Folk Trilogy (as arranger) (1996/2002)
- Kachina: Chant and Spirit Dance (1994)
- Kingstree Overture (2003)
- Kokopelli (2007)
- Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (2008)
- Long Way from Home
- Madrigal for Band (as arranger) (1994)
- Masques (1989)
- A Medieval Quest (2008)
- Neon (2004)
- The Power of One
- Prelude to a Festival (1983)
- Prometheus Overture (1984)
- Rachmaninoff Prelude (as arranger)
- The Red Balloon (1993)
- Riversong (2005)
- Satie: Three Gymnopédies (as arranger) (1888/1993)
- Sea Song Trilogy (1986/2014)
- Spirals (1995)
- Syntonos (1986)
- Tis a Gift (1997)
- To Keep Thine Honor Bright (2001)
- Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (as arranger) (1987)
- Variations and Theme (1979)
- Victorious (2006)
- The Wexford Carol (2002)
- Windsor Overture
- Wolsey's Wilde (as arranger) (2001)
Resources
- Anne McGinty website Accessed 12 September 2021
- Huron Carol, Wikipedia Accessed 8 November 2016
- McGinty, A. (1987). Twas in the Moon of Wintertime [score]. General Words and Music Co.: San Diego, Calif.