The Coventry Carol: Flute 1: Choral Octavo Digital SoundPax
Traditional English Melody, words by Robert Croo / arr. Mark Hayes
Item: 00-PC-0016657_F1
$5.00
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Description
A stunning treatment of the cherished English carol, incorporating familiar strains from Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." This adept, expansive arrangement is rewarding to sing and fully realizes the drama of the text. As expected from arranger Mark Hayes, the piano part is sumptuous, as is the colorful chamber orchestration.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Coventry Carol: Flute 1: Choral Octavo Digital SoundPax 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:
Alfred Choral Designs
SKU:
00-PC-0016657_F1
Instrumentation:
SoundPax
More about this title
About the Arranger: Mark Hayes
Mark Hayes has established himself as a prolific composer and arranger whose output exceeds 1,750 published works spanning sacred and secular genres. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree summa cum laude in Piano Performance from Baylor University in 1975 and has since conducted major ensembles at Lincoln Center, the National Cathedral, and Carnegie Hall, premiering significant works including his Requiem at Lincoln Center in 2013 and again at St. Ignatius Basilica in Rome as part of the Vatican-sponsored Festival Pro Musica E Arte Sacra.
Hayes's compositional voice draws strength from his deep expertise at the keyboard; over 100 piano books bear his name, ranging across gospel, classical, jazz, and Broadway idioms. In 2010, Baylor University recognized his contributions to Christian music with its Award for Exemplary Leadership. Beyond concert and choral work, he has orchestrated musicals and collaborated on theatrical productions, combining his gifts as a composer, arranger, orchestrator, and conductor to create music for diverse performance contexts.
Why we love this
Hayes has woven the luminous melody from Bach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' into this beloved English carol with compositional intelligence and restraint, allowing both musical lines to breathe while deepening the emotional weight of the text. The arrangement rewards singers with rich harmonic writing and dramatic arc, while the chamber orchestration and sumptuous piano part give accompanists something genuinely compelling to execute.
What to expect
The music unfolds with contemplative beauty, anchored by the gentle sorrow embedded in the Coventry Carol's text, then deepened and enriched by the interweaving of Bach's joyful melodic gift. The result feels both timeless and tenderly intimate, as if two beloved musical traditions are conversing across centuries.
Who it's for
This arrangement suits choirs with intermediate to advanced musicianship who want to program a Christmas piece with real substance and musical sophistication. Directors seeking a carol that combines familiarity with genuine artistry will find a rewarding choice here.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the integration of Bach's familiar melody with the Coventry Carol's original line; rehearse the two strands separately before combining them so singers understand where each phrase lives.
- Shape the dynamic arc across the entire piece rather than treating stanzas in isolation; Hayes's expansion of the music unfolds best when you build toward climactic moments with intention.
- Coordinate carefully with your accompanist on the orchestration colors available through the SoundPax; let the recorded instrumentation inform your phrasing and help singers hear their parts within the fuller texture.
- Use the recorded accompaniment in rehearsals to lock ensemble entries and balance, especially where the vocal and instrumental lines intersect.
How to use it
Program this as a centerpiece within a Christmas concert that balances varied choral styles and textures; its dramatic arc and harmonic sophistication make it an ideal companion to more austere seasonal works or lighter carol arrangements. The piece also works beautifully in a sacred concert setting where the text's poignancy can land fully.
Skills your students will build
- Layering independent melodic lines while maintaining ensemble cohesion
- Reading and executing dynamic contrast across extended formal structures
- Responding to chamber orchestration cues for precision and blend
- Interpreting text with nuance across a musically complex arrangement