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As with Gladness, Men of Old: 4 Saxophones SATBar Conductor Score & Parts

$20.95 USD
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As with Gladness, Men of Old Cover Image
As with Gladness, Men of Old: 4 Saxophones SATBar Conductor Score & Parts

As with Gladness, Men of Old: 4 Saxophones SATBar Conductor Score & Parts

By Conrad Kocher / arr. Bill Perconti

Item: 01-ADV7429
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Description
The lyrics for "As with Gladness Men of Old" were written by Englishman William Dix (1837--1898) in the 1860s, reportedly on the day of the Epiphany while Dix was sick in bed. The tune was included in a collection of German chorales edited by Conrad Kocher and published in the 1830s. As a testimony to the flexibility of such music, the hymn is also sung during Thanksgiving under the title "For the Beauty of the Earth."

This arrangement for saxophone quartet (SATBar)---rather than favoring a soprano solo with accompaniment---strives to include all of the players in the music making, particularly by distributing the melodic material. All dynamics and articulations, minimally marked, should be taken as suggestions only, as performers are encouraged to make their own interpretations.

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Additional Details
Series: Advance Music: Holiday Celebration Series
Publisher: Advance Music
UPC: 805095074291
SKU: 01-ADV7429
Instrumentation: 4 Saxophones SATBar

More about this title

About the Composer: Conrad Kocher

Conrad Kocher (1786–1872) was a German organist, conductor, and composer whose contributions to church music extended far beyond his lifetime. He compiled and edited Zion: The Christian Songster, an influential collection of hymn tunes and chorales published in the 1830s that became a standard resource for sacred music across denominational lines. Kocher's gift lay not in creating flashy original works but in recognizing and preserving melodies whose spiritual simplicity and harmonic integrity would endure for generations.

As a music educator and church musician in Stuttgart, Kocher understood that the strongest hymn tunes are those flexible enough to serve multiple occasions and seasons. The tune he included in his collection that would eventually accompany William Dix's Epiphany text exemplifies this principle: its modal character and clear phrasing allow congregations and ensembles to inhabit it fully, whether singing of wise men bearing gifts or of nature's autumn bounty.

Why we love this

Bill Perconti's arrangement refuses the easy path of letting one voice carry the melody while others provide texture. By distributing the tune across all four saxophones, he creates a piece where every player owns the music equally. The result is refreshing during a season when quartet literature often defaults to familiar arrangements that ask the baritone to sit comfortably in the background.

What to expect

There is a quiet nobility to this piece. The sturdy harmonic foundation and clear melodic shape create a sense of reverent procession, while the distribution of the tune across all four voices gives it an almost conversational warmth. Playing it together feels less like performing a hymn and more like a group of musicians discovering the melody together.

Who it's for

This arrangement works well for saxophone quartets at the intermediate to advanced level who want substantial seasonal repertoire that asks all players to engage with the melody. It serves programs where the ensemble has grown comfortable with intonation and blend and is ready to tackle pieces where every voice matters.

How to get the most out of it

  • Treat the minimal dynamics and articulations as a starting point rather than a ceiling. Since the printed score intentionally leaves interpretive choices open, read the character of the text ('as with gladness' suggests warmth; the wisdom of the Magi suggests dignity) and let those ideas shape your phrasing and weight.
  • When the melody passes between voices, emphasize the continuity of the line rather than treating each entrance as a fresh start. Think of the tune as a single shape that different instruments are collectively drawing, not as a series of solo moments.
  • Balance the parts so that whoever carries the primary melodic material at any given moment emerges clearly without the others receding into shadow. This requires active listening and ensemble communication in rehearsal.

How to use it

Pair this with other holiday quartet arrangements to build a complete seasonal concert set, or feature it as a thoughtful contrast to more contemporary or jazz-inflected pieces on a winter concert. Its dual nature (equally at home for Christmas or Thanksgiving programming) makes it valuable for ensembles that perform in both seasons.

Skills your students will build

  • Passing melodic material between voices while maintaining phrase continuity
  • Balancing parts so that primary lines emerge without losing blend
  • Interpreting minimally marked scores by making ensemble-informed expressive choices
  • Reading and performing in four-part saxophone texture (SATBar instrumentation)

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