Product Description
This score is for two Readers, handbells (3 octaves) and organ.
A medieval folk
belief of old Europe was that of all the animals miraculously starting to speak
at the birth of the Christ Child. In about 1630, William Austin, a poet and
lawyer in London, drew on this traditional belief to write one of his Carrols,
for Christmas-day, in which he imagined what the most Stentorian animal of
all, the rooster, might say about the new-born Holy Infant in Bethlehem.
In setting William
Austins "carrol" to music, James Siddons has given the organ the role of
creating a soundscape to underpin the drama of Chanticleers proclamation.
Following each of Austins three stanzas (in dramatic recitation by the Readers), an adaptation of the old French tune
"O Come, Emmanuel" is played by handbells in a harmonic style that recalls the
pealing of church bells on Christmas morning.
This
work is appropriate for the beginning of Advent and Christmas day worship, and
in a service or program of Christmas music; for example, a service of lessons
and carols.
The purchase price includes permission to make 14 copies of the score (2 Readers, 8-10 handbell players, organist, and conductor) and permission to video-record a performance for posting on school or church websites and in streaming broadcast.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.