Carol of the Bells
Leontovych, arr. Coy
Brass Quintet
I was rehearsing for a holiday concert with the Valley Symphony Orchestra brass quintet, and we couldn't find an arrangement of the Carol of the Bells that we liked. They were all either drab and uninteresting or departed from the recognizable tune too much. I decided to fill the gap with a custom arrangement. This setting keeps the original intact, but also includes a chorale theme that weaves in and around the main melody and adds a contrasting element to the ostinato. Originally written for the Ukrainian new year, Leontovych's song has become one of the best loved Christmas carols in the repertoire.