Christmas Eve for String Orchestra

Christmas Eve

(No. 1 of the suite Feast Days of the Church Year, Op. 66, 1897)

By Otto Manning
Arranged by William J. Bullock

Grade 4
Duration: 2:15

Capture the quiet beauty and growing warmth of Christmas Eve with this expressive string orchestra arrangement of Otto Manning’s evocative organ work. Originally published in 1897 as part of Die Festtage des Kirchenjahres, this piece blends pastoral charm with a rich, late-Romantic sound world.

Beginning with gently rocking and rising themes, the music gradually unfolds before introducing the beloved melody of Silent Night, seamlessly woven into the texture. The work builds to a full, radiant conclusion, offering a rewarding emotional arc for both performers and audiences.

This arrangement for string orchestra preserves the original’s depth and sonority while enhancing playability and ensemble flexibility. Double stops are idiomatic and effective, with optional divisi to suit ensembles of varying sizes and skill levels.

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Instrumentation
Numbers shown in parentheses are the part counts included in the physical set. When ordering extra parts, be sure to include which parts are needed in the order notes when you check out.