Arrangements by Ryan James Brandau
Choral:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel / God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Silent Night (instrumental; introduction to O Holy Night)
Still, Still, Still Silent Night
Jingle Bells (optional singalong)
O Come All Ye Faithful (fanfare and optional singalong; good Act II opener)
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - baritone solo with chorus
Finale: Joy to the World (verses 2&3) with We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Finale: Joy to the World, Hallelujah Chorus, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Joy to the World (intro to Hallelujah)
Instrumental:
Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming (can be underscore for reading)
Bach Choruses:
Sanctus and Pleni Sunt Caeli from B Minor Mass
Magnificat Anima Mea from Magnificat
Gloria in Excelsis from B Minor Mass/BWV 191
Come Now with Gladness (Jauchzet frohlocket) from Christmas Oratorio (Part I opening chorus)
Lord of Creation (Herrscher des Himmels) from Christmas Oratorio (Part III opening chorus)
Mighty Lord and King of Glory (Grösse Herr) from Christmas Oratorio (baritone solo)
Handel Choruses (from Messiah):
And the Glory of the Lord
And He Shall Purify
For Unto Us a Child is Born
Recitative - soprano solo
There Were Shepherds Abiding in the Fields
And lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them
And the Angel said unto them
And suddenly, there was with the Angel
Glory to God
Rejoice Greatly - soprano solo
Come Unto Him - soprano solo
Let All the Angels of God Worship Thee
Why do the Nations - baritone solo
Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder
Hallelujah, from Handel’s Messiah
All Holiday Titles • Secular Holiday • Sacred Holiday • Works with Orchestra
Joy to the World: a Christmas Suite
Create your own custom version of this suite by choosing from the titles to the left: Ryan James Brandau’s innovative, beautifully orchestrated carol arrangements, movements from Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat, and B Minor Mass. RJB will weave your selections together into a one- or two-act concert suite.
Movements by Handel and Bach fully bowed, with articulations.
The arrangements of Joy to the World: a Christmas Suite were created with both professional and amateur orchestras in mind. They are designed to allow professional orchestras to deliver outstanding performances on minimal rehearsal and allow amateur orchestras to shine with professional-level polish. They feature fun-to-play, idiomatic passagework and attractive solos for nearly every instrument and section while avoiding difficult shifts, hard-to-tune keys, sustained bridge tones, and other pitfalls. The instrumentation does not require triple winds or significant auxiliary personnel but instead maximizes the impact of a medium-sized orchestra. It is designed to balance with string sections of varying sizes, from chamber to full professional symphony orchestra. Parts fully bowed, with articulations.
Instrumentation: 2.2(Eng hn).2(bass cl).2 4.3.0.0 timp perc (2) harp piano strings
Duration: Act I ~ 40 minutes ; Act II ~ 35 mins
“Ryan Brandau’s captivating holiday arrangements are in a class by themselves. They engender joy and beauty with their unique orchestrations and beautiful choral word painting. I’ve had the pleasure of playing these inventive arrangements for years and they are unfailingly gratifying.”
“Your beautiful arrangement was the hit of the concert. The audience loved it. The singers and orchestra loved it. The you for the care and craft of this set. It will become part of the Cincinnati tradition.”
“Each year, I look forward to performing holiday arrangements by Ryan Brandau. They are beautifully composed and feature lush harmonizations that add new depth to familiar melodies. The parts are idiomatic for each instrument and are a pleasure to play. I highly recommend these arrangements: They’re a joy for performers and audiences alike.”