Christmas Trio No. 2

A medley of four Christmas carols of French Origin: Noel nouvelet (Sing We Now of Christmas), Un flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle (Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabelle), Il est ne, le divin enfant (He Is Born, the Holy Child), and Minuit, chretiens (O Holy Night). Arranged as a "fantasy-sonata" the first movement is driving, the second is a sweet lilting waltz, the third is a lighthearted take on the melody that alternates between "jaunty" and "solemn" (briefly employing bitonal harmonization) before launching into a blues variation. The finale is a "slow R&B" reimagining of O Holy Night that can be thought of somewhat as the love ballad reprise at the end of a Disney movie. The trio lasts 9 minutes, and is suitable as a prelude or postlude for a church service or as part of a holiday recital. The difficulty is advanced, though the writing is simple enough that it should be able to be put together with minimal rehearsal time.