A Christmas Carol
Flute or Alto Flute Solo

A Christmas Carol (1909)
Arnold Bax (1883-1953)
Flute Solo with Piano
Includes C Flute and Alto Flute solo parts

A Christmas Carol by Arnold Bax arranged for flute solo with piano. Something a little different for your holiday program. A solo flute 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:

• • C Flute
  • Alto Flute
  •  Piano accompaniment

This arrangement of A Christmas Carol is for C Flute or Alto FLute 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:
Amy Saxophone Solo; Oboe or English Horn; 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.