Review

Johnny Marks
A Holly Jolly Christmas:

Arranged by Lisa Albrecht

Three tenors, one bass trombone

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 1962 / 2019
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

Many Americans were introduced to Johnny Marks’ song A Holly Jolly Christmas through the 1964 animated Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Sung in that film by Burl Ives, this popular Christmas song has been heard in repeated airings of that special as well as in versions by Michael Bublé, Lady Antebellum, and others many times in the intervening half-century. Lisa Albrecht, second trombonist of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, has arranged this song for trombone quartet. This, and other of her arrangements, including several other Christmas songs, are available from Cherry Classics Music.

This version is in a bouncy swing style, with every part getting at least a short section of the melody. Following the opening statement of the tune, Albrecht introduces a Dixieland version with improvisation-inspired passages in the top three parts. The range of the parts is not extreme, meaning this arrangement will be playable by a wide variety of performers. The first trombone part does not go above b1. The bass trombone part includes a GG at the end, though an optional G is provided as well. Performers are expected to be comfortable in jazz idioms. Parts and score are clearly laid out and rendered and performers will find them easy to digest.

Lisa Albrecht has given us a nice version of a popular Christmas song. Perfect for Christmas caroling and other holiday revelry, this arrangement is a welcome addition to the repertoire.