Randol Alan Bass Christmas Flourish
Randol Alan Bass Christmas Flourish Program Notes
American composer, conductor, pianist and singer Randol Alan Bass was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1953, and is active mainly in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, following studies in Texas and Ohio (including a Masters degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music). His arrangements and compositions have been performed and recorded by orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Pops, Buffalo Philharmonic and countless others. The Christmas Flourish was commissioned and premiered by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1992, and has been performed extensively by orchestras and choruses throughout the world since then. The following carols appear without interruption in this order: Shiloh (by William Billings, USA 1746-1800) Joy to the World (melody possibly written by Handel) Silent Night (by Franz Xaver Gruber, Austria, 1787-1863) Angels We Have Heard on High (origins varied, melody arranged by Edward Shippen Barnes, USA, 1887-1958)Christmas Flourish is a festive orchestral fanfare by American composer Randol Alan Bass, designed to open holiday concerts with energy and celebration. Bass is known for his accessible, tuneful compositional style that connects readily with general audiences.
Bass composed Christmas Flourish in the late twentieth or early twenty-first century as part of his output of orchestral works, many of which have been written for and premiered by American regional orchestras.
A typical performance lasts approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Listen for the bold brass writing and the festive rhythmic energy that make this an ideal concert opener. Bass combines familiar holiday atmosphere with confident orchestral craft to create a piece that immediately puts audiences in a celebratory mood.
Bass has devoted much of his career to writing music that bridges the gap between the concert hall and general audiences. His works have been performed by orchestras across the United States and reflect his belief that contemporary classical music can and should communicate directly with listeners.
