Stimmensatz ( keine Partitur)
25 Hornquartette / 2 Trios
Arrangements u.a. von Holst, Glazunov, Humperdinck, Liszt ...

Far beyond the usual Christmas carols, composers over the centuries have created original music that evokes the Yule season. These 25 horn quartet (and 2 trio) arrangements of works by Glazunov, Holst, Humperdinck, Liszt, Purcell, et al., will make programming a substantial and varied Christmas concert an easy task.

Whether meant originally for performa/nce in church, in the home, or in concert halls, this collection houses music by composers who often had a personal connection to the holiday. They sometimes portray specifics of the Christmas story, from lullabies in the manger, to portraits of angels, shepherds, or the three kings. Other pieces create a more secular Christmas mood, evoking a snowy forest or a sleigh ride (though on occasion they craftily weave portions of Christmas carols into the musical fabric). Each draws from different European Yule traditions, from the folk-tinged directness of Scandinavian composers to the insightful humanity of the French, and from the orthodox solidity of the Russians to the mellow contenance angloise of English composers.

The quartet arrangements here eliminate aggravations like old bass clef and over-complicated key signatures. However, ample courtesy accidentals and recovery breaks from upper register play (especially in the first horn parts) have been added.
A healthy mix of musical styles is a plus for both performers and audience, so choices range from John Taverner (born c. 1490) to Alban Berg (born 1885).

> 01. Audivi vocem
John Taverner (c. 1490-1545)

> 02. Lullaby / Upon my lap my Soveraigne sits
Martin Peerson (c. 1572-1650)

> 03. From Virgins Womb, Rejoice
William Byrd (1538-1623)

> 04. Hodie Christus natus est
Luca Marenzio (1553 or 1554-1599)

> 05. Heiligste Nacht
Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806)

> 06. O magnum mysterium
Cristóbal de Morales (c. 1500-1553)

> 07. Salve puerule
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704)

> 08. Rejoice in the Lord Alway
Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

> 09. Shiloh
William Billings (1746-1800)

> 10. When Christ was born of Mary free
Sir Hubert Parry (1848-1918)

> 11. Caput apri defero
Robert Lucas de Pearsall (1795-1856)

> 12. Marsch der heiligen drei Könige
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

> 13. Weihnachten
Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921)

> 14. Julstämning
Elfrida Andrèe (1841-1929)

> 15. Noël
Jules Massenet (1842-1912)

> 16. Prope est Dominus
Caspar Ett (1788-1847)

> 17. Weihnachtslied
Heinrich von Herzogenberg (1843-1900)

> 18. Le Noël des oiseaux
Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)

> 19. Les Chanteurs de Noël
Sergei Liapunov (1859-1924)

> 20. Les Chanteurs de Noël
Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936)

> 21. Weihnacht im Walde
Ludwig Thuille (1861-1907)

> 22. Am heiligen Abend
Clara Faisst (1872-1948)

> 23. Der König aus dem Morgenland
Max Reger (1873-1916)

> 24. A Dream of Christmas
Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

> 25. Es ist ein Reis entsprungen
Alban Berg (1885-1935)

> 26. Sang til juletræet [Trio]
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

> 27. Angelus ad pastores ait [Trio]
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)