B1761
2
About the Music
Not your typical Christmas arrangement, that’s for sure! This colorful piece puts a new
twist on traditional Christmas tunes with its klezmer (traditional East European Jewish
folk music) style accompaniment. This creative combination reects a common phenomenon
today: families who celebrate both Christmas and Chanukah.
The piece borrows from several characteristic klezmer forms. The opening starts off
with a Doina (pronounced DOY-nuh), which is traditionally an improvised (and virtuosic)
cadenza over a simple and slow-moving harmonic backdrop. If you listen carefully to
this section, you can pick out part of Jingle Bells. We Wish You a Merry Christmas has
been set as a Bulgar (also called a Freylehk, pronounced FRAY-luch, with a “soft” ch),
which is a lively circle dance with a characteristic rhythm that puts accents on beat one,
the “and” of two, and four. For contrast, I chose a Khosidl (pronounced CHUH-si-dl,
with a soft “ch”) for Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. This is a slower, more restrained
dance. And what Jewish music would be complete without a “shout chorus”? That explains
measures 54-55. I went for fast-and-happy for the ending, making Deck the Halls into a
Sher (pronounced SHARE). The traditional Jewish tune, The Dreidel Song, makes a
cameo appearance right before the end.
The characteristic klezmer scales, which are minor (in the various forms of the minor
scale), transform the melodies to sound Jewish, and the use of the Ahava Raba mode,
with the wonderful augmented second, brings out the most recognizably Jewish avor.
Thanks to my editor, Brian Balmages for the inspiration of this piece! Although he
knows I‘m Jewish, he asked me to write a Christmas piece and came up with this creative
concept. I hope bands will have as much fun playing the music as I did writing it!
- Lauren Bernofsky
The Arranger
Lauren Bernofsky has written over a hundred works, including solo, chamber, and choral
music, as well as larger-scale works for orchestra, lm, musicals, opera, and ballet.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in violin and composition from The Hartt School, a master's
degree in composition from New England Conservatory, and a doctorate in composition
from Boston University. She has taught at Interlochen and The Peabody Institute and is
currently Music Director of the Musical Arts Youth Organization (MAYO) in Bloomington,
IN. She also serves as a clinician and guest conductor at schools, universities, and regional
festivals.
Bernofsky has received grants from The National Foundation for the Advancement of
the Arts, The American Music Center, and The American Composers Forum. Her music
has won the National Flute Association’s Newly Published Music Competition, the Longfellow
Chorus Award of Distinction, and an Excellence in Composition Award from the Brass
Chamber Music Forum. Her compositions have been commissioned by The Del Mar
Trio, The Holyoke Civic Symphony, The Litcheld County Children's Choir, The South
Shore Conservatory, Sinfonia Calcania of Boston, The Harford Ballet, Reimagining Opera
for Kids, Voces Novae, the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, and many others.
Her music has been performed across the United States as well as internationally, and it
is often heard at festivals and conferences, including The Midwest Clinic, International
Women’s Brass Conference, and the International Trumpet Guild Conference. Dr. Bernofsky’s
music can be heard on the Polarfonia, Emeritus, Music to My Ears, Blue Grifn, MSR
Classics, and Albany labels.