DESCRIPTION

“A Symphony of Carols” features ten carol arrangements woven together into a single 45-minute work. Creative bridges join all the carols together to create a diverse but cohesive tapestry of music. The work is scored for choir, soprano soloist, chamber orchestra, and organ.

(This work is not available for performance.)

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♦  The carols included in “A Symphony of Carols” are:

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Susani
Personent Hodie
From Heaven Above to Earth I Come
See, Amid the Winter's Snow
I Saw Three Ships
Once in Royal David's City (an original setting of the text)
The Coventry Carol
Ding Dong! Merrily on High
O Come, All Ye Faithful

♦  You can hear sound clips in the section below.

♦  Click here to learn more about my choral music.

SOUND CLIPS

Sound clips from “A Symphony of Carols”

Please note that all sound clips on this website are copyright by Peter Bloesch,
with all rights reserved. Any unauthorized use or duplication of this music is prohibited.

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“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”  (beginning of the entire work)

“Susani”  (middle of carol)

“Personent Hodie”  (bridge from “Susani” into “Personent Hodie”)

“See, Amid the Winter's Snow”  (beginning of carol)

“See, Amid the Winter's Snow”  (ending of carol)

“I Saw Three Ships”  (complete carol)

Transition from “The Coventry Carol” into “Ding Dong! Merrily on High”

Transition from “Ding Dong!” into “O Come, All Ye Faithful”

“O Come, All Ye Faithful”  (middle of carol — a choral fugue)

“O Come, All Ye Faithful”  (ending of the entire work)

AVAILABILITY

You can order this CD directly from me, for the cost of $15 (plus shipping and handling).

Please note that very limited quantities remain, so this CD may sell out in the near future.

Please contact me for ordering instructions.

REVIEWS

Robert Lindsey Nassif, Broadway composer:

“Peter, every year I love playing your CD of 'A Symphony of Carols.' It's my favorite holiday CD and really captures the magic and majesty of the season.  

Your arrangements are so creative, masterful, and imaginative, and always put me immediately in the holiday spirit!”

— Robert Lindsey-Nassif, Award-winning Broadway composer

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Dr. Gerhard Krapf, composer:

“Peter, I am most impressed by your composition, 'A Symphony of Carols,' and its wonderful 'rightness,' integrity, and sincerity.

You have selected a beautiful sequence of carols, have mastered the formal challenge, and have embued the piece with a cohesive musical message — and all of this supported by your fine compositional technique, sense of color (beautiful scoring), and instrumentation. Congratulations!”

— Dr. Gerhard Krapf, Composer, and Founder of the Organ Department at the University of Iowa School of Music

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Dr. Eldon Obrecht, professor of composition:

“Peter, your composition, 'A Symphony of Carols,' is an impressive achievement — a compositional tour de force.

I appreciated the variety in both the length and technique of your transitions between carols. I appreciated, even envied, the skill of your choral part-writing.  

You have created an effective and well-crafted work. It should have a place in the standard choral repertoire.”

— Dr. Eldon Obrecht, former Professor of Music Theory, Composition, and Double Bass at the University of Iowa School of Music

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Audience comments:

“The 'Symphony of Carols' concert was absolutely magnificent! Words are not enough to describe how beautiful the music was. You could feel in your spirit the joy and meaning of the Christmas season.”

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“Dear Peter, your 'Symphony of Carols' was really great. As I listened, I kept thinking I should be seeing the big screen, since your music was so full of drama!”

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“We were really so impressed with Peter’s writing for voices and instruments in ‘A Symphony of Carols.’ We especially enjoyed the brilliant prelude to ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ and the quietly reverent ‘Personent Hodie’ with its gorgeous brass interludes.”

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“'A Symphony of Carols' is really one of the most delightful and delighting pieces I've ever sung. Wonderful choral writing, Peter!”

— Comment from one of the singers in the debut performance