Light the Way

Description

Set as a light jazz waltz, arranger Peter Blair has done a great job of making this traditional carol fresh and interesting without obscuring the tuneful melody. The ensemble is featured throughout, with plenty of melodic material for everyone.

Program Notes

Based on the traditional French carol “Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella” this slightly “jazzed-up” version is called “Light the Way”. It is always a bit of a challenge to do an arrangement of a well-known carol…the original intent of the melody and harmony need to be adhered to, but there also needs to be enough new material to make the music sound current and up to date. In this version, the melody is presented in a way that will make it totally recognizable to the audience with just a couple of rhythmic twists. I did take a few liberties with the harmony to freshen it up a bit, but certainly nothing too crazy. I hope that this will help add a bit of sparkle to your holiday concert.