Have You Heard? Cover Image

Have You Heard?: SATB, <I>a cappella</I> Choral Octavo

$2.25 USD
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Have You Heard? Cover Image
Have You Heard?: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

Have You Heard?: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

A Christmas Spiritual

Music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-11336
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Description
"Have you heard the story of the baby boy, born in Bethlehem?" From that simple question Jay Althouse has crafted another superb, original Christmas spiritual. It features contrasting dynamics (excellent for teaching phrasing), male and female solos, and a tender middle section which contrasts with the hushed excitement of the opening and closing melody. Includes a descant on the final chorus. A cappella.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Have You Heard?: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo 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: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 8
UPC: 038081023908
SKU: 00-11336

More about this title

About the Composer: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was later honored as a Distinguished Alumnus. Early in his career, he spent eight years managing rights and licenses for a major educational publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. His compositional output is staggering: over 800 works for choirs at every level, performed regularly across the English-speaking world.

As a writer member of ASCAP, Althouse has been a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Award for his standard music compositions. Beyond choral writing, he has co-authored children's musicals with Sally K. Albrecht, compiled respected vocal solo collections, and written pedagogical books including The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His choral work I Hear America Singing, co-written with Albrecht, was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's 2009 Inauguration. He currently serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America.

Why we love this

Althouse captures the storytelling energy of a spiritual while keeping the emotional arc grounded in genuine musical contrast. The interplay between dynamic shifts, the vulnerability of solos, and a thoughtfully arranged descant finale makes this work feel both substantial and deeply singable for your singers.

What to expect

The piece unfolds like a gentle retelling of a beloved story. Tender and reverent in the middle, it frames moments of quiet wonder alongside a clear, hushed excitement that never tips into sentimentality. The final descent brings everything into focus with a shimmer of added voices.

Who it's for

This works beautifully for choirs seeking a Christmas spiritual with real musical substance and pedagogical value. Middle school through adult choirs benefit equally from the clear storytelling and the practical challenges of dynamic control and solo placement.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the opening melody with the hushed excitement the score calls for; the question 'Have you heard?' sets an intimate, inviting tone that draws the audience in rather than announces.
  • Balance the male and female solos so they feel like individual voices sharing the story, not featured moments that step outside the ensemble.
  • Let the tender middle section breathe. Resist the temptation to rush; the contrast with surrounding sections depends on genuine stillness here.
  • Rehearse the descant separately with your soprano section, then layer it in gradually so it feels like an organic lift rather than an added complexity.

How to use it

Pair this with a longer Christmas work as a compelling opener or closer; eight pages makes it substantial enough to anchor a set. It also fits naturally into services or community events where the spiritual tradition and singable melody will resonate with both choir and audience.

Skills your students will build

  • Dynamic contrast and phrasing in a cappella settings
  • Balancing solo lines within ensemble texture
  • Layering melodic material (descant writing and voicing)
  • Sustaining intonation and blend without instrumental support

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