Christmas Prelude

The prelude begins calmly with a parody of Chopin's Nocturne in Eb major Op. 9, No. 2 that instead uses the classic melody "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear." Next, a less familiar spiritual "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow" expands the harmonic and emotional range while recalling the African American shout-singing call-and-response tradition. The French carol, "Quelle est cette odeur agreable ?" (What Is This Fragrance?) is a favorite melody of the arranger's and is treated with mysterious, wafting harmonies before being carried aloft and settling back down again. Finally, "Go Tell It On the Mountain" enters with cheekily in a blues style that develops into a "cowboy" waltz for the climax. If performers need a shorter musical prelude, the individual movements can be divided with minimal re-arranging. Duration: ca. 7:45.