Here We Come A’Caroling

The eighth piece in the concert, entitled Here We Come A’Caroling, was arranged by Rob Romeyn (see below) in 2008.

As suggested by the title, the arrangement features mostly the traditional English Christmas carol and New Year song, Here We Come A-Caroling (in England, it is more commonly called Here We Come A-Wassailing). It is typically sung while wassailing, or singing carols, wishing good health and exchanging gifts door to door.

The song dates from at least the mid 19th century, but is probably much older. According to Reader's Digest; “the Christmas spirit often made the rich a little more generous than usual, and bands of beggars and orphans used to dance their way through the snowy streets of England, offering to sing of good cheer and to tell good fortune if the householder would give them a drink from his wassail bowl or a penny or a pork pie or, let them stand for a few minutes beside the warmth of his hearth. The wassail bowl itself was a hearty combination of hot ale or beer, apples, spices and mead, just alcoholic enough to warm tingling toes and fingers of the singers.”

But this arrangement also includes a lengthy presentation of the Welsh folksong Ar Hyd y Nos (English: All Through the Night). The tune was first recorded in Edward Jones’ Musical and Poetical Relics of the Welsh Bards (1784). The most commonly sung Welsh lyrics were written by John Ceiriog Hughes (1832-1887), and have been translated into several languages, including English (most famously by Harold Boulton (1859–1935) and Breton. One of the earliest English versions, to different Welsh lyrics by one John Jones, was by Thomas Oliphant in 1862. The song is also sometimes considered a Christmas carol, and as such has been performed by many artists on Christmas albums, including Olivia Newton-John and Michael McDonald, who sang it as a duet on Newton-John's 2007 album Christmas Wish. Cerys Matthews sang it solo on her 2010 album Tir.

This imaginative arrangement actually begins with brief quotes of Joy to the World and I Saw Three Ships before transitioning into Here We Come A’Caroling. There are also fragments of Jingle Bells, Good King Wenceslas, and Angels We Have Heard on High scattered through the arrangement.

Arranger Rob Romeyn (b. 1961) has served as a performer, conductor, educator and as a composer and arranger. As a band director, he has directed bands from the elementary level to adult community groups. His first composition for band was published at age 19. His ability to write effective and educationally sound music for bands and string orchestras of all levels can be attributed to his vast teaching experiences.

Many elementary, middle school, high school, university, community bands and string orchestras worldwide have performed his arrangements and compositions. He has been commissioned to write for marching band, concert band, string orchestra and jazz ensemble. His concert band and orchestra music is on many state required music lists. Many of his works are featured as “Editor’s Choice” selections at all levels by major music distributors. His music has seen extensive airplay worldwide. Many of his arrangements have been featured on national television, including portions of the Peach Bowl halftime shows for 2000-2001, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Mr. Romeyn is a member of the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers. He is in demand as a guest conductor for honor bands, and regularly accepts new commissions. His conducting and rehearsal style has been described as inspiring and energetic.

Mr. Romeyn received a M.M. Ed. Degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He served as staff arranger for the University of Louisiana at Monroe “Sound of Today” band from 1983-1986. His graduate assistant duties at ULM in addition to arranging included conducting the university concert band and the basketball pep band. Mr. Romeyn also served as staff arranger at James Madison University. He was the director of the St. Petersburg Community Band in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1994-2013.

The music for Here We Come A’Caroling was purchased for the band by Stephanie and Bill Magnusson.