Review

Anonymous
Noels Volume I:

Arranged by Georges Delrue and Jean-Claude Petit

2 B-flat trumpets, horn in F, tenor trombone, bass trombone, tuba

Paris, , France
Publisher: Gérard Billaudot Éditeur
Date of Publication: 1994

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 6+ brass (choir)

These are delightful traditional arrangements of ten short melodies associated with Christmas from various parts of Europe. Most familiar to American audiences are Cantique de Noel (No. 2), Silent Night (No.9) and Angels We Have Heard On High (No. 5). Scoring calls for standard brass quintet, bass trombone on the bottom, with the addition of tuba. With a few minor alterations to the bass trombone part, the added tuba part could be left out; it is tacit for much of the arrangement. The bass trombone part is also perfectly playable on tuba.  

Five of the pieces were arranged by Jean-Claude Petit, the other five by Georges Delrue, both French composers of wide accomplishment. Delrue won a Prix de Rome, an Emmy and an Oscar. He also contributed to the trombone repertoire with his Dialogue Concertant for trumpet, trombone, and orchestra, Madrigal for trombone solo and five trombones and the Concerto for solo trombone and string orchestra. If your quintet is looking for additional material for Christmas, music that is professionally arranged, playable by an advanced high school group, look no further. One sticking point might be the price of $42.50, but it is ten separate carols with a total of nearly 19 minutes of music.

-Karl Hinterbichler
University of New Mexico