Christmas is coming ...

In an effort to promote singing in the family, Carus-Verlag has already published a whole series of beautifully designed songbooks (cf. SMZ 4/2010, S. 35), also a volume for Christmas. The Christmas carols are also available in choral settings, in several versions: for four-part mixed choir, for three-part choir with two female and one male voice and, most recently, for choir of equal voices (SSA/SSAA). The volumes offer a large pool of stylistically diverse and singable arrangements from all eras. Numerous renowned composers from Poland, Denmark, England, Japan, South America, Italy, the Netherlands and Lithuania have been recruited for the choral settings. Traditional movements are also represented.

The three-part choir book takes the current instrumentation situation into account. It offers 84 movements of easy to medium difficulty. The four-part book is aimed at choirs with large ensembles. It contains around 130 arrangements for four to eight voices. 69 movements can be found in the volume for choirs of equal voices. They can be performed a cappella or with a keyboard instrument. The editions for choir directors each include a CD recording with a selection of song movements, recorded with the Orpheus vocal ensemble or the Ulmer Spatzenchor.

Christmas carols, choir book for three voices, for female voices and one male voice a cappella or with keyboard instrument, edited by Armin Kircher; choir director's book with CD, CV 2.130/00, € 29.90; choir edition, CV 2.130/05, € 14.90; Carus, Stuttgart 2012

id., Chorbuch vierstimmig, for four or more voices a cappella or with keyboard instrument, ed. by Klaus Brecht and Klaus K. Weigele; Chorleiterband mit CD, CV 2.140/00, € 34.90; Chorausgabe, CV 2.140/05, € 16.90

id, Chorbuch gleichstimmig (SSA/SSAA), edited by Klaus K. Weigele, Klaus Brecht and Hans de Bilde, Chorleiterband mit CD, CV 2.135/00, € 23.90; Chorausgabe, CV 2.135/05, € 11.50 Carus, Stuttgart 2013