For Unto Us

 I arranged a simple children’s version of Handel’s, For Unto Us a Child is Born”. The melody is very approachable for children and the piano accompaniment has some of the flair of the beloved “Messiah”. 

PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nl9W_2jAFGa3ZpFYsbNBpNLBeGIDJXsx/view?usp=drivesdk

Still, Still, Still

I wrote many iterations of this over the years; from a women's vocal trio to men's quartet, but for some reason I never wrote this as a solo. This is one of my favorite Christmas carols, a sweet Austrian carol. I wrote this for piano and a C instrument. to play it.

MP3: Still, Still, Still

PDF: Still, Still, Still

The Shepherds

Here is an upbeat composition for SATB for Christmas. It talks about the nativity from the shepherds perspective.

The shepherds tending to their flocks one dark and lonesome night.

While sheep were grazing on the plains, the moon; only source of light.

The shepherds kept a watchful eye upon their precious fold,

to keep them safe, secure from harm, from the winds and from the cold.

A light appeared quite suddenly; a new star shown in might,

'twas bright and strong, its beams shone down and pointed to a site.

Then heavily guides appeared and bade to Bethlehem, go with haste,

a child is born this blessed eve, it is Christ, the newborn babe.

The shepherds ran quickly to see a child in swathing bands.

They know at once, the promise kept, Messiah! mortal man.

Oh run and fall before your Lord to worship Him and sing,

our Lamb of God, beloved One, He is the King of Kings!

He is the King of Kings!

King of Kings!

MP3: The Shepherds

PDF: The Shepherds

All My Heart, This Night Rejoices

MP3 - All My Heart, This Night Rejoices
PDF - All My Heart, This Night Rejoices

Here is a little known, but lovely Christmas carol for you to enjoy. It is scored for SATB and would be most effective as a totally a capella piece. I hope you enjoy and Merry Christmas!

A Cradle Hymn

MP3 - A Cradle Hymn
PDF - A Cradle Hymn

I was looking through some old Christmas poems and happened upon this one by the famous Isaac Watts. I'm not sure if this was ever set to music or not, but when I started to read the words, the melody was following along. After some playing around with modulations, this is the result. I hope you like it.

Hush! my dear, lie still and slumber, 
Holy angels guard thy bed! 
Heav'nly blessings without number 
gently falling on Thy head. 

Soft and easy is thy cradle: 
Coarse and hard thy Savior lay, 
When His birthplace was a stable 
and His softest bed was hay. 

See the kinder shepherds round Him, 
Telling wonders from the sky! 
Where they sought Him, there they found Him, 
With His Virgin Mother by. 

How much better thou'rt attended 
then the Son of God could be, 
when from heaven He descended 
and became a child like Thee!

A Savior Is Born

MP3 - A Savior Is Born
PDF - A Savior Is Born

Here is a hymn that I collaborated with Susan Noyes Anderson that is in keeping with the church's 2015 Theme, #ASavioIsBorn.

One quiet night in Bethlehem, One rough and lonely manger bed, 
One star as bright as breaking day, One baby nestled in the hay. 
Sing out with joy on Christmas morn; Ring out the bells and sound the horn. 
Christ is born: A Savior is born. 

One burst of angels from on high, One humble prayer from shepherds nigh, 
One dream for magi of their King, One babe to end all suffering. 
Sing out with joy on Christmas morn; Ring out the bells and sound the horn. 
Christ is born: A Savior is born. 

One miracle to save mankind, One shining hope for all to find, 
One healing hand to ease the pain, One life to give, our lives to gain. 
Sing out with joy on Christmas morn; Ring out the bells and sound the horn. 
Christ is born: A Savior is born. 

O Come, All Ye Faithful - Fanfare

PDF - O Come, All Ye Faithful - Fanfare
MP3 - O Come, All Ye Faithful - Fanfare

This is a tune arrangement I had for while and repurposed it. It makes a nice fanfare type of anthem, only 1:30 but is powerful to declare that Christ is born! 

Still, Still, Still

PDF - Still, Still, Still
MP3 - Still, Still, Still

The beautiful Christmas carol, Still, Still, Still arranged for Soprano and Alto. Hope you enjoy it!

