Russian Christmas Music, by Alfred Reed - Score & Sound

For more information, or to purchase, go to www.alfred.com/russian-christ....
Russian Christmas Music
By Alfred Reed
Item: 00-FXB219
Series: Belwin Classic Band
Format: Conductor Score & Parts
Grade: 5
The theme carefully explored by Alfred Reed in this repertoire standard is "Carol of the Little Russian Children" which is an ancient Russian Christmas carol. You can hear four distinct sections originally called "Children's Carol," "Antiphonal Chant," "Village Song" and "Cathedral Chorus" all joined in this continuous contemporary setting. The almost overwhelming sound picture with varied tone colors and brilliant brass choir sounds is a classic in every sense. "Russian Christmas Music" by Alfred Reed is a worthy addition to the Belwin Classic Band series. This recording compliments of the United States Air Force Band, Col. Lowell Graham, conductor. (3:20)
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[@covid-192]

To the person who put an ad in the middle of the video- I hope your pillow is warm on both sides, I hope your charger only works at the most inconvenient angles, I hope that your outlets are placed in such a way that you CANT roll over at night, and I hope you can’t get the right temperature to sleep.

[@keemez]

adblock plus?

[@nuretro199]

This piece is SO underrated. Alfred Reed was a genius.

[@comradevalence]

Right?!

[@jayforerunner965]

That's why this music company was named after him. lol

[@mahadevanseetharaman5336]

@@jayforerunner965 If this was a joke, blame me for not getting it, but Alfred Music was not named after Alfred Reed. In fact, some of Alfred Reed's work wasn't even published by Alfred Music

[@jayforerunner965]

Mahadevan Seetharaman I’m not a hundred percent sure either I was just putting two and two together. 😂 no worries

[@brando5484]

I’m playing this for band rn

[@michaelmcclary8054]

I played it, Conducted it, & never tire of experiencing this Masterpiece!😢😅-Michael McClary, Professor of Trumpet 🎺, Georgia Perimeter College and GSU

[@katyclemens]

I am about to play timpani on this with the Columbia Concert Band at our winter concert in a couple of weeks. Best. Timpani. Part. Ever.

[@geoffandmarycarter4502]

Anyone who has played this piece seem to have been effected by it in the same way. I played the 1st Trumpet part... everytime I hear this played, it brings tears to my eyes.

[@mr_mykal]

I played the 1st Trombone part. I legitimately got chills and teared up during finale when I played it. I also loved playing the trombone solis!

[@keemez]

*affected

[@wendyb457]

I had a superior band conductor in HS. Dr. Swor. He pushed our symphonic band to play this in a regional competition. He challenged us with this. We did it. We worked for months on it. We scored a perfect score as a result. He made us excellent. He was a phenomenal teacher. This piece has never left my heart as a result. Nor has Dr. Swor.

[@WolfgangXP65-67]

I am so glad he has done you a grand favor. I would love to have someone like Dr. Swor as a teacher for me.

[@MasterChiefhaloman117]

I played this in 7th grade

[@lizannepick1773]

Moved to tears here - what a joy to find this! I played this in my high school wind ensemble over 40 years ago in 1979, first B-flat clarinet part. I will never forget it, we worked so hard on it - the audience exploded into applause at the end. Sidenote: I met my husband playing clarinet in our Big10 marching band, we still play our clarinets together in a couple ensembles. What a joy!🎶

[@-God_IS_Real-]

So cute!! im a saxophonist

[@DoritoBoyEKK]

Can someone explain the ad break in the MIDDLE of the piece? There should be no ads in the middle of a piece of music.

[@monke3309]

When the imposter sus

[@amg5787]

Seriously!! What the hell with the ads!!!

[@Marth8880]

Unfortunately KZbin sticks them there automatically :((

[@zuils]

@@Marth8880 if you skip to the end and press replay there won’t be ads

[@raymondhorton9668]

@@zuils That is a GREAT tip!!! thanks!

[@hannahkelley817]

We are playing this for my Winter concert Wish us luck because we are a very small band😆😀

[@PebProductions46]

Good luck!

