Dan Sharp: Recommended Choral Anthems for Advent and Christmas, Part 1

A Christmas Garland, Conrad Susa

SATB—ECS Publishing No.4365
For voices, congregation, organ or brass or orchestra. Extended choral setting of various carols.

A Spotless Rose, Herbert Howells

SATB—Galaxy Music Corp. No.220
A cappella; great piece!

Allons, gai, gai, G. Costeley

SATB—Broude Brothers
(Come Shepherds and See sung in French and English)

Angels We Have Heard on High, arr. Jackson Berkey

SATB—Soli Deo Gloria Press SDG 91-101
A cappella

Betelehemu, Jonathan Crutchfield

SATB—Pedagogue Press PDG-1001
Outstanding African piece full of percussion
Score image / Publisher’s link

Candlelight Carol, John Rutter

SATBB—Hinshaw Publishing HMC-798
Publisher’s link with score image
Additional Rutter pieces that work well: Child in a Manger, Star Carol, Angels Carol, Jesus Child

Christmas Day, Gustav Holst

SATB—Novello 1001-22
Setting of four carols with full orchestra and/or organ
Score image

Deck the Halls in 7/8, arr. James McKelvy

SATB—Mark Foster MF 605
Very fun
Score image

Fanfare for Christmas, Lloyd Pfautsch

SATB—Harold Flammer A-5003
Call to Worship with brass (2 tpt 2 tbn)

Go Tell It on the Mountain, arr. Paul Sjolund

SATB—Hinshaw HMC-543
Gospel jazz arrangement with soloist
Publisher’s link with score image

Go Tell It on the Mountain, arr. Harold Best

SATB—Hope Publishing

He Came Here for Me, Ron Nelson

SATB—Boosey and Hawkes 5370

He Is Born, Roger Wagner

SATB—Lawson-Gould 663

Here the Joyful News (from Cantata #141), J.S. Bach

SATB—Galaxy Music Corp 1.2174
With keyboard or orchestra

Hodie Christus Natus Est, Healy Willan

SATB with divisi—Carl Fischer CM 469
A cappella, terrific!
Score image

The Holly and the Ivy, arr. Robert Shaw

SATB—Lawson-Gould 10187

I Saw Three Ships, arr. Mack Wilberg

SATB—Hinshaw Publishing HMC-923
Piano 4 hands or small orchestration
Publisher’s link with score image

King Herod, Richard Smith

SATB—AMSI
A frightening piece on the rage of King Herod over the birth of Jesus; not your standard “sweet baby in the manger piece”!

Originally posted October 2007

About the author

DWS 703 Professor and Minister of Worship Arts at the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, FL.

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