July Already! Little Red Christmas Books Are Coming. Could This Year Be Different?

If you’re in a brass band, this will immediately resonate and maybe fill some of us with dread.

The Salvation Army Christmas Carol Books are a fantastic resource, offering over 100 carols. However, one limitation is how repetitive the arrangements can feel for instrumentalists. Typically, only one verse is provided, which then gets repeated 3-6 times, sometimes leading to monotony for players. For solo cornet players, this can be especially strenuous, as they carry the high lead parts throughout, making them demanding to play over extended periods.

In many settings, people aren’t actually singing along; the carols often serve as background music while listeners go about their business. This makes it even more important to keep the instrumental parts engaging and satisfying to play.

I’ve been thinking about how these carols could evolve beyond just accompaniment for singing. Imagine arrangements designed for small instrumental groups, with extended versions of each carol. Each verse could highlight different instruments, for example, the euphonium might take the melody for one verse, the cornet for another, creating variety and musical interest throughout the piece. With the challenge of getting enough players, which unfortunately has become more of an issue in recent years, it might also make sense to make the parts work with 4-6 musicians and provide alternative parts for larger ensembles.

This approach would treat the carols as evolving musical works, not just background for vocals. For example, “Away in a Manger” could start traditionally, then introduce variations where different instruments carry the tune or harmony, progressing over multiple verses. This would make the music more engaging for players and listeners alike.

While it’s possible to adapt the existing Salvation Army books by swapping parts and pre-planning roles, purpose-written arrangements with built-in variation would make rehearsals smoother and offer more variety for both players and the audience.

I’m curious if this idea resonates with other musicians. Do you find current carol arrangements a bit repetitive? Would you welcome versions that develop more like full pieces, with varied instrumental roles? I’d really appreciate your feedback as I’m thinking about taking on this project.