Away in a Manger: Score
By James Murray / arr. Terry White
Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PR-0005502
$8.00
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Description
A beautiful and sensitive treatment of this superb holiday classic. This medium jazz waltz begins with an alto 1 melody. Then it shifts to the ensemble, followed by a written-out or ad lib tenor solo. The chart then modulates into the final ensemble shout section. Lead trumpet range is to written G on top of the staff.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Away in a Manger: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Young Jazz Ensemble
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
68
SKU:
00-PR-0005502
More about this title
Why we love this
Terry White's arrangement strikes the rare balance of reverence and swing. The scoring moves intelligently through solo voices into full ensemble texture, giving students clear roles and musical moments to claim. At Grade 2, it opens jazz arranging concepts to younger ensembles without sacrificing the sophistication that makes the piece rewarding to conduct.
What to expect
Quiet reverence opens into swinging warmth. The piece breathes in 3/4 time with the intimacy of a carol, then gathers momentum as voices join in. By the final ensemble section, sentiment has become celebration without losing its gentle core.
Who it's for
Jazz ensembles at the middle school or early high school level who are ready to explore holiday repertoire beyond marches and pops arrangements. This works for groups with developing improvisers and a conductor seeking a piece that balances soloistic vulnerability with full-ensemble texture.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening alto solo with legit jazz phrasing; this melody sets the tender tone for everything that follows.
- The tenor solo section invites both written and improvised interpretations. Rehearse the written line first, then coach soloists on tension and release within the waltz meter.
- Keep the modulation into the final shout section clear and energized. This is your ensemble's moment to lock in together after featuring individuals.
- Watch the lead trumpet's high G in context. The range is manageable if you balance the solo section's intimacy against the shout section's drive.
How to use it
Reserve this for a winter concert's midsection, where it can settle an audience after higher-energy pieces and prepare them for whatever follows. It pairs naturally with other sacred jazz selections or serves as a beautiful standalone moment in a holiday program that mixes classical, pop, and jazz traditions.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing medium swing in 3/4 meter
- Responsive ensemble listening during transitions between solo and tutti sections
- Jazz style and articulation in both written and improvised contexts
- Balancing melodic sensitivity with rhythmic lock in a waltz framework