Twas the Night Before Christmas (SATB+Piano)
Twas the Night Before Christmas (SATB+Piano)
A new setting of the famous Clement C. Moore poem from 1823. The music helps tell the story of the poem - from the sleepy introduction with everyone tucked into their beds, to the jazzy arrival of St. Nick on the lawn. Available for: SATB Choir + Orchestra (with opt. saxes + euphonium), SATB Choir + Wind Band, or SATB Choir + Piano (with opt. string bass and drum set).
Pricing
Printed Choral Score: $3.80 each
PDF Choral Score: $3.80 each
Details
SATB + Piano, with opt. drum set and string bass
(Also available for SATB+Wind Band, and SATB+Orchestra with optional saxes and euphonium)
Year of Composition: 2023
Length: 6:30
Program Note
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas was commissioned in 2023 by Fond du Lac High School (WI) in Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of their holiday prism concert, “Night of Silence.” As I was thinking about possible themes and texts for the commission, I thought of the classic Clement C. Moore poem that we know as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (his title for the poem was actually A Visit from St. Nicholas).
Once I settled on this text and began spending more time with it, I began to feel like the poem had two parts. First, there is the quiet and dreamy opening that depicts a peaceful Christmas eve, with everyone tucked into bed, drifting off to sleep. Then, once the narrator peers out the window and sees St. Nicholas on the lawn, it feels to me like the poem enters a new section. So, I tried to write music to accompany these two sections that would help bring out the character of each. The music for the beginning section is gentle and lilting, like a lullaby. For the second section, when we encounter St. Nicholas and his reindeer, I wanted to create music that captures the magic, mystery, and playfulness of Santa Claus.