Score: 3 pages, String parts 1 page each. The First Noel arranged for Alto Sax & Piano with new harmony for the final verse.

Origins
The First Noel is an English Christmas carol. Even more, it was probably written in the late Cornish Renaissance period. While other versions spell the title as Nowell, this is just a colloquial variation. Furthermore, Noel is an older word meaning ?Christmas.? Therefore ?the First Noel? translates as ?the First Christmas.? First of all, Gilbert and Sandy published the earliest version. As a result, this version appears in the ?Carols Ancient and Modern? songbook of 1823. William Sandy edited and arranged the book. Similarly, his partner Davies Gilbert edited and added the familiar extra verses. The First Noel: String Quartet Version comes with new harmony in final verse for more energy and drive.

Stainer
Organist and composer Sir John Stainer published the most noteworthy customary arrangement in the 1870?s. Stainer is above all famous for his songbook entitled: Christmas Carols New and Old (1871). This volume served as an important catalyst for reviving the English Christmas carol. Other famous Stainer arrangements from this book are such titles as What Child Is This, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, and I Saw Three Ships.

Diatonic Function
The melodic structure in the First Noel is uncommon among English folk tunes. It simply repeats one phrase twice then follows a variation refrain. All three phrases of the song end on the mediant scale degree. This is unusual because the diatonic function of the mediant is non-final compared to the more usual tonic or even dominant degrees. Consequently, this gives the song as kind of open-ended feeling ? like maybe it never really ends.

Political Context
The Catholic clergy sang carols outside of the church in Latin. After the Protestant Reformation, the reformers thought it would be better for everyone to sing carols. They decided to bring music back to the common folk. So, they translated the lyrics from Latin into common language. Moreover, the Protestants wanted more control over the music in church than what the Vatican allowed. Protestant composers such as William Byrd composed complex polyphonic Christmas music that they called carols. Nonetheless, some famous folk carols were composed in this era. Eminent composers in the nineteenth century began to revise and adapt them. Consequently, they revived the English carol.

These arrangements of favorite Christmas carols are sure to brighten up your next Christmas event. They include full four-part instrumental scores plus parts for 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola and cello/double bass. Most of the carols can be played in first position, but for a brighter sound, ask your more experienced violinists to play an octave higher. The double bass is optional because it uses the cello part. The arrangements can be used with string quartet, string quintet or string ensemble. There?s also an optional but useful simplified keyboard part intended for less experienced keyboard players. It could be used as the basis of an accompaniment which means that you can use the arrangements as solos, duets or trios.


Please note that because the arrangements are in string-friendly keys, they?re not compatible with the brass and wind collections of the same name. The scores and all the parts are contained in a single 79-page PDF file. This collection includes the following favorite carols: Angels We Have Heard On High (Gloria); Lo, How a Rose E?er Blooming (Es ist ein Ros entsprungen); O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel); The First Noel; Ding Dong! Merrily on High (Bransle de l?Officiel); O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis); Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn); Go Tell It on the Mountain; O Little Town of Bethlehem (St. Louis); O Holy Night (Cantique de Noël); Silent Night (Stille Nacht); Away in a Manger (Mueller); Joy to the World (Antioch); O Christmas Tree (Tannenbaum); We Three Kings (Kings of Orient); I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Waltham); What Child is This? (Greensleeves); God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen; Good King Wenceslas (Tempus Adest Floridum) and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.