Angels We Have Heard on High: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Shaw refuses to let 'Angels We Have Heard on High' sound like every other Christmas concert arrangement. The 5/4 verses ground the piece in contemporary harmonic thinking while the jazz waltz refrain swings hard, keeping your singers engaged with metric variety and genuinely singable jazz voicing. The optional flute solo (free to download) adds sophistication without requiring additional instrumentation, and the recorded accompaniment locks in the groove so your choir can focus on blend and phrasing rather than keeping time.

Warm, urbane, and playfully sophisticated. The 5/4 verses feel gently unsettled, inviting the listener into unfamiliar harmonic space, while the jazz waltz refrain settles into a breezy swing that's both relaxed and very much alive. This is a carol for singers and audiences who appreciate subtlety alongside tradition.

This octavo works for intermediate to advanced choirs seeking fresh approaches to holiday standards. Your singers need comfort with jazz harmony and rhythmic independence (especially in the 5/4 sections), but Shaw's writing sits easily on the voice and rewards careful rehearsal with a performance that feels effortless.

• Establish the 5/4 meter clearly in rehearsal by subdividing it as 3+2 or 2+3 depending on where the harmonic pulse sits. Have singers speak the rhythm on syllables before adding pitch.
• The jazz waltz refrain floats differently than the verses; use the recorded accompaniment to nail the swing feel and pocket without losing the melodic line underneath.
• If you're adding the optional flute solo, rehearse the choir alone first to secure blend and intonation, then layer in the flute part so it sits naturally above the texture.
• The mellow character Shaw notates depends on relaxed vowels and minimal vibrato. Focus your section work on vowel matching across parts rather than dynamic volume.

Position this as a mid-program wind in your holiday concert, after heavier pieces and before a final rousing selection. Its contemporary harmonic language and rhythmic sophistication also make it ideal for spring jazz or contemporary choral concerts, where it can anchor a mixed-season program or showcase your choir's versatility beyond traditional holiday fare.

• Reading and performing in 5/4 time signature
• Jazz harmony voicing and blend
• Swing feel and rhythmic pocket
• Contrast in interpretation between metric and tonal contexts
• Secure intonation in tertian harmony with extended jazz chords