?The Holly and the Ivy? is an English traditional Christmas carol whose text features imagery from both pagan and Christian beliefs. By ancient tradition, holly was considered a masculine symbol while ivy was feminine; and in the lyrics of the carol each characteristic of the holly is symbolic of Jesus. The holly?s lily-white flower = Jesus? purity; its red berry = Jesus? blood or humanity; its prickle = Jesus? crown of thorns or suffering; its bitter bark = the bitter drink Jesus was offered on the cross, or the bitter cup he drank in taking upon himself the sins of the world. The tune on which this arrangement is based was collected and published by the English musicologist Cecil J. Sharp in English Folk-Carols (1911). ©Copyright2013 Todd Marchand / ConSpiritoMusic.com

This medley brings together four familiar English carols in a cheerful, attractive arrangement: ?Ding, Dong! Merrily on High,? ?God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,? ?Here We Come A-Wassailing,? and ?Good King Wenceslas.? ©Copyright2012 Todd Marchand / ConSpiritoMusic.com

?The holly and the ivy/When they are both full grown/Of all the trees that are in the wood/The holly bears the crown.? So go the opening words to this cheerful, upbeat Christmas song. The lyrics appeared as broadsides in early nineteenth century Birmingham, England. The melody was first published in Cecil J. Sharp?s 1911 English Folk-Carols; on page 63 of the collection?s ?Notes on the Carols? section, Sharp wrote that he heard the tune sung by "Mrs. Mary Clayton, at Chipping Camden." (An alternative version linked the words to a melody identified as "old French carol.") This version is a fast-moving and fun treatment of the Sharp/Clayton melody. It includes, among other things, a call-and-response variation, a running tuba solo, an alternative ?verse? tune and a countermelody section featuring ?Deck the Halls.? There are two key changes, trumpets play a couple of B-above-the-staff notes, and the time signature changes from ¾ to 4/4 near the end. Completed in 2016, this arrangement runs about 3 minutes, 20 seconds. Contact the arranger, Les Smith, at lessmith@ufl.edu. If you like this one, don?t miss Les? arrangements of ?Silver Bells,? ?Jingle Bells,? ?Jolly Old St. Nicholas,? ?Up On The Housetop,? ?Deck the Halls? and many other Christmas songs and carols. Enter "Sweetwater Brass Press" (without the quotation marks) in the SheetMusicPlus search box.

?On Christmas Night, On Christmas Day, Rejoice!? takes its name from lyrics of the three tunes that comprise this medley. ?On Christmas night all Christians sing? are the opening words of the Sussex Carol, a traditional English tune with words first published in 1684. English folk-song collectors Cecil Sharp and Ralph Vaughan Williams both collected versions of the song, and Vaughan Williams published his arrangement of the tune in 1919. ?On Christmas day in the morning? are the concluding words of the refrain of the carol also known as ?I Saw Three Ships.? Like the Sussex Carol, it is a traditional English carol, and it was published by William Sandys in his 1833 work, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern. ?Rejoice? is the imperative verb in the invitation, ?Good Christian men, rejoice,? which are the opening words to the medieval carol, ?In dulci jubilo? (?In sweet rejoicing?). John Mason Neale, an Anglican priest, scholar, and hymn-writer, wrote the familiar English translation in 1853. Quick to rehearse and fun to play, this cheerful medley evokes the joy of Christmas. Intrmediate level, suitablefor high school to professional ensembles for use in concert,recital, and worship. Full score and parts, 8.5x11-inch format. ©Copyright2015 Todd Marchand / ConSpiritoMusic.com

"The Truth From Above," aka "[This Is] the Truth Sent From Above," and sometimes known as "The Herefordshire Carol," is an English folk melody that was collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1909, used in his Fantasia on Christmas Carols (1912) and and published in Eight Traditional English Carols (1919).

Its text tells of God's creation of man and woman, their placement in Paradise, their sin and its subsequent consequences for all humanity, the nativity of Christ, His example and teaching, and His promise of salvation for all who believe in Him. Another text, "The Great Forerunner of the Morn," which tells of John the Baptist's preparation for the Christ, is also sung to the tune.

The Dorian-mode melody uses the first through fifth tones, and the seventh tone, of that mode. Although collected by Vaughan Williams just after the turn of the 20th century, its chant-like quality, both melodically and rhythmically, is reminiscent of centuries-old music.

This arrangement features solo tuba on the first presentation of the tune followed by the full ensemble in full harmony, a key change and canonic presentation by horn and trombone, and a return to the original key and concluding statement by full ensemble with harmonic variation.

Scored fortwo Trumpets in Bb, Horn in F, Trombone, Tuba, and Optional Organ. Christmas, Performance 2 minutes.

Christmas Song. Very easy arrangement for pupil and beginners.