For We Wish You Music: SATB Choral Octavo
Words and music by Douglas E. Wagner
Level: Moderate
Item: 00-PO-0005381
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
Pickup currently not available
Description
A concert closer or musical benediction fit for any time of year. "With the golden gift of melody may all your years be blest, for we wish you music as you go your way." Douglas E. Wagner's knack for the melodic line combined with touching lyrics make this one you'll want to program often.
For We Wish You Music: SATB Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Studio PR Catalog
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0005381
More about this title
About the Composer: Douglas E. Wagner
Douglas E. Wagner studied music at Butler University, earning both undergraduate and graduate degrees before launching a thirty-year career as a high school music director and administrator in the Midwest. Since 1973, he has composed and arranged over 3,500 works across nearly every ensemble type: choir, concert band, orchestra, handbell ensemble, organ, piano, and voice. His music has reached audiences in concert halls, on broadcasts, and in educational settings worldwide, with cumulative sales exceeding seventeen million copies.
Wagner's output reflects a deep understanding of what works in rehearsal and on stage. His gift for memorable melody and singable lines has made him a staple of American choral and instrumental music education. He currently resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Sandy.
Why we love this
Wagner's lyrical gift shines here with a melody that audiences will remember long after the final chord fades. The text functions as a genuine benediction without becoming saccharine, and the moderate voicing sits naturally for mixed ensembles without requiring advanced vocal technique. This piece does what a good concert closer should do: it sounds bigger than its technical demands.
What to expect
Warm and hopeful without sentimentality. The melody unfolds with the ease of a familiar song, supported by straightforward harmonic language that lets the text and tune do the work. There's a graceful simplicity here that feels both timeless and genuinely moving.
Who it's for
This octavo suits any SATB choir looking for accessible, emotionally mature repertoire without excessive technical demands. Directors working with mixed high school choirs, college ensembles, or community choruses will find it reliable for holiday concerts, spring programs, or anytime a musical benediction fits the moment.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the phrase contours with subtle dynamic swells rather than hard terraces; the melody's power comes from line continuity, not volume shifts.
- Balance the text intelligibility across all four parts by having sopranos and altos lead the upper harmony while tenors and basses anchor underneath without overwhelming.
- Consider a soft unaccompanied or minimally accompanied final phrase to underscore the benediction quality and give the piece intimate resonance in any venue size.
How to use it
Program this as your concert closer when you want to send the audience out with something memorable and uplifting. It pairs well after more complex or dramatic pieces and works equally in secular concert settings, holiday programs, or spring showcases. The moderate demands make it an ideal selection for mid-year concert planning when rehearsal time is at a premium.
Skills your students will build
- Singing a sustained, coherent melodic line across phrase boundaries
- Balance between melody and supporting harmonic voices in SATB writing
- Text projection and diction in a legit, four-part context
- Musical interpretation of emotional content without oversinging