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Looking for recommendations for Christmas books for brass ensemble that are very sight readable. Thinking something like the Salvation Army books, if they are available for sale as PDF's even better. Thanks in advance.

For something REALLY simple (like "play in your sleep" simple) and for arbitrarily mixed instrumentation in four parts, you might look at "Play a Song of Christmas" by Ruth L. Zimmerman, Theodore Presser Co. You can get a CD-ROM with piano accompaniment and lyric sheets.

The books contain 35 familiar Christmas songs. Many of them are around 20 bars. Some are twice as long. You can add repeats in them as the mood moves you. Each book contains the "A" (melody) part and one of the harmony parts (B, C, or D). Mix & match.

For 'no rehearse' pick-up Christmas gigs my community band used Hal Leonard's "Christmas Favorites" and the Holmes "Christmas Carols".

Provide an email address. I have something that might be of use.

The Salvation Army Carolers' Favorites books are available from the SA. I believe you can also get them from Pender's Music.

Mark wrote:The Salvation Army Carolers' Favorites books are available from the SA. I believe you can also get them from Pender's Music.

Specifically, you can order them here: http://www.music.use-salvationarmy.org/pubs/carol.html. They usually are extremely prompt in delivery.

--Frank

I own a set of the newer-edition SA books, and due to the compact printing, occasional unexpected chords and rhythms, and iirc, the one or two "where'd that repeat/d.s. go?", I'd characterize them as sight-readable, but not VERY sight-readable.
Especially if the light isn't great (common problem for some of my Christmas caroling), and the eyes are *ahem* "middle aged".
I like using them, though, due to their inclusion of contemporary tunes, like "Feliz Navidad", "Blue Christmas", "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", etc.,

I also own a (large) set of these ("Christmas Time" Forrest Buchtel):
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/chr ... sic/272847" target="_blank"
which I default to when our group includes less-facile sight-readers (middle- and, sadly, many high-schoolers), or we need more flexibility.
I've found them to be VERY sight-readable, and they sound fine with just about any group size or instrument blend that I've thrown at them. They have optional intros, they sound fine looping 2x or 3x, and they're numbered, so it's easy to call out the next tune and keep everyone synched.
They're also cheap, so they're easily replaced when they walk away at the end of a gig.

Both the SA and the Buchtel are in small folio form and can be readily hand- or lyre-held, although the SA books can be a bit heavy for the more flimsy lyres, especially when you're trying to quickly page-flip while wearing gloves.

I have the Holmes as well, and an advantage of them is that they are both readable and fit in a lyre.

Another great "little book" somewhat related to Christmas is the similarly sized "35 Famous Chorales: Songs and Intonation Studies" by Paul Yoder and James Gillette. It seems now to be "permanently out of print". If anyone knows of something like it (in terms of both content, difficulty, and small size), I'd like to hear of it.

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SA has a fairly new book available with 36 arrangements including 2 perc and Eb cornet part

http://www.jwpepper.com/10096356.item#.UqnfLUCPCOM" target="_blank

Ditto "Play a Song of Christmas" by Ruth L. Zimmerman, Theodore Presser Co. Easy, sound good.
Something sounding a bit different is "Christmas Celebration" Bill Moffit's Soundpower, Hal Leonard. . . As long as you have melody and a 2nd part harmony, they seem to accommodate a variety of instrumentation, 3 or 4 part (and up, of course). Tuba part's occasionally interesting or can use 3rd trombone.

tokuno wrote: I also own a (large) set of these ("Christmas Time" Forrest Buchtel):
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/chr ... sic/272847" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank"
which I default to when our group includes less-facile sight-readers (middle- and, sadly, many high-schoolers), or we need more flexibility.
I've found them to be VERY sight-readable, and they sound fine with just about any group size or instrument blend that I've thrown at them. They have optional intros, they sound fine looping 2x or 3x, and they're numbered, so it's easy to call out the next tune and keep everyone synched.
They're also cheap, so they're easily replaced when they walk away at the end of a gig.

I just discovered these this season.

An added benefit is that they also have a solo book for tuba/bass in BBb

The SA books look promising and enough material for a three hour set!!