66 Festive & Famous Chorales for Band: E-flat Baritone Saxophone Book

Erickson's arranging philosophy shines here: 66 chorales that work equally well as full band warm-ups or sectional material, without sacrificing the integrity of the original melodies. The SATB scoring means your saxophone section gets genuine musical lines rather than filler, and the range of repertoire (festive to meditative) gives you programming flexibility for any rehearsal mood. Most band directors return to this book year after year because it solves the perpetual warm-up problem while actually developing musicianship.

Familiar hymns and chorales take on fresh color through Erickson's four-part arrangements. The music ranges from stately and grounded to brightly energetic, with enough harmonic substance that you feel anchored in the ensemble rather than padding out a wall of sound. Each chorale unfolds quickly enough to feel complete even at a modest tempo.

Baritone saxophonists in concert band, from advancing middle school players through high school and amateur ensembles. This book works for saxophonists who need reliable, musically rewarding warm-up material and for those ready to develop nuance in phrasing and intonation.

• Listen across the SATB parts even when playing as a saxophone section alone. The baritone sax often carries harmonic foundation; locking your sound with the inner voices improves ensemble balance more than chasing the soprano line.
• Treat phrasing as a conversation between parts. In quartets and smaller ensembles, the absence of doubling means every breath and phrase shape becomes audible; plan them deliberately rather than defaulting to phrase-ending dynamics.
• Match articulation to harmonic function. Sustained tones under moving lines need different tonguing and air support than notes in sequential figures; shift your approach mid-chorale if the texture changes.
• Use the range of tempos across the 66 to develop control at different speeds. Slower chorales expose intonation and tone quality; faster ones demand rhythmic precision and articulation clarity.

Open rehearsal with one or two chorales as musicianship-focused warm-ups before tackling the week's main repertoire. They work equally well as sectional material when the full band isn't meeting, and you can pull individual chorales for special concert moments (ceremony processionals, festive closers) without needing additional arrangements.

• Intonation and balance in SATB textures
• Phrasing with shaped dynamics and breath placement
• Harmonic awareness and voice leading
• Articulation choices that match harmonic function
• Reading and performing at varied tempos