Two Christmas Songs

Two Christmas Songs are English folk songs Percy Grainger set for chorus in the early 1900's. The first, The Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol, is a beautiful, expressive melody harmonized by Grainger with gently moving parts surrounding the melody both above and below. Though not technically difficult, the tempo is slow and requires good control by all players. Balancing the main melody with the inner voices requires care. The second song, There Was a Pig Went Out to Dig (also known as Chrisimas Day in the Morning) is an English playing or rhyming song from Lancashire. It is a bouncy, rhythmic piece that alternates solo lines and group choruses. The melody passes frequently among all parts. The first song is in complete contrast to the second. Where the first is quiet and slow with a very obvious lyrical melody surrounded by a supporting accompaniment, the second is fast, very rhythmical, and contrapuntal. In many places all voices have equal prominence and are quite independent of each other. This arrangement is for adventurous saxophone quartets who are up to the various challenges presented by each movement.