Away in a Manger: Brass Choir Score & Parts

There's an intimacy here despite the full brass sonority. The flugelhorn gently carries the familiar tune over warm, rolling harmonies that suggest candlelight and quiet reflection. Modern harmonic touches prevent the arrangement from feeling saccharine, instead creating a setting that honors tradition while stepping into the present.

Brass choirs at the high school and community/semi-professional level will find this piece immediately rewarding. It works equally well for directors seeking a lyrical holiday selection that doesn't require advanced technical facility, yet delivers musical substance and genuine audience appeal.

• Balance the flugelhorn melody carefully against the supporting brass voices; the instrument's softer projection means you may need to adjust dynamic expectations to keep it singing without pushing.
• Shape the phrase endings with subtle ritardandi to honor the carol's hymn-like character, even though Boothe's modern setting invites a more fluid tempo overall.
• Emphasize the warmth of the lower voices (trombones and tuba) in the accompaniment figures; they ground the piece and create the lush harmonic foundation that makes this arrangement special.

Pair this with one or two brighter, more energetic holiday selections to create contrast within a winter concert. Its reflective character makes it ideal as a penultimate piece before a rousing finale, or as an elegant opener that sets an intimate tone for the season.

• Balancing melody projection against harmonic accompaniment
• Playing extended passages with sustained phrasing over multiple phrases
• Listening for and adjusting intonation within moving harmonic progressions
• Achieving blend across five distinct brass voices while maintaining individual voice clarity