A Christmas Fantasy: (wp) 2nd Horn in E-flat
Featuring: Joy to the World / What Child Is This? / The Twelve Days of Christmas / Angels We Have Heard on High
Arr. Roland Barrett
Grade: 3 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0014387_wpEH2
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Description
This holiday concert selection is a montage of "Joy to the World," "What Child Is This?," "The Twelve Days of Christmas," and "Angels We Have Heard on High" . . . and a couple of others! A glorious addition to any holiday program. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, A Christmas Fantasy: (wp) 2nd Horn in E-flat comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
260
SKU:
00-PC-0014387_wpEH2
More about this title
About the Arranger: Roland Barrett
Roland Barrett has shaped multiple generations of musicians through his dual career as composer, arranger, and educator. Since joining the University of Oklahoma's music theory and composition faculty in 2001, he has taught 20th century topics at both undergraduate and graduate levels while maintaining active work as the musical arranger for the Pride of Oklahoma marching band.
With over two hundred published compositions and arrangements across symphonic band, chamber ensembles, and marching band, Barrett's music reaches far beyond the university classroom. His work has been performed by the Dallas Wind Symphony, countless All-State and All-Region honor bands, and broadcast on NPR and USA cable television. He is a multiple recipient of the ASCAPlus award and has been recognized at major conventions including the Midwest Band & Orchestra Convention and the International Trumpet Guild.
Why we love this
Barrett's arrangement transforms five beloved carols into a cohesive concert work that builds energy and variety without overwhelming a Grade 3 ensemble. The scoring respects student ranges while maintaining the melodic strength these familiar hymns deserve, making this both accessible and genuinely satisfying to conduct and perform.
What to expect
The familiar warmth of these carols anchors the arrangement, yet Barrett's treatment adds harmonic depth and structural ambition that elevates what might otherwise feel routine. Moving from carol to carol feels like a celebration that gathers momentum, creating genuine festive energy without sacrificing musical integrity.
Who it's for
Holiday concert programs need substantive arrangements that don't demand virtuosic technique, and this suite serves that need perfectly for Grade 3 concert bands. Directors programming winter concerts will find this flexible enough to feature different sections while remaining unified as a whole work.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the transitions between carol selections by rehearsing the connective passages separately so the ensemble understands how momentum carries from one tune to the next.
- Emphasize the harmonic richness in the supporting voices—this is where the Grade 3 band can sound surprisingly sophisticated if those players commit to their countermelodies.
- Shape dynamics across the entire montage as if building toward a climax rather than treating each carol as an isolated moment; this approach gives the fantasy architectural purpose.
How to use it
This works beautifully as the centerpiece of a winter concert, offering substantial runtime and emotional weight without requiring the ensemble to master difficult technical passages. Consider programming it alongside one shorter contemporary piece and a march to create programming variety while letting the arrangement showcase your band's musicality and ensemble blend.
Skills your students will build
- Executing smooth key modulations and harmonic transitions between contrasting hymn tunes
- Balancing melodic and harmonic responsibilities within a larger ensemble framework
- Controlling dynamic shaping across an extended multi-section work
- Reading and performing secondary melodies that support rather than duplicate the main tune