Cat No. JM40456
Price £35.00
Composer / arranger: James Curnow
Category: Christmas Music

A majestic arrangement of O Little Town of Bethlehem in a four verse setting - ideal for use with a congregation.

Phillips Brooks, rector of Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia, wrote the carol text "0 Little Town of Bethlehem" after a visit to the Holy Land in 1865. On Christmas Eve, having ridden on horseback from Jerusalem, he stood in the field outside Bethlehem in which the annunciation to the shepherds is said to have occurred, and was later moved by the singing at the service in the Church of the Nativity. In 1868, he finally wrote down the hymn, which had been slowly gestating, and which seems to have been intended for the children of his Sunday school.

There are three tunes associated with this carol: Redner (traditional American tune), written by Lewis H. Redner (1831-1908), the organist at Phillips Brooks church, Davies (a secondary traditional English tune), composed by Henry Walford Davies (1869-1941), and Forest Green (English folk song), the tune used for this arrangement, which is presently the best-known tune for this carol in England.

The setting of this majestic melody is in keeping with the traditional text and features many contrasting colors and varied orchestration techniques.

Please click on MORE DETAILS to view the solo cornet part.