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.

This pack contains over 900 pages of music for mixed ability ensembles. There are 4 original pieces and 5 Christmas pieces, as follows:


The Mixed Abilities School Ensemble Series

Children (and adults) who learn a musical instrument will always progress at different rates.Students also develop some of the many skills involved in instrumental playing faster than other skills.

The Mixed Abilities School Ensemble Series has the flexibility to allow pupils of different standards to play together in one ensemble (up to five parts). It also encourages students to develop improvisation skills by providing soloing opportunities within all parts, with suggested pitches for improvising.

Each piece has five different parts which are split into four ability levels as follows:

A ? Range of about 5 notes, easy rhythms. B ? Range of about 1 octave, basic rhythms. C ? Range of about a 12th, some more difficult rhythms. D ? Range of about 2 octaves, some rhythmic complexity.

This enables the teacher to select parts which are suitable for the standard of individual players in the group. As a general rule, the pieces have been composed as follows:

Part 1 ? melody / countermelody (alternates with Part 2)

Part 2 ? melody / countermelody (alternates with Part 1)

Part 3 ? accompaniment (synchronises with Part 4)

Part 4 ?accompaniment (synchronises with Part 3)

Part 5 ? bass line (independent)

Each part also comes in a wide array of transpositions, clefs and pitches. Hence, almost any combination of instruments can play together in an ensemble of mixed abilities,including:

Flutes, clarinets, saxophones, mixed woodwind, trumpets, mixed brass (including brass band), violins, strings, keyboards/pianos, tuned percussion.

An ensemble using any combination of instruments (as is often found within schools) will work effectively as well.

Example: A quintet might be selected as follows:

1A (violin), 2C(trumpet), 3B (clarinet), 4B (tenor sax), 5D (trombone)

The melody in 1A would be very simple but would contrast nicely when passed to the more difficult 2C. Parts 3B and 4B will have quite a simple accompaniment between them, whilst the bass line on 5D will be more complex and rhythmically interesting. Parts can obviously be doubled up as well beyond five players.

Please note that the teacher of the ensemble should be careful to pick parts which are well-suited to the players? abilities.

This pack includes all four pieces in the series (volumes 1 and 2) as follows:

BANANA BLUES is a 12-bar Blues piece

CRAZY LATIN! has additional parts for Latin percussion commonly found in the classroom

IT'S TIME FOR REGGAE! is a reggae piece

FEEL THE FUNK brings funky, James Brown-esque rhythms into the classroom.

Please listen to the mp3 file, which is an electronic example of a typical classroom setup.

Score and all parts are included here in a variety of pitches, clefs and transpositions. It is the complete package with over 680 pages of music, representing a massive saving on individual purchase prices.



5 Christmas pieces:

Each piece is arranged into 13 different parts which cater for the large majority of musicians within school. These include:

* a variety of difficulties in C, B flat, E flat, higher octave for flutes and alto clef for violas

* easy and standard bass parts in treble and bass clefs, and also in B flat and E flat for saxophones or brass band players

* very easy violin and viola parts on open strings only

* easy and standard piano parts

* ukulele part in tab, chord patterns and chord letters

* guitar part in tab, chord patterns and chord letters

* general chord plan in chord letters

Teachers / band leaders can select the parts which are most appropriate for their students. The music is intended to be repeated a number of times, with different parts coming in and out for each repeat to create variety.

Printing and Copying

The purchaser may print or copy all pages of this resource as required in order to facilitate a performance, but must not distribute to others.

** Also check out my Scales and Arpeggios Pack - excellent methods for learning scales and arpeggios at all levels (copy and paste into new tab) https://tinyurl.com/y8wl3qnq **