Arranged by Matt Riley as part of his EPIC CHRISTMAS SERIES. Beautifully orchestrated with an epic cinematic sound and featuring a stunning piano part, this arrangement will amaze audiences. The sample recording includes some added pop style elements such as loops, synths and rhythm section but this piece can easy be performed without them which will give it a more traditional orchestral style. See the preview pages for instrumentation and print/format instructions. The piano part requires an Advanced level of skill. Late Intermediate/Advanced and Early Intermediate level versions of this arrangement are also available on this site. Also check out Matt Riley's Piano and String orchestra versions. Need part substitutions or help formatting/printing correctly? Email matt@mattrileymusic.com

His Eye is on the Sparrow (Advanced Piano):
* Arrangement for advanced piano
* Includes a traditional and jazz flavor
* Employs the use of jazz chords
* Arrangement in the key of C
* www.kathrynleecarpenter.com
* Potential recital piece or worship service piece!

Contains:
"Greensleeves 2012"
- taken from the Isadar solo piano collection, "O Christmas" (also available on SMP)

Sounds like: Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas," Liz Story's "The Gift," George Winston's "December," legacy Windham Hill solo piano artists, "A Winter's Solstice" compilations.

Note: ?Greensleeves 2012? is a revisited and evolved arrangement which like my earlier version, was inspired by ? and also pays ?homage? to ? Liz Story?s brilliant take on this timeless piece.

Transcribed by: David Shenton ( https://www.shentonmusic.com/ ) verbatim to the sound recording

Album review by: Michael Diamond (http://michaeldiamondmusic.com):

Fresh on the heels of his highly acclaimed chart-topping CD, Reconstructed, Isadar gifts us with a sparkling new album of holiday-themed instrumental music for solo piano, entitled ?O Christmas.? Given the proximity to his recent release, one might assume that this one was quickly produced, but in reality O Christmas has been 7 years in the making. Various circumstances including other recording projects, a segue into the field of video production, and a cross country move from NYC to the west coast and later back again, created delays with the completion of the album. But as they say, ?good things come to those who wait.?
One of the most interesting things about this album is the fact that the selections are traditional Christmas songs, yet some were chosen because they are less well known, or ?off the beaten path? as Isadar characterizes them. This follows the pattern set by his 1999 Christmas album ?In Search For The Meaning Of Christmas,? yet this new CD mines even deeper in its quest for interesting and unusual choices.

The album begins with a track called ?Good Christian Men.? Steeped in history, the song dates back to 14th century Germany and its Latin title was originally ?In Dulci Jubilo? before it was translated into English in the 1800?s. Isadar?s interpretation creates a lively and festive air that makes a perfect portal to the recording. The high-spirited mood continues on the next song, ?Teddy Bears Picnic,? which although not technically a Christmas song, has been interwoven by Isadar with ?March Of The Toys? to tie it in with the holidays ? a clever arrangement of these intriguing melodies. One of the more well-known carols on the album is ?O Christmas Tree? and is sure to have listeners humming along with it?s familiar refrain.

A track entitled ?Still? is an innovative rendition of the classic ?Still, Still, Still? which Isadar has put his own spin on, or as he jokingly puts it ?jazzed up shamelessly.? No such liberties were taken on the classic ?O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,? however. This song provides a showcase for Isadar?s accomplished grand piano work, featuring lush left hand arpeggios creating a strong foundation for his more delicate right hand melodies to dance upon ? a powerful and moving combination. Another of the less well known, yet equally inspiring tunes is a Puerto Rican carol entitled ?Song Of The Wise Men.? It has been said that: ?Christmas is, above all, a children?s holiday, and many hymns are addressed to children, reminding them that the real reason for the sugarplums and Christmas trees is the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child.? This theme is well reflected in Isadar?s choice of ?O Come Little Children,? based on a carol from the 1800?s.

Among my favorite tracks on the album are the wistful strains of ?Greensleeves 2012,? which Isadar interprets with elegance and grandeur and also pays ?homage? to Liz Story?s brilliant take on this enduring composition. This is followed by a rendition of ?Masters In This Hall,? which can best be described as, well? ?masterful.? The song dates back to the sixteenth century, and is another of the less well-known tunes that Isadar has chosen to feature. The album draws to a close with Isadar invoking artistic license on what is perhaps one of the most unique and liberal versions of a classic carol heard here yet. Based on ?We Wish You A Merry Christmas,? Isadar characterizes it as ?an uninhibited melancholy arrangement.? While I don?t know if ?melancholy? is the word I would use to describe it, it does have a pensive quality and is presented more as a nocturne than usual lively carol it is known as. I really liked the interpretation and respect Isadar?s creativity and distinctive rendering of the song.

?O Christmas? is an exceptional holiday collection, not only for Isadar?s elegant grand piano artistry, but as well for the interesting and sometimes unexpected repertoire contained within. Like ornaments on a tree, the songs adorn the album, enhancing its beauty with their diversity, individuality, and timelessness. Given the well-deserved accolades and popularity of Isadar?s distinctive piano style, I?m sure that fans will want to include ?O Christmas? in their collection and make it a part of their holiday tradition.

Here is a description of the TRITONE Sonata for Trumpet and Piano by the composer, John Frith:

"One of my most enjoyable roles in music was conducting the Herefordshire Young People?s Orchestras (UK) in the late 1980s. Stuart Essenhigh was a very talented young trumpeter who toured Belgium with the orchestra as a soloist in 1989.

Encouraged by this experience Stuart went on to study in London graduating as a fine professional trumpeter working firstly in Hong Kong and then as a freelancer with major U.K. orchestras.

My TRITONE Sonata for Trumpet and Piano of 2016 was written specifically for Stuart. Each of its three movements uses the interval of a tritone in different ways. We hear it initially as a ?benign? element of the first movement; ?ironic? in the second and even ?playful? in the last.

I - Moderato

The use of a ?straight? mute to open and close this movement greatly enlarged my palate of sound colours and, together with some unconventional ?flutter- tonguing? techniques, it allowed me to emphasize the declamatory and strident possibilities of this powerful instrument?... I call for ?ffff? (fortissississimo) at one point! The muted coda creates an otherworldly? atmosphere - distant and questioning at the close.

II ? Andante espressivo ? piu mosso ? Tempo primo

The opening austere and angular melody (which demands great lip flexibility and control) leads to a relaxed and flowing ?piu mosso? with quasi baroque idioms. This builds towards florid, technical passages for the soloist which are matched by more assertive piano lines heralding the return of the opening material and a soulful resolution.

III ? Maestoso ? rondo

A traditional martial ?fanfare? opens the final movement by answering phrases from both instruments. There is something of a power struggle in progress here which is momentarily resolved at the ?rondo? where the piano accepts a supportive ?um-pa-pa? accompanimental role. The trumpet melody is dominant and confident but the piano gradually asserts itself propelling the music with a powerful ?boogie-woogie? style bass line. This encourages both instruments to climb ever higher in, what I trust will be, a thrilling race for the final bar." John Frith 2020

This work is about 12 minutes in length and is appropriate for advanced to virtuoso performers.

Fugue on a Theme of Greensleeves

This is an original fugal composition which uses the iconic English melody Greensleeves as its subject.

The fugue passes through all of the traditional processes associated with the structure including an exposition, inversions, augmentations, modulations, stretto and diminutions. A link to an analytical video showing a performance and annotated score is given below.

The work makes an excellent concert item as the theme is well-known to audiences of all ages and cultures.

www.danjonesguitarist.com