Set list (all titles arranged by Ryan Brandau unless indicated otherwise)

ACT I

O Come, O Come Emmanuel / God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming (instrumental transition; can be underscore for reading)

Magnificat Anima Mea, from Bach’s Magnificat

Recitative (from Handel’s Messiah) - 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

Gloria in Excelsis, from Bach’s BWV 191/B Minor Mass (alternative: Glory to God from Handel’s Messiah)

O Holy Night

I Wonder as I Wander (instrumental only)

Might Lord and King of Glory, from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio - baritone solo

Rejoice Greatly, from Handel’s Messiah - soprano solo

Still, Still, Still, Silent Night

Joy to the World (verse 1)

Hallelujah, from Handel’s Messiah

ACT II

Jingle Bells (optional singalong)

Greensleeves (instrumental only)

Gesu Bambino - soprano solo with chorus

Deck the Hall

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - baritone solo with chorus

Transition (can be used as underscore)

Wassail

Optional vamp underscore for reading)

Auld Lang Syne

Finale: Joy to the World (verses 2&3) with We Wish You a Merry Christmas

 All Holiday Titles • Secular HolidaySacred HolidayWorks with Orchestra

Joy to the World: a Christmas Suite (in two acts, with Bach Magnificat)

In this two-act, full concert version, Ryan James Brandau interweaves his innovative, beautifully orchestrated carol arrangements with selections from Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Magnificat, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, and Bach’s Gloria in Excelsis.

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. All parts are fully bowed and articulated, with helpful cues after all long rests.

Instrumentation: 2.2(Eng hn).2(bass cl).2 4.3.0.0 timp perc (2) harp piano strings

Duration: Act I ~ 38 minutes ; Act II ~ 30 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.
— David Heiss, principal cello, NY Pops
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.
— Joe Miller, DCA, Cincinatti College-Conservatory of Music
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.
— Karen Blundell, English horn, NE Pennsylvania Philharmonic