A Seasonal Madrigal Cover Image

A Seasonal Madrigal: 2-Part Choral Octavo

$1.65 USD
$1.65 USD
Skip to product information
A Seasonal Madrigal Cover Image
A Seasonal Madrigal: 2-Part Choral Octavo

A Seasonal Madrigal: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Music by Sally K. Albrecht

Item: 00-21769
$1.65
Shipped

One moment…

Description
This has got to be one of Sally's most ingenious compositions. It's an original madrigal (with all of the solid choral harmonies, and festive fa-la-la's associated with Renaissance classics) that unfolds into the traditional chorus of The Holly and the Ivy, returns to the original madrigal, beautifully combines the two themes, and finishes with a spirited refrain of We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Listen closely, there may even be some Deck the Hall woven into the multi-layered texture. Joyous a cappella singing for SATB and 3-part choirs (with optional baritone), or with a supportive piano accompaniment in the 2-part edition.

A Seasonal Madrigal: 2-Part Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

Sample Audio
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
UPC: 038081211626
SKU: 00-21769

More about this title

About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht has shaped American choral music for over three decades as a composer, conductor, and clinician with particular expertise in movement-integrated choral performance. A recipient of the ASCAP Special Music Award annually since 1987, she has published more than 600 choral works alongside 75 larger musicals and songbooks. Her conducting has led honor choirs at prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center, and she served for many years as Director of School Choral, Vocal, and Elementary Publications at Alfred Music.

Albrecht holds degrees from Rollins College (B.A. in Music and Theater, 1976), the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama, 1977; M.M. in Accompanying, 1979), and has taught at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College. She was honored with the Distinguished Alumna Award from both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College in 2021, and previously chaired the Board of Trustees for the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society.

Why we love this

Albrecht's gift for musical architecture shines here: she layers four beloved carols into a seamless arc without sacrificing the authentic madrigal texture that opens the piece. The construction feels inevitable rather than contrived, rewarding singers with moments of genuine harmonic surprise while keeping the arrangement accessible for 2-part voices. A piece this tuneful and joyous rarely offers this much musical sophistication.

What to expect

A carefully wrapped gift that keeps unfolding. The Renaissance madrigal opening establishes a warm, intimate atmosphere before familiar melodies surface like memories emerging from beneath snow. The piece sparkles with recognition without ever feeling sentimental, balancing nostalgia with genuine musical invention through its layered textures and harmonic sophistication.

Who it's for

Choirs with 2-part capabilities who want more than surface-level holiday music. The arrangement works for treble and lower voice configurations, making it accessible to middle school through community ensembles seeking authentic choral writing with festive appeal.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the original madrigal's phrases with attention to the text painting in the fa-la-la sections; these syllables invite rhythmic lightness and clarity of articulation.
  • Balance the transition into "The Holly and the Ivy" by treating it as a return home rather than a shift in style; the harmonic language connects naturally if you let the melody breathe.
  • Reserve full energy for the closing refrain of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Build gradually through the combined themes so this final section feels earned and celebratory.
  • If using piano accompaniment, allow the instrumental part to anchor harmonic movement during modulations between carols; this becomes especially valuable when rehearsing parts separately.

How to use it

This works best as an anchor piece in a winter concert where it can open a holiday section, its originality contrasting nicely with straightforward carol arrangements that follow. Alternatively, program it near the concert's close to leave audiences with something both festive and unexpectedly intricate, proving that holiday music and serious musicianship are not mutually exclusive.

Skills your students will build

  • Blending of independent melodic lines in homophonic and madrigal textures
  • Recognition and performance of period-style harmonic language
  • Smooth transitions between related keys and thematic material
  • Stylistic flexibility moving between Renaissance and modern tonal idioms
  • Diction and articulation in fa-la-la sections and period text

You May Also Like