Rejoice! (A Holiday Overture)

"Rejoice!" is a fun set of variations on the ancient Medieval carol (c. 1400), "In dulci jubilo". After a brilliant celebratory hint at the theme, a la Resphigi, different sections "rejoice" in a variety of ways. A brief collection of hockets across the orchestra provide a brief Baroque-like flavor with horns entering in a gentle Hindemithian quartal harmony. The strings take over with a jig-like section reminiscent of classic 20th-Century English string music, a la Holst in this instance. The brass, having sat listening, burst onto the scene with their own jazzier rendition in a semi-Big Band style a la Glenn Miller with the clarinets popping in for some Benny Goodman-like riffs. The strings soon return to add some flair and color. The carol then returns in a triumphant complete statement rising out of the orchestra before we end with a thrilling Mahlerian mashup and a brilliant final cadence. The piece was premiered by the Cambridge (MA) Symphony Orchestra as part of their Holiday Pops Concert, Dec. 16, 2023. In this revised edition, some additional adjustments have been made for ease of play and less rehearsal time!