[@hannahkelley817]

@Darthy Boi YT how many people are in your band

[@madalynfowler8868]

We're playing it too!! :)) And good luck lol

[@user-gf1fn2hc2v]

Hey me too, my band has 30 people in it total

[@isaacmurray5273]

We were almost made to play it with 12 people 🥴 then everyone voted no after a month practicing it 😑 yes our director doesn’t understand the meaning of parts and choosing music.... he thinks we can play anything regardless of how many people... not this piece 😐 we only have one clarinet, one alto saxophone, one tenor sax, one trumpet, one trombone, one baritone, one tuba that doesn’t know how to play the right notes, one flute that doesn’t know how to play, one bass clarinet that doesn’t know how to play any notes, and 3 percussionists 😬 the beautiful 6/4 part only had the one clarinet playing very quietly btw and it requires 3+ just to cover the harmonies!!! 😫

[@zizendorf]

I played french horn performing this piece with the Pennsylvania State Regional Band in 1975. My father was a choral music educator, organist and previously professional opera singer. He had ridiculously high standards for all musical performances. If he was in attendance and was displeased with a mediocre performance he'd leave early. This was the finale of our concert and he was in the front row. The concert was recorded and I play the album. Right after we concluded the piece my father's voice is on the recording yelling "bravo". It is one of my greatest memories! This is a masterful piece! I've always wanted to hear it arranged for a full orchestra. To this day, every time I hear the climax of the 4th movement, "Cathedral Chorus" I get goosebumps and hair stands on end. This recording by the Mansfield University Wind Ensemble is the best I've found on line.

[@TheHeavensEagle]

In 1973 the Northeast Oklahoma All District band played this piece of music along with several others. I remember the people in the audience were stunned. When we finished the piece there was about 5 seconds of total silence. Then pandemonium reigned! It is still one of my favorite pieces to this day!

[@nathandavis2377]

There is an arrangement for a full orchestra! There's several short versions Clark McAlister orchestrated the whole thing kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqSoi6SVoa-ogZY

[@EmEm12297]

Any tips for playing this piece on French Horn?? If u have any

[@zizendorf]

@@EmEm12297 Oh, I’m sorry. I haven’t touched my horn in decades. But it was just one part, the horn part, in playing the entire piece. Good luck!

[@harlanbauer3777]

My high school wind ensemble played this piece... probably the only piece I remember playing (was December 1969).

[@jonathanjannarone3913]

I had the honor to be concertmaster for the University of Miami Wind Orchestra under Dr. Reed. Playing this under his direction was amazing.

[@THall-vi8cp]

Concertmaster? Which instrument would be concertmaster in a wind band?

[@kevinconk8164]

Clarinet

[@BrucknerMotet]

Instead of tipping one's violin bow to, say, the piano soloist, you reach up and tip your bowtie like Benny Goodman would! @@kevinconk8164

[@QuetziPetzi]

My band director and assistant directors started crying half way through this piece. Absolute gem.

[@hunteradams2123]

We played at our last high school band concert my senior year. I was 1st chair trumpet.

[@user-vb6lq9il5v]

There should NEVER be ANY ads in the middle of music such as this! It is now impossible for me to recommend this video to anyone. Good job, KZbin. (Hint: Put the ads in BEFORE the music starts.)

[@sambrooks107]

Here's a hack: play the last few seconds of the video and hit the restart button

[@uajrh1]

Welcome to KZbin

[@user-vb6lq9il5v]

@@uajrh1 This problem doesn't happen with all KZbin videos. THOSE I might recommend. This one, I won't.

[@uajrh1]

@@user-vb6lq9il5v this video is monetized

[@user-vb6lq9il5v]

@@uajrh1 Great, then let all of the commercials play BEFORE the video begins.

[@australopithecus]

We not only played this in concert band in high school, but our teacher loved it so much he made a condensed arrangement for us to march to as well...

[@AL5J_]

Dittos

[@donicemoracemusic]

CR Smith?

[@maxwellkowal3065]

One of the few string bass lines that we can actually hear in band music.

[@krysztof6917]

Timestamp?

[@maxwellkowal3065]

@@krysztof6917 06:58

[@tritl6571]

@@krysztof6917 6:58

[@22nola]

Great recording. You can clearly hear the string bass as well as the upper woodwinds working during the loudest sections.

[@KieranDurand]

@@krysztof6917 can't tell you the exact timestamps, but the beginning of the piece and starting at m. 118 (9th rehersal square of the piece)

[@danielmiddaugh5101]

We played a version of this in my high school band. I played chimes. Probably my favorite piece.

[@braxenb6251]

listening to this recording with headphones and full volume is amazing

[@zoeyweasley]

We just played this for our christmas concert for our small high school band and it sounded amazing my favorite piece that we did

[@adam_rugland]

I played percussion in this one in high school and it was absolutely my favorite song of all time

[@TimbervottiTyke]

I am just hearing this for the first time & I’m in awe of Alfred Reed’s talent.

