A Christmas Carol
Oboe or English Horn Solo

A Christmas Carol (1909)
Arnold Bax (1883-1953)
Oboe or English Horn Solo

A Christmas Carol by Arnold Bax arranged for oboe or english horn solo with piano. Something a little different for your holiday program. A double reed version of  “A Christmas Carol” by Arnold Bax. Bax’s rich harmonies in the piano accompaniment set off the simple hymn tune. The lyrics begin with the phrase “There is no rose of such virtue”. The verse was written in the 15th century.

This arrangement includes the following parts:

• • Oboe solo part
  • English Horn solo part
  •  Piano accompaniment

This arrangement of A Christmas Carol is for Oboe or English Horn Solo with Piano. It is in the key of F major, common time with a few measures of 2/4 at a moderately slow tempo. In the central section, the tempo increases then returns to tempo I to close. The solo part is rhythmically straightforward with only a few basic syncopations and quarter note triplets. A rising intermediate player should find easy success with this piece. As is true of most songs by Arnold Bax, the piano accompaniment is slightly more complicated. It is suitable for holiday recitals and church performances.

This piece is also available for the following instruments:
Flute or Alto Flute; Any Saxophone; Clarinet; Trumpet and Euphonium or Baritone.

About the Composer

Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax KCVO (8 November 1883, Streatham, Eng. – 3 October 1953, Cork, Ireland) was an English composer, poet, and author.

Bax was born to a prosperous family. He was encouraged by his parents to pursue a career in music, and his private income enabled him to follow his own path as a composer without regard for fashion or orthodoxy.

His prolific output includes songs, choral music, chamber pieces, and solo piano works, but he is best known for his orchestral music. In addition to a series of symphonic poems he wrote seven symphonies and was for a time widely regarded as the leading British symphonist.