Hallelujah! (from Messiah Rocks): Choral Instrumental Pak
By Jason Howland / By George Frideric Handel / By Dani Davis
Item: 35-PK00154863
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Description
If you are looking for a new way to present the Christmas story bridging from the traditional arrangements to the very contemporary, check out this version of "Hallelujah" from the upcoming Messiah Rocks tour. Based on Handel's original chorus, this creation by Jason Howland is bursting with rhythmic and harmonic energy from soloists, choir, and orchestra. Duration: ca. 4:25.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00154863
More about this title
About the Composer: Jason Howland
Jason Howland is a composer and arranger whose work spans concert music, theater, and film scoring. His arrangements and original compositions combine accessibility with musical substance, making him a frequent collaborator on projects that bridge classical and contemporary idioms. Howland's particular gift lies in reimagining familiar material through modern harmonic and rhythmic lenses while preserving the emotional core of the original.
Why we love this
This arrangement captures something genuinely rare: a setting that honors Handel's architectural brilliance while speaking to today's singers and audiences in their own musical language. The energy is infectious without sacrificing substance, and the interplay between soloists, choir, and orchestra creates enough textural variety that rehearsing it stays fresh week to week.
What to expect
Exultant and propulsive. The familiar melody anchors the listener while unexpected harmonic turns and rhythmic patterns create momentum and surprise. It's celebratory without sentimentality, powerful without bombast.
Who it's for
Directors seeking a centerpiece that satisfies both traditional and contemporary programming instincts. Choirs with solid rhythmic discipline and singers comfortable with rock and pop inflections will thrive with this material.
How to get the most out of it
- Isolate the rhythm section early and establish the groove before layering choir parts; the contemporary pulse is the foundation everything else sits on.
- Work the harmonic transitions slowly, particularly where Howland departs from the original source, so singers hear how the new colors function within the larger harmonic plan.
- Balance solo voices against the choir carefully during the unison passages; soloists should cut through without the choir receding into accompaniment.
- Record a preliminary run-through at performance tempo to identify where the choir's energy flags or loses rhythmic clarity.
How to use it
Consider this as a concert finale or the emotional peak of a holiday program that mixes periods and styles. It works especially well when preceded by more traditional sacred choral music, letting the contrast amplify both the classical and contemporary approaches.
Skills your students will build
- Navigating syncopated rhythms within a hymn-based melody
- Balancing solo projection with choral support
- Singing contemporary harmonic language grounded in functional harmony
- Maintaining ensemble cohesion across stylistic shifts
- Responding to orchestral accompaniment that functions as full partner rather than background