11-28-2015 - I had a request to turn this into a violin solo. Here is the result. I will oblige any request (within reason) :) v1.v

PDF - Still, Still, Still - violin solo
MP3 - Still, Still, Still - violin solo

11-30-2015 - Added Cello part per request v13.vc

PDF - Still, Still, Still - Cello solo

11-30-2015 - Transposed Score and created viola solo v1.1vla

PDF - Still, Still, Still - viola score
PDF - Still, Still, Still - viola solo

12-02-2015 - Transposed Soprano and Alto score.

PDF - Still, Still, Still - transposed SA

The First Noel

MP3 - The First Noel
PDF - The First Noel

Here is a joyful arrangement of The First Noel for your Ward Choir to do. It has some challenges, but with practice can be done. :) As always, if you use this piece, please leave me feedback. I love feedback. Thanks to Nathan Howe for helping me with some scoring issues. I'm still learning.

Christmas Star

MP3 - Christmas Star
PDF - Christmas Star

My wife came home from her Relief Society Christmas dinner with this poem in hand. I saw that it was written by anonymous, and after doing a search, I found it to be indeed anonymous. I know it had to have a tune to go with it, so tonight I set down and started playing around. This tune formulated. It would be suitable for a unison choir - either Young Men/Women or adults. I hope you like it.

A diamond shines no brighter than that lovely Christmas star.
It shines in all it's brilliance; it's seen from near and far.

Chorus

A symbol of the Christ child as He lay upon the hay,
It tells to ll the waiting world a King was born that day.

Chorus

Give us strength and hope and courage to do our best by far.
And never falter in our faith as we watch that Christmas star.

Chorus
O Bethlehem Star keep shining.
Give us faith and hope and love.
Keep our thoughts forever turning
to the Savior up above.

O Child of Mary's Tender Care

MP3 - O Child of Mary's Tender Care
PDF - O Child of Mary's Tender Care

I was looking over some public domain Christmas lyrics and this one in particular caught my eye. The words speak of the infant Christ Child and two things stuck out in my mind. First, the illumined eyes. I love that thought. And it is prophetic because His eyes will be illumined in the last days and on judgement day. The second thing that somehow caught caught my attention was that He is the balm for every sorrow that there is. It is comforting to me that through His atonement, He truly is our balm.

I later found out while finalizing this piece that a dear friend who found out weeks ago that he had inoperable cancer passed today. I am grateful that a loving Father in Heaven heard prayers and took Art home with little pain. He truly is a merciful God!
I hope you enjoy this latest offering for Christmas.

O Child of Mary's tender care!
O little Child so pure and fair!
Cradled within the manger hay
on that divine first Christmas day!
The hopes of every age and race
are centered in Thy radiant face!

O Child whose glory fills the earth!
O little Child of lowly birth!
The shepherds guided from afar,
stood worshipping beneath the star,
and wise men fell on bended knee
and homage offered unto Thee!

O Child of whom the angels sing!
O little Child, our infant King!
What balm for every sorrow lies
within those clear illumined eyes!
O precious gift to mortals given
and win us heritage in heaven!

Lamb of God in Manger Lay

MP3 - Lamb of God in Manger Lay
PDF - Lamb of God in Manger Lay

I came up with the tune in five minutes, and then put out a "plea" on social media. Kathy Blanco responded with some lyrics she just came up up with this morning. It was a beautiful match. I hope you enjoy this song.

Lamb of God in manger lay. 
Golden threads of nature's hay. 
Humbled low for men to rise. 
He has come from Heaven's skies. 

"Here Am I", said He with haste 
For mankind to save with grace. 
"Come thou near, and be at peace. 
Let despair from death now cease". 

Jesus came so we may live. 
Jesus came so we can give. 
Glorious would be that sight 
On that holy Christmas night. 

Earth and sky sing now with praise 
On this distant Christmas day. 
Lip to horn, and stick to drum,
Make it known that Christ is come.

Fantasia on a Christmas Carol

MP3 - Fantasia on a Christmas Carol
PDF - Fantasia on a Christmas Carol

This is the old French Carol, "Le sommeil de L'enfant-Jésus" (The Sleep of the Infant Jesus) arranged for piano solo. I hope you enjoy it.

