Music: Happy Birthday, Jesus

Song arrangement
Happy Birthday, Jesus
Arranged by Gavin Whitehouse
www.music.use-salvationarmy.org/pubs/abj.html

Composer, Paul McGhee reviews ‘a welcome addition to many a Christmas concert’ from Triumphonic Productions

Christmas music from the Salvation Army has, for many years, been a staple of brass band festive concerts and this evocative arrangement by Gavin Whitehouse is sure to be a welcome addition to many a Christmas concert. Originally written for the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir by its Musical Director, Carol Cymbala, this short and lyrical composition fits the homogeneous sound of the brass band very well indeed.

With melodic lines accompanied sympathetically, and the choral writing well-balanced and well-scored, this is an arrangement that could be ready for performance within a short time frame and would be the perfect accompaniment to one of those pieces that leaves the ears ringing. Happy Birthday, Jesus is arranged within a scaled down flexible score and could easily be used for those Christmas concerts where a full band is not possible, or not required.

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