Sheet music: Christmas Collection

Christmas Collection
Christmas Carols from The Salvation Army
Published by SP&S

It has been 24 years since The Salvation Army released Christmas Praise - a highly popular resource with almost every brass bander in the UK. Now, the organisation has published a new book entitled Christmas Collection featuring 143 well-known traditional and contemporary carols, including new arrangements alongside a number of Christmas songs originating in popular music.

In essence, the books remain in largely the same format as the previous editions. The music is in four-part harmony, and every arrangement is playable with just four instrumentalists, clearly explained in the book - one possible combination could be two cornets, horn, and tuba, for example. When more players are available, however, there is much scope for adding the non-essential parts, such as euphonium, soprano cornet, flugel, trombone, and percussion, which provide a wonderful level of depth and colour to the skilful arrangements.

The carol books themselves are available both in the traditional march card size and the larger A4 size - a simple solution to any concerns about the text being too small.

Compared with the 115 carols of the 1994 edition Christmas Praise books, collectively, the 143 pieces presented in this new Christmas Collection edition offers considerably more variety. Many people will be glad to see a number of popular songs among these new additions, such as I wish it could be Christmas every day, Walking in the Air, White Christmas, It’s the most wonderful time of the year and many other firm favourites.

After the last of the numbered carols, the book features ten additional items from the Sounds of Christmas publication, which work in five-part format (the euphonium part becomes essential here). These include the popular marches Christmas Joy and Christmas Praise, as well as extended versions of carols such as Coventry Carol and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, to name but a few.

In summary, Christmas Collection is the natural evolution of the winning formula of the previous editions, adding a variety of new carols and songs whilst remaining faithful to the simple, yet highly effective style of the arrangements, presented in an easily accessible, very smart book.

THOMAS DUNNE

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This review appeared in the September 2018 edition of BBW. For more reviews, articles and news subscribe to BBW Digital, available to read online (annual subscription: £30), or subscribe to BBW's printed magazine delivered by post: £40 (UK); £68 (Europe); £81 (Rest of the World). Alternatively, receive both the Digital and printed editions combined: £55 (UK); £83 (Europe); £96 (rest of the world) - saving 50% on the Digital edition! Click here to subscribe!