Little Lamb

MP3 - Little Lamb
PDF - Little Lamb

I wanted to write a Christmas hymn that not only expresses the Savior's birth, but also tells of our divine truths - that it was, and is all part of Heavenly Father's plan. This could be sung in solos, sections, a Capella, and even a descant at the end. If you want the descant, let me know and I will be happy to do so. In the Christmas season approaching, may we all pause and stop to reflect on the little lamb born for all of us.

1. Little lamb in manger stall, 
ox and sheep in silence awed. 
We behold his tender face, 
Jesus, Savior of the human race. 

2. Little lamb, thy birth foretold 
from thy servants young and old. 
Prophesied from ages past 
now fulfilled our Savior comes at last. 

3. Little lamb, oh blessed One! 
Thou art God's begotten Son. 
Born to Mary, virgin mild. 
God incarnate and born mortal child. 

4. Little lamb, angels are here
and to shepherds they appear.
Telling them of joys and grace. 
Go to Bethlehem and go with haste. 

5. Little lamb, fulfill the plan 
back with Father it began 
when we heard these words divine: 
"Send me and the glory all be Thine!" 

6. Little lamb, our joy, our all! 
May our hearts receive the call. 
Loud hosannas, let us sing 
to our Lord, and lamb; Eternal King! 

See, Amid the Winter's Snow

MP3 - See, Amid the Winter's Snow
PDF - See, Amid the Winter's Snow

I've always loved this Christmas carol and wanted to do something with it. I decided on an a Capella piece that starts out with good old SATB, but then breaks out into TTBB and SSAA, joins back together and ends with SSAATTBB. The original had more verses, but I thought that that was too many, so I chopped them down.

The lyrics, while not LDS, speak very much of LDS truths and could be sung by a Ward Choir. I hope you enjoy it. Please leave feedback.

Shepherd, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep

MP3 -Shepherd, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep
PDF - Shepherd, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep

An old Christmas hymn that I've always loved. I re-arranged it a bit to make it more interesting for choir members. I hope you enjoy it.

1. Shepherd, shake off your drowsy sleep! 
Rise and leave your beloved sheep! Angels from heav'n around are singing, Tidings of great joy are bringing. Shepherd, the chorus come and swell! Sing Noel! O sing Noel! 

2. See how the flowr's all burst anew, Thinking snow is summer dew;See how the stars afresh are glowing All their brightest beams bestowing, Shepherd, the chorus come and swell! Sing Noel! O sing Noel! 

3. Shepherd, then up and quick away! Seek the babe ere break of day. He is the hope of ev'ry nation,All in Him shall find salvation. Shepherd, the chorus come and swell! Sing Noel! O sing Noel! 

O come O Come Emmanuel

MP3 - O Come O Come Emmanuel
PDF - O Come O Come Emmanuel

 I originally arranged this for a friend a couple years ago, but sadly they never performed it, so I revamped it a little. It is scored for Soprano, Alto, Piano and Cello. The Soprano range goes up to a high A, an the Alto part goes in the basement. :) I tried to transpose to make the voices a bit better, but couldn't find anything that suited me. Of course the voices could be played by any C-instrument and make a nice trio. The arrangement is a combination of O Come O Come Emmanuel and Lully Lullay (Coventry Carol) intertwined. I think it goes well together. I hope you enjoy it and please leave comments. :)

I'm Going to Bethlehem Tonight

MP3 - I'm going to Bethlehem Tonight
PDF - I'm going to Bethlehem Tonight

My Grandmother was given the gift of poetry. She wrote about many subjects and expressed her feelings and testimony in her poems. This is one of her poems that I set to music for Primary to sing at Christmas.

I'm going to Bethlehem tonight, it isn't very far. 
I passed some shepherds in a field who said they saw a star.
Far brighter than the noonday sun and while they watched spellbound, 
an angel came from heav'n above, and glory shone around. 

The angel told them of a child born in a lowly shed. 
With cattle lowing all about, and straw to lay his head. 
They said that angels sang with joy for this child they adored 
because he came to save the world, he is our Christ, the Lord. 


I'm on my way to Bethlehem, my heart is glad and light. 
With eagerness my footsteps go, I'm hast'ning through the night. 
I'll soon be at the manger there, the wondrous sight to see. 
I want someone to share this joy, so won't you come with me?