Alexander's Ragtime Band: SATB Choral Octavo
Music by Irving Berlin / arr. Philip Kern
Item: 00-PO-0004291
$2.95
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Celebrate the work of one of America's best loved composers with this exciting arrangement by Philip Kern. This ragtime show-stopper opens with short male and female solos, adds the tight harmonies of your SAB or SATB choir, swings into a scat section featuring a trumpet-like vocal solo, ritards to a cakewalk tempo, and finally crescendos to an amazing ending that may very well raise the roof of your auditorium. Feature your accompanist with the left hand stride accompaniment, add a ragtime instrumental ensemble with the optional SoundPax, or perform this one with the rousing SoundTrax CD. Publication includes optional staging suggestions. Featured on "On with the Show!" video, #21799.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
16
SKU:
00-PO-0004291
More about this title
About the Composer: Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin (1888-1989) stands as one of the most prolific and commercially successful songwriters in American history. His catalog spans nearly a century, from ragtime and jazz standards to Broadway musicals and film scores, with songs like "White Christmas," "Puttin' On the Ritz," and "God Bless America" becoming embedded in the cultural fabric of the United States. Berlin's gift for melody and his instinct for what audiences wanted made him a dominant force in popular music from the 1910s onward.
For choral directors, Berlin's work offers immediate accessibility and built-in audience appeal. His melodies are singable and memorable, his harmonies sit naturally in the voice, and his songs carry the energy and optimism that make concerts memorable. "Alexander's Ragtime Band" exemplifies his genius for creating infectious, propulsive material that engages both singers and listeners.
Why we love this
Philip Kern's arrangement transforms a beloved ragtime standard into a genuine crowd-pleaser that showcases multiple strengths of your choir. The mix of solo passages, scat singing, rhythmic precision, and dynamic contrasts keeps singers engaged while giving your accompanist meaningful work. The optional instrumentation and staging suggestions make this a natural showcase piece for a concert finale.
What to expect
Infectious and propulsive, with the stride and swagger of early twentieth-century ragtime. The piece moves through contrasting moods (solo showcase, tight ensemble singing, scat fun, cakewalk swagger) while maintaining forward momentum and genuine joy. By the end, the energy builds to a climax designed to bring the house down.
Who it's for
Directors programming a concert finale, a pops or nostalgia concert, or a spring show that needs a high-energy crowd-pleaser with serious singability. This octavo works for choirs comfortable with rhythmic precision and willing to commit to stylistic authenticity in the ragtime idiom.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock in the stride piano accompaniment early in rehearsals. The left-hand pattern drives the ragtime feel, so pianist and singers need to commit to the bounce together rather than fight it.
- Separate the scat section vocally. Those trumpet-like passages need clarity and crispness to land the intended comedy and energy; singers should shape each syllable with articulation rather than blending them away.
- Shape the cakewalk ritard deliberately. This tempo shift is a signal to your audience that something new is coming. Mark the transition clearly so singers slow with intention, not uncertainty.
- Balance the opening solos against the chorus entries that follow. If these solos are too buried, the audience misses the contrast that makes the full choir entrance effective.
How to use it
Reserve this for your final number on a concert where it can sustain and build energy without having to hand off to another piece. The optional staging suggestions and theatrical arrangement make it perfect for a concert with a show-choir energy or a benefit concert where entertainment value matters as much as musical refinement.
Skills your students will build
- Ragtime rhythm and syncopation, particularly in ensemble contexts
- Scat singing technique and articulation
- Solo confidence and character projection
- Rhythmic coordination between accompanist and choir
- Ensemble precision in tight, syncopated harmonies
- Stylistic authenticity in early twentieth-century popular music