Adventum: B-flat Tenor Saxophone
O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Ukrainian Bell Carol
Arr. Jared Barnes
Grade: 3 (Medium)
Item: 00-PC-0015915_TX1
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Description
This arrangement captures the anticipation, arrival, and celebration of the holidays through the use of sacred and secular carols alike. The piece opens with a quiet setting of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," then continues with a colorful and energetic rendition of the "Ukrainian Bell Carol" before drawing the piece to an exciting conclusion against a cacophony of ringing bells. (4:05)
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
206
SKU:
00-PC-0015915_TX1
More about this title
About the Arranger: Jared Barnes
Jared Barnes brings a decade-plus of classroom experience to his work as a composer and arranger. His instrumental compositions have earned recognition at festivals and honor bands across the country, and his arrangements appear regularly on curated lists including Stanton's Five Star Feature and the Bandworld Top 100. His own high school bands consistently earned Division I ratings at the IHSMA Large Group Festival and were twice selected as the Class 1A Honor Band at the Iowa Bandmasters Convention.
Barnes holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Wartburg College and continues to teach instrumental music to students in grades 5-12. His dual work as both educator and composer means his arrangements address the real needs of student musicians without sacrificing musical depth or interest.
Why we love this
This arrangement solves a programming challenge many directors face: finding a single piece that carries enough musical substance to engage an intermediate band while remaining genuinely festive without feeling trite. Barnes layers "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and the "Ukrainian Bell Carol" with orchestration that reveals new textures at each encounter, and the bell imagery provides a unified musical concept that feels earned rather than imposed.
What to expect
The piece unfolds like watching a scene gradually illuminate. It begins in hushed reverence with "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" floating above sustained harmonies, then springs to life with the driving energy of the "Ukrainian Bell Carol," before building toward celebration anchored by ringing bells. The emotional arc feels complete without ever losing sight of seasonal warmth.
Who it's for
Grade 3 concert bands with solid fundamentals in major keys and straightforward meters. The piece works well for musicians who have played through-composed music before and can track thematic development across multiple sections.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening chorale dynamically even though it sits quietly. The sustained lines in the woodwinds and low brass need air beneath them so the texture feels like anticipation rather than stasis.
- The "Ukrainian Bell Carol" section thrives on rhythmic clarity in the middle voices. Lock the articulation of the countermelodies so the energy doesn't dissipate in the texture.
- Balance the bell sounds carefully as they accumulate toward the ending. Let them ring as an effect rather than washing over the harmonic progression underneath.
How to use it
Place this as the opening piece on a holiday concert to set the tone and establish a sacred-to-secular journey through winter traditions. It also pairs well as a bridge between a classical first half and a lighter second half, since it honors both musical traditions and appeals across age groups in the audience.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining full ensemble balance across four-measure phrase arcs
- Differentiating articulation and tone between cantabile and energetic sections
- Reading multiple key signatures as the piece moves between sections
- Blending rhythmic figures in polyphonic passages without obscuring individual lines