Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: http://read.jwpepper.com/i/69933
FOREWORD Christmas night—what a glorious night of rejoicing it was! What a glorious time of rejoicing the Christmas season continues to be all around the world! The Christmas story seems to be ever new in each retelling. The music of Christmas—whether the time-honored traditional carols or new and fresh songs of the season—warms our hearts each year as we once again celebrate the birth of Jesus and gather in homes and churches to worship Emmanuel: God with Us. Through music, narration and scripture, A Night for Rejoicing follows the age-old journey from the time when Godʼs people rejoiced in hope as they heard the Old Testament prophets foretell the coming of the promised Messiah, to a day when a young woman from Nazareth rejoiced in the astonishing news brought to her by an angel, and finally, to that star-filled night in Bethlehem when shepherds and angels proclaimed the news that has been cause for rejoicing around the world in the centuries since. It is our prayer that A Night for Rejoicing will fill your hearts with the love that entered our world on that first, glorious Christmas night! Lee Dengler Susan Naus Dengler PROGRAM NOTES A Night for Rejoicing is a 35-minute cantata featuring: • Narration (including scripture passages) to be read by one or two readers • Familiar carols as well as newly composed music • Delightfully upbeat tunes as well as slow worshipful music • 8 choral movements (including final reprise prelude, and underscore) • Optional opportunities for congregational involvement • Optional part for childrenʼs choir • Female solo (Mary) • The piano accompaniment can be augmented by an optional chamber orchestra for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, timpani, percussion, cello and handbells (3-4 octaves). Although A Night for Rejoicing was written to be performed in its entirety, as a complete work, the individual movements may also be used appropriately in a variety of worship settings during the Advent and Christmas season. Preview Copy