Two Holiday Carols for Emerging Tenor-Bass Choirs

Description

Tenor, Tenor, Piano — We Three Kings is the first Christmas carol written in the United States to gain widespread popularity. Composed for a Christmas pageant by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. in 1857, the piece tells the Biblical story of the Three Magi who traveled a great distance with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for Jesus. The piece is great for teaching the time signature 3/4 and helping students recognize the difference between the minor verse and the major chorus.I Saw Three Ships is a combination of a traditional English folk song and words from a carol written by minstrels as they traveled the country. There are a few different interpretations of the lyrics including one involving the Magi. It is possible that the ships being referred to in the song are three boats that brought the remains of the Magi to a cathedral in Germany in the twelfth century. Another suggestion is that the three ships are referring to camels (“ships of the desert”) being ridden by the Magi on their way to see Jesus. The piece is an excellent way to teach 6/8 time and call-and-response style part-singing. The rhythms and harmonies can be a bit of a challenge at first, but the repetitive nature of the carol makes it a great learning piece. These wonderful arrangements of I Saw Three Ships and We Three Kingsare perfect for the unchanged tenor-bass ensemble and sure to fit your programming needs for years to come!

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