[@pejo8818]

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful in every way. I am astounded at the colours and drama brought about by this much-missed genius composer of the genre. The clarinet choir from bar 118 is just sumptuous. RIP Mr Reed.

[@raywilliams3849]

I played this piece in high school in 1972. 3rd horn. I think that Dr Reed had a love-hate relationship with French horns. He loved them so much he gave them the impossible pieces of music to play. High notes, very loud, bells up. Lips like hamburger at the end of the piece!

[@THall-vi8cp]

Being a trumpet player, I love the brass work in this piece. The chords in the finale have an organ-like quality. But I have to say, the tympani are just EPIC!

[@katyclemens]

Ooh, that's the part I get to play! Just started tonight and had so much fun banging. :)

[@TheTwitchyGreen]

okay the fact that the piece calls for 2 contrabass clarinets is kinda crazy

[@LukeSpaceA]

We played this my freshman year for wind ensemble, and I can't explain how much I love the last section!!! It's so beautiful and it feels like the hall just explodes with sound.

[@pumpkiny]

playing it as a freshman this year! it's a very exciting piece

[@toxiboi5771]

Im also playing this and I'm a freshman bassoon player. The bassoon part is so much fun yet its killing me

[@leoneltimpani07]

Im playing this as a freshman timpanist next week. Im having so much fun with it lol

[@brettwilcots8608]

As a composer she was my Nada k. Alfred was my heart..Peace.

[@brettwilcots8608]

Still one of the greats. Under Col. Arnold Gabriel ( famous for USAF Singing Sergeant s at band camp in Kirksville No.) played clarinet. He rehearsed and conducted with no score. Must be nice having photographic memory. Peace.

[@bovineking8927]

12:15 to 13:24 is so amazing, especially those two chords at 12:23 (they feel like the piece's real resolution, before the last few minutes of finale-ness). And of course the buildup into 13:24 (starting around 12:57) with the horns is so much yup.

[@BrucknerMotet]

Magnificent score. And the ensemble nails it.

[@mikedabserrlday]

I used to play this in high school every christmas. I had to do the bass solo my sophomore year and flubbed it.

[@spicytubaroll]

6:58, absolutely love the string bass line. Wish more pieces had string bass parts, it is a very unique instrument to add to the wind ensemble. As a tuba player, string basses help out a lot with adding a new color to the bass sound and having badass moments like this

[@ephraimpinckney8209]

You need a serious woodwind players tovpull this off especially piccs. Scatch that you need a serious. group of players for this masterpiece😎

[@saxphon]

An Amazing work. I've had the pleasure of playing it a few times. I really wanted to thank whomever posted this recording along with the score. It is a great way to practice with and learn about how to conduct this piece. I hope to someday have the opportunity to direct this work in a performance.

[@connorthomas4826]

Playing this on 1st Clarinet for a Spring concert actually... In a community band in Colorado Springs. We asked the director what's with a Christmas song in Spring? Well he actually analyzed the text from the original Russian music in it and it has nothing to do with Christmas. He asked Alfred Reed about it when he was still alive. Apparently he just didn't know that it was actually not Christmas music. The cathedral part at the end is definitely one of the best things ever written for Wind Ensemble though.

[@PhilipMarquez]

We played this my junior year in High School, and, as a percussionist, I just absolutely fell in love with it. I was out sick the day they first got the chart, so I "ended up" with crash cymbals. Have NEVER had so much fun!!! That part was loud and awesome!!!! The best thing about this piece is that there is time to appreciate what everybody else in the ensemble is doing. We had a girl that played the s#!t out of that English horn solo. So cool. That 6/4 passage just kills me every time. The crescendo sounds like the Ocean. And has there ever been anything as awesome as that last choir?!!!!!!!

[@THall-vi8cp]

This is one of my favorite pieces. The brass chorale is awesome and contrasts beautifully with the flowing woodwind lines over the top of it. I have to say, though, that despite being a brass player myself, the tympani are my favorite - so seldom do we get to hear something so thunderous and epic as the moving tympani lines bolstering the powerful chords in this piece.

[@brianhildebrandt5146]

I play the ending full blast and conduct along in my car!!!

[@peterschmidt5181]

I played this in high school in 1976. Never forget it. I played the clarinet.

