Composition - - American Recorder Society
Three German Carols
By Anthony St. Pierre June 2019
 
S, A
 
 
These three easy fantasy duet settings based on well known German carols for the Christmas season are suitable for holiday music making. They may also serve as etudes for advanced novices and those at the early intermediate stage.

Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen (Lo How a Rose E're Blooming) features syncopation. O Jesulein sü߸ (O Little One Sweet) is canonic; the alto follows the soprano at the interval of a perfect fourth. In Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her (From Heaven on High I come) the accompanimental descending scale represents descent from Heaven to Earth. Half way through, the parts exchange melodic and accompanimental roles. It is a particularly good study for scales in F major. Duration: 3:30

St. Pierre has composed a set of variations on 'In Dulci Jubilo' (Good Christian Men Rejoice), also for SA and also available on this webpage.
-- Anthony St. Pierre
 
 
These three intermediate carol arrangements for Soprano and Alto recorders have the very thoughtful benefit of play-along recordings. Fun syncopations put the two parts against one another in “Es ist ein Ros’”; “O Jesulein süß” is a very clever quasi-canon while “Vom Himmel hoch” is a bit faster with lots of scale runs (but it’s in an easy key!).
-- Glen Shannon
 
 
No. of Recorder Parts:
2
Difficulty:
Easy
Occasion:
Christmas/Advent
Libraries:
New Music for Recorder, Play-alongs
Date Added:
07/23/2019
Style:
Social/Casual, Concert, Fast/Up-tempo, Laid-back/Slow, Tonal/Melodic, Variations/Fantasies/Adaptations, Recorded Accompaniment