Come Away (arr. Benjamin Harlan): SATB Choral Octavo

Benjamin Harlan's arrangement captures the lyrical warmth of Kaiser's original while giving each voice part genuine musicality. The piece unfolds naturally across seven pages, building engagement without overwhelming singers or audiences. It's the kind of arrangement that sounds effortless in performance but rewards careful musical shaping in rehearsal.

Come Away invites warmth and contemplation. The SATB writing creates moments of harmonic richness that feel intimate even in larger spaces. There's an unhurried quality to the piece; it asks singers to settle into the music rather than rush through it.

Concert choirs at intermediate levels and above will find this arrangement accessible yet musically rewarding. It works equally well for school choirs, community ensembles, and church choir programs seeking contemporary secular repertoire with substance.

• Shape the melodic line as a complete phrase rather than stopping at each line break. Let the voice leading guide your phrasing choices, especially where the harmony shifts beneath a sustained note.
• Balance transparency in the inner voices during passages where the sopranos carry the main melody. Alto and tenor parts add harmonic color; they shouldn't recede into the background.
• Treat dynamic markings as invitations to communicate the text. Even modest crescendos and diminuendos deepen the emotional arc of the piece.
• Listen for moments where voices move in parallel motion. These require coordinated ensemble work to maintain blend and intonation.

This works beautifully as a concert closer or as part of a group of contrasting pieces that showcase your choir's range. Pair it with something rhythmically energetic to highlight how your ensemble handles different musical moods. Its seven pages make it substantial enough to anchor a set without demanding excessive rehearsal time.

• Sustaining long vocal lines with proper breath management
• Following inner voice independence within SATB texture
• Ensemble blend across all four voice parts
• Shaping phrases through dynamic control
• Reading and performing music with moderate harmonic complexity