Simplified Hymns

Slim Carols and Super Slim Carols

Within the Simplified Hymns page, the Christmas hymns and carols have been supplied with instrumental parts. As these arrangments are in three parts only, rather than the normal four, they are referred to on this site as Slim Carols. Each carol is also available in a two-part arrangement (Super Slim Carols), The second part, in each case is in double or invertiple counterpoint with the melody so any instrument may play the melody in any octave, and any instrument may play the second part in any octave, and the harmony will still make sense.

As some of the simplified accompaniments are available in two keys, instrumental parts are available for both keys.

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Slim Carols

Within each instrumental group the following downloads are available:

• Score:
  This presents all the parts so that a rehearsal leader can know what should be played. The scores don't show all the transposing instrument versions of each part.
• Melody
  Concert Pitch:
  this is for non-transposing instruments such as violin, flute, oboe etc. For some instruments, the melody may lie a little low, or even beyond the range of certain instruments (such as flutes and treble recorders). Players of these instruments will find a part at a suitable pitch under the Melody for solo or unison section.
  
  Transposing Bb instruments:
  this part is intended for trumpets, cornets, clarinets, soprano saxophones or any Bb transposing instrument which plays in the soprano register, just one tone lower than the written pitch.
• Middle
  Concert Pitch:
  For all the arrangements, the middle part goes no lower than the G below middle C, so it lies within the range of the violin.
  
  Transposing Bb instruments:
  As the middle parts go no lower than the G below middle C, they lie within range of Clarinets, trumpets and cornets in Bb.
  
  Transposing Eb instruments:
  Tenor horns (UK nomenclature) and alto saxophones will find this part useful.
  
  Horn in F:
  This is self explanatory. If (by any remote chance) a Cor Anglais becomes available, it could play this part.
  
  Viola:
  Again, self explanatory. An alto trombone could also play from these parts.

• Bass
  Concert Pitch:
  This part is intended for cellos, double basses, bassoons, and trombones playing as non-transposing instruments. Occasionally, the bass part goes beyond the conventional range of the double bass and the tenor trombone. For these cases, alternative notes are provided
  
  Transposing Bb instruments in treble clef:
  Brass players who are acustommed to using the treble clef (tenor trombone, euphonium, etc) will find this part useful.

• Melody for solo or unison verses
  Solo verses:
  It's likely that, sometimes, only a couple of instruments will be available and these, naturally, will want to play the melody - for which these parts are supplied. Most parts are written in two octaves so that players can choose to be bold or reticent, or to make sure that everyone has something within their instrumentals range.

• Unison verses:
  Occasionally, as relief from a solid harmonic texture, a verse may be taken purely as a unison melody without accompaniment, everyone playing the tune.

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Super Slim Carols

As mentioned above, Super Slim Carols are arranged in two parts only; in other words, the carol melody and a free part. The arrangements are such that ANY instrument may play the melody or the second part in ANY octave, and the harmony still obeys the so-called rules. For instance, a double bass could play the melody and a piccolo the second part, or vice versa, and all would still be well.

Here is an electronically generated example of The Angel Gabriel with the melody at the top and the second part as a bass:

Here is an electronically generated example of The Angel Gabriel with the melody in the bass and the second part at the top:

These Super Slim arrangements can have two functions:

• If you are fortunate enough to have an ensemble playing for a carol service, the Super Slim arrangements can be used to give some variety of texture;
• If an outdoor carol session has been arranged, there's no need to worry that a sufficiently large group of instruments will turn up; whoever you have can play these arrangements.

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Use

The primary purpose of providing the Slim Carols arrangements is to enable churches of slender means to enhance their carol services with almost any selection of instruments to hand. Somewhere amongst all the options of melody and other parts in various octaves, and allowances for Bb, F, and Eb transposing instruments, most instrumentalists will find something that they can play along with.

For the Slim Carols arrangements, various things come to mind.

• When accompanied by an organ or piano:
  1. It's not totally essential to have the bass part played;
  2. If all parts are played, some verses could be without keyboard;
  3. An occasional verse of unison melody only provides variety of texture and relief from seemingly endless verses with the same harmony;
  4. Occasionally, an instrument could play the middle part an octave or two higher - giving a quasi descant effect. Doing so may, in rare instances, result in consecutive 5ths, but these will be passed by before most people would notice them;
  5. You could arrange for varied instrumentation for each verses so that a carol seems fully orchestrated.
  6. Remember! that these arrangements are only compatible with the simplified hymn and carol arrangements on this site, not with any others.
• When used without accompaniment:
  7. All of the above apply, apart from (1) and (2);

For the Super Slim arrangements:

8. REMEMBER!! THESE ARRANGEMENTS ARE ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAROL MELODY - NOT, NEVER, AND AT NO TIME WITH ANY OTHER ARRANGEMENT ON THIS SITE OR ELSEWHERE!!

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