Customer Reviews for The Winter Star
Patricia M. Fort
Location: from DeLand, Florida
Difficulty Level:
Early intermediate
January 10, 2008
An Excellent Alternative to Rudolph and Frosty
Malcolm Williamson's "cassation" "Winter Star" is an excellent musicale for children in elementary school. The group I performed it with liked it so much they asked to do it a second time a year or so later. Williamson's music can be learned quickly by rote as long as they have the text in writing. It is a good alternative to the biblical Christmas story (e.g. instead of 3 Magi it has "the courts of the kings of the earth," which allows for a larger group of children than just three). The inclusion of an aria for parents or adults allows expansion to include a few adult singers. Like Williamson's other cassations (we also did "Knights in Shining Armor"), it can be learned and costumed and staged by the children within a weekend or a few days. The music compares favorably with the standard Christmas carol repertoire and is such that children remember it for a long time.
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