Double Bass Quartet -
Grade 8
SKU:
BT.YE0075
Arranged by
Robert Rohe. Classical.
Set (Score and Parts).
Yorke Edition #YE0075.
Published by Yorke
Edition (BT.YE0075).
Four Double
Basses. Eight well-known
Christmas carols in a new
guise. Score and
parts.
The
Programme of Christmas
Carols was first
performed in New Orleans
in 1976. In its original
version, the players were
required to wear
Dickensian costume and a
seasonal narrative
preceded each of the
carol arrangements. The
texts appear
below.
Duration
without text: c.20
minutes
Duration with
text: c.45
minutes
Introduc
tion by Robert
Rohe
The
introductory text,
assembled with the kind
assistance of Father
Peacock of Loyola
University of New
Orleans, was designed for
use where the receptivity
of the audience warrants.
So little is known about
thebeloved Christmas
carols, it is fitting
that a brief sketch of
the carols' past be used
to enhance the familiar
music.
If
desired, the introductory
text may be omitted at
the discretion of the
performers.
The
brief text preceding each
carol should be used to
acquaint the audience
with what to expect, from
a quartet that will be
playing the unexpected.
The text also will pace
the program and will
extend performance time
to around 45
minutes.
In
performance, the bass
viol quartet of New
Orleans wore peaked caps,
and turtle necked
sweaters to simulate the
street performers of
Dickens' time. The choice
of four string basses for
this program was to bring
the closest relatives of
the true viol into
play.
History
and development of the
Christmas
Carol
The
celebration of the birth
of Jesus Christ has been
observed for nearly 2,000
years, through the ritual
of the Christian Church,
with part of that ritual
being devoted to
celebration in song. In
those early days, church
music was sung only, no
musical instruments
taking part in the
service.
The
type of song used by the
church had the name
'plain-song'. It was a
single line of melody,
plain and unadorned, sung
by one or more voices. By
the year 1660 A.D., it
had developed a second
name, 'The Gregorian
Chant', after Pope
Gregory, who encouraged
the use.
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