A Christmas Overture

Alex Orfaly

General Info

Year: 2012
Duration: c. 10:30
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C. Alan
Cost: Score and Parts - $55.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Glockenspiel
Player 2: Glockenspiel
Player 3: Xylophone
Player 4: Xylophone
Player 5: Vibraphone
Player 6: Vibraphone
Player 7: 4 Octave Marimba
Player 8: 4.3 Octave Marimba
Player 9: 5.0 Octave Marimba
Player 10: 5.0 Octave Marimba
Player 11: Chimes
Player 12: 5 Timpani
Player 13: Electric Bass
Player 14: Suspended Cymbal & Crash Cymbals & Tam Tam & Wind Chimes & Snare Drum & Triangle & Shaker
Player 15: Bass Drum & Triangle & Sleigh Bells & Suspended Cymbal & Tam Tam
Player 16: Crotales & Triangle

Program Notes

A Christmas Overture features six personal impressions of traditional Christmas carols. “O Christmas Tree,” “Little Drummer Boy,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” (a la Mexico), “Silent Night,” “Carol on the Bells,” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The Christmas season is always a very joyous and over the top time of the year for me and these original arrangements are just the same. This idea has been bubbling around in my head for many years now and I am very happy to be able to present it.

Performance Notes

• The timpani part has some "Hollywood" style writing. At least five drums are needed. The passages under the dashed lines are optional and may be left out, depending on the level of the player.

• The electric bass part and the 3 percussion parts are optional to make the instrumentation as flexible as possible.

• This piece is very sectionalized. If cuts are desired, they should be fairly easy to make. (One optional section is from measure 108-178.) No matter what, the opening section from measure 1-68 and the final section from measure 223 to the end should NOT be cut from any performance of this piece.

Works for Percussion by this Composer

A Christmas Overture - 12 - 16 Players
The Big Bob Special - Xylophone, Mallet Quartet
Big Bob's Return - Xylophone Duet, Mallet Quartet
Copper Wire - Timpani, Electronics
Divertissement - Timpani, Percussion Quartet
Fanfares No. 1 and No. 2 for Timpani - Timpani
Five Intermediate Pieces for Timpani - Timpani
Improvvisato Contrasto - Timpani
Mean Man's March - Xylophone, Mallet Quintet
Prelude 1.5 for Timpani - Timpani
Rhapsody No. 1 for Timpani - Timpani, Percussion Trio
Rhapsody No. 2 for Timpani - Timpani
Structure Set - Percussion Sextet
Tanc Szervusz - Xylophone Duet, Mallet Quintet