In ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, I hope to recreate some of the excitement I felt as a daydreaming child, during the magical holiday season. For this reason, as the music begins, there is an ethereal quality, as if it were all a dream. But, as dreams begin to seem more real as they progress, so the music takes on a more tangible quality as well.

The prologue begins with a dramatic musical “Once-Upon-A-Time,” as we travel north in the blowing snow. Eventually, we settle into a bustling workshop of Saint Nicholas and his elves, as preparations are being made for St. Nick’s nocturnal trip. The jolly theme for St. Nicholas is introduced by the tubist, who is joined by the piccolo player. Later, we hear sleigh bells as St. Nick mounts his sleigh and takes off on his annual Christmas journey. As the prologue ends, we see him (and his entourage) disappear, in a flash, into the distance. Here, then, the themes and motives have all been exposed, and the stage is set for the narrator to begin the reading. The underscoring continues the themes and motives we heard in the prologue.

Ideally, the narrator should be an older man – a “grandfatherly” character, perhaps even costumed in corresponding “grandfatherly” clothing. He may be reading from an old, worn book – possibly with a child sitting on his lap.

Duration: approximately 6 minutes

– Drew R. Fennell

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