A Festival of Carols (A Medley): SATB Choral Octavo
Featuring: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / While by My Sheep / God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen / Still, Still, Still / Angels We Have Heard on High
Traditional Carols / arr. Douglas E. Wagner
Level: Moderate
Item: 00-PO-0002799
$2.95
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This incredibly versatile medley is a true tour de force, combining voices and instruments in a remarkable blending of carols to the newborn King. Incorporating "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," "While by My Sheep I Watched at Night," "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," "Pat-a-Pan," "Still, Still, Still," and "Angels We Have Heard on High," "A Festival of Carols" can be performed with piano or organ, or - for extra sparkle - add the optional brass and percussion. And for those churches with full orchestra, an orchestral accompaniment is also available. What a glorious culmination for your Christmas services!
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Studio PR Catalog
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
16
SKU:
00-PO-0002799
Instrumentation:
Opt. Brass Ensemble and Percussion or Full Orchestra
More about this title
About the Arranger: Douglas E. Wagner
Douglas E. Wagner studied music at Butler University, earning both undergraduate and graduate degrees before launching a thirty-year career as a high school music educator and administrator in the Midwest. Since 1973, he has become one of the most prolific composers and arrangers in American music education, with over 3,500 published works spanning choral, band, orchestral, handbell, organ, piano, and vocal literature.
Wagner's music has reached millions of performers worldwide, with more than seventeen million copies in circulation across concert halls, broadcasts, and educational settings globally. He now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, and continues composing and arranging full time.
Why we love this
This medley assembles six beloved carols into a single cohesive arc without sacrificing the character of any tune. The orchestration layers beautifully, allowing you to start with piano or organ and add brass and percussion as your rehearsal time and resources permit, making it genuinely practical for churches with varying instrumental capabilities.
What to expect
A gentle yet radiant procession through carol repertoire, where familiar melodies emerge in fresh harmonic contexts and blend into one another with warmth. The layering of textures from simple to fully orchestrated creates a sense of expanding celebration, building naturally toward the jubilant finale.
Who it's for
Church choirs preparing Christmas services who need a substantial yet accessible choral moment that showcases multiple carol traditions. Directors seeking a single piece that scales from small ensembles to full orchestral forces will find this arrangement particularly flexible.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the three soprano lines in the opening of "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" so the melody reads clearly; this sets the foundation for the entire medley.
- Use the recorded accompaniment to lock ensemble entrances and tempo during transitions between carols, especially when moving from one key or meter to another.
- If adding optional brass, have the section mark their entrances clearly in the score during rehearsal so the choir can anticipate instrumental support.
- Shape the final statement of "Angels We Have Heard on High" with gradual dynamic buildup across all voices; this moment rewards careful attention to phrase pacing.
How to use it
Program this as the centerpiece of your Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service, placing it where you want maximum choral-instrumental impact. It also works beautifully as a closing benediction for holiday concerts, allowing you to send the audience out with six carols they know and love.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and singing through multiple carol melodies in quick succession
- Balancing soprano divisi while maintaining phrase clarity
- Coordinating SATB blend in sustained passages and cadential moments
- Responding to tempo and dynamic changes across a medley structure
- Adjusting blend and tone when doubling with optional brass instrumentation