[@charlottekime2851]

IM PLAYING IT NOW

[@poisondog88]

The part at 6:59 is really pretty, one of my favorite parts of any piece of music, even if my part (Trombone 1) is boring.

[@AL5J_]

13:24 In high school, we used this section as our entrance/exit finale regularly. In a symphonic arrangement, the scoring of the French horns, tympani, and tubular bells make this piece one that makes your chest tighten and eyes water when playing or hearing it. A marvelous arrangement!

[@lukewest5577]

Luke West. (Son) played the oboe and English horn at Corban 12/19. It was his first performance with English horn😬

[@rogergreive6184]

I played English Horn on this a long time ago. Once the solos are over, Reed gave us a gift.. playing A's on the offbeats in the last 2 minutes and letting that wonderful rush of the chimes and those rising chords sweep over us after our work was done for the night.

[@Crysalis-bd9so]

I remember playing this in orchestra in high school, I was the oboe, and i filled in for the chimes as well, so I kept having to go between my chair and the pit. WOW good memories

[@KieranDurand]

Played Bass drum my freshman year and I'm going to play chimes this year for Fernandina Beach high school (go pirates).

[@WolfgangXP65-67]

OMG a fellow Florida high school band member ✌️. How was it!?!?

[@KieranDurand]

@@WolfgangXP65-67 I was more scared the second time around, to say the least

[@WolfgangXP65-67]

@@KieranDurand oh lord 😭. I feel that XP

[@UAC_guy]

nice i like this piece

[@owmw1934]

The Continental Army Band played this at the Music Clubs of America meeting at Atlantic City in 1973 or 74 and I was amazed to see the audience weeping. It was near Easter and so appropriate.

[@Terenaillion]

I got to play this piece in college (1st trumpet part) and it's a fantastic and very fun but challenging piece to play.

[@dylanborak2307]

4:14 for greatness

[@NyxieLove22]

This is a beautiful piece it’s very taxing to play but oh is it a beautiful piece

[@devinpeiffer3344]

At river valley hs Blairsville pa we are playing this for our winter concert

[@connor3308]

Man, as a baritone player, the neglect you face from this piece

[@frogwithtaunt8498]

Yeah we’re playing this in our next concert and while the piece is really pretty, the baritone part isn’t very interesting. Sort of a step down from our last concert where one of our songs was October by Eric Whitacre. Great Euphonium part, you should give it a listen if you haven’t already

[@brojangles552]

I play bells

[@karmell8063]

percussion gang hell yeah

[@Hoss_H4ll56]

My 7th grade band is playing this

[@michaelmcclary8054]

No, but I agree!- Michael McClary, Professor of Trumpet 🎺, Georgia Perimeter College & GSU

[@alternatefaerie3575]

I would love to play the string bass part in this

[@t-14theleopard68]

Sadly our band never got to play this..

[@timc7543]

Played the english horn part in concert once. We had only two oboists so I was covering both oboe 2 and english horn parts, picking up the EH just for the solos. One of the pitfalls of the english horn: you're so often expected to jump into solos cold. While sitting idle, water worked its way under one of the EH keys, and the initial solo came out gurgling. I frantically tried to find the water and blot it out before the second and third solos using a dollar bill I had handy, but to no avail. Long, completely exposed solos and half the notes garbled. So embarrassing, it was a living nightmare.

[@WolfgangXP65-67]

Oh God, I could imagine how embarrassing this would be. Like, the solos are literally lone players, and important parts of the piece. My school don't even have double reeds, and a chance of having an EH is 0%, but that water gurgling through a tech advanced instrument is just too embarrassing to be true.

[@therealtornadosam]

That really sucks.

[@ricebowl2222]

ik this is like 2 years late but i also play the EH solo in this, the reason some of your keys were gurgling was because the bocal was not pushed in enough, i also though it was water till i saw how far my director pushes it in.

[@JB-qt4hp]

Whoever thought it was a good idea to run ads right in the middle of this music should be sent to the gulags.

[@pukalo]

I played alto clarinet on this piece

[@thelads8930]

I wish we had an alto clarinet for this piece.. ;-;

[@ultimawerewolfbluephoenix9670]

Andante molto sostenuto: 0:00 Poço Piú Mosso: 1:23 Tempo prima: 2:13 Con Moto: 3:17 Allegro Non troppo: 4:12 Poco Piú Mosso: 4:24 Moderato: 4:58 Poco Piú Mosso: 5:50 Moderately, with sustained singing sound: 6:58 Freely: 9:35 Broadly: 10:21 Piú Mosso: 11:23 Meno Mosso: 11:36 a Tempo: 12:15 Con Moto: 13:23 Very broadly: 14:13

[@THall-vi8cp]

You deserve an award, my friend.

