Panis Angelicus

Panis Angelicus by César Franck arranged for Clarinet or Bass Clarinet Solo with Organ or Piano. Although technically not a Christmas-related piece, Panis Angelicus is often performed during the holiday season. This short work, lasting no more than five minutes, has been recorded hundreds of times, and is still performed frequently the world over. Panis Angelicus is known primarily as a stand-alone vocal piece for solo tenor voice, accompanied by organ and strings. It was also included by Franck within his Mass for Three Voices. However, Panis Angelicus was completed in 1872 – twelve years after the Mass – so its inclusion was somewhat after the fact. It is one of Franck’s most performed works. This arrangement of Panis Angelicus is for Clarinet or Bass Clarinet Solo Solo with Organ or Piano. It is in the key of B flat major, common time throughout at a moderately slow tempo. The melody often follows a scale-step pattern. Taking all that into account, it is a relatively easy piece to learn. It is well suited for a holiday recital or church performance.