[@MichaelSmith-kh7pe]

Heard this performed in 1973 by a fine high school band in Huntsville, AL. Lee High School.

[@BladeTNT2018]

10:20 The start of it is badass

[@lilmiguel2236]

I like 1:20 part it pretty to me

[@VaughnWalter]

if I could play this just one more time on timpani or even gong

[@gabeasley8655]

😊

[@paulk.johnson3043]

The description doesn’t match the piece featured in the video.

[@zizendorf]

Well, that's because there are two bands attributed with the recording. Me thinks this is the Mansfield University Wind Ensemble. Here's the version by the United States Air Force Band. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIfFqX9njK1jn80 I prefer this recording as it sounds more dynamic.

[@BladeTNT2018]

From measure 236 and onward, it sounds badass af 14:14

[@cosmos2792]

Bb clarinet here

[@thelads8930]

1st, 2nd, or 3rd?

[@cosmos2792]

@@thelads8930 1st

[@charlottekime2851]

SAME

[@owmw1934]

If you like this music, you may also love Rimsky-Korsakov Russian Easter Overture.

[@danarsenault4026]

I think I speak for all horn players when I say this... 11:35 should be with bells up.

[@andyzavala2349]

Speaking of bells up, if you want to hear a pretty good “bells up” rearrangement of this song, check out two DCI corps, the Crossmen and SantaClaraVanguard

[@CodenameYoshi]

wish me luck im the soloist of our band

[@nightmaregd7622]

Good luck! It's so awesome that you get to play this piece. I played this last year for Christmas on the tenor sax and what an awesome experience it was!

[@yourlocalmathgeek4815]

Alfred Reed hates bassoon. But my contra part is pretty fun.

[@candycoloredprotagonist]

i played timpani in this

[@seanagnew9347]

My fave part is from 10:57 to the end

[@gracew4892]

that second or third chord is fucking amazing does anyone know what it is

[@poisondog88]

I think the first three chords are D minor, D major, G minor

[@VaughnDJs]

10:24

[@baokhangmaile6194]

Christ is born!

[@jayforerunner965]

It is not common to see a song with first and second Piccolo.

[@danarsenault4026]

In band music, I agree, but oh boy, let me introduce you to my best friends, Mahler, Holst and Stravinsky.

[@karmell8063]

how fast does this go?

[@poisondog88]

At the beginning? Quarter note = 35

[@BladeTNT2018]

36

[@lenoredirge43]

There is nothing more infuriating than taking a beautiful piece like this and interrupting it with f---ing ads!

[@RICOCHETTT]

i have to play 3rd trumpet :( my part isn’t even heard or important

[@steveanderson7861]

Every part is important. They’re there for a reason. Take out the 3rd parts from each section and it’s not nearly the piece it is. Second and third parts develop harmony and fullness.

[@cielaacielcamaclang3482]

на 12-й день Рождества моя настоящая любовь подарила мне ПРОБЛЕМЫ С ДОВЕРИЕМ ГАЗЛАЙТ ДЕПРЕССИЯ ТРЕВОЖНОСТЬ ПОЭТОМУ МНЕ ПРИШЛОСЬ ПОКОНЧИТЬ ЕГО ЗАНИМАЙТЕ СВОЮ СТОЙКУ позвали моих подруг, и мы похоронили его под грушевым деревом

[@backforblood]

this song is so good but i HATE playing this song

[@BladeTNT2018]

12:04

[@Toestealer4132]

6:43

[@ashtons7523]

didn’t appreciate an ad in the middle of the piece, AND another one 2 mins from the end. ridiculous

[@lmprovise]

2:25

[@michaelmcclary8054]

I'm a"Senior"& I don't like this Masterpiece interrupted !- Michael McClary, Professor of Trumpet 🎺, Georgia Perimeter College and GSU

[@donutcat1021]

M22 2:05

[@donutcat1021]

M32 3:12

[@donutcat1021]

M43 3:37

[@donutcat1021]

M55 4:12

[@donutcat1021]

M63 4:23

[@clovieluves2draw]

Putin’s favorite Christmas song

[@paulblichmann2791]

@13:18 The sound you hear when you are fighting for your freedom in Donesk for 8 years and see Russian reinforcements coming.

[@colw321gaming2]

11:35