Have You Heard? (A Christmas Spiritual): TTBB, a cappella Choral Octavo
A Christmas Spiritual
Music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0003955
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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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.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0003955
More about this title
About the Composer: 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. His career spans both the publishing side of music education and creative composition; 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.
With over 800 choral works in print, Althouse has established himself as a prolific voice in American choral music, widely performed across English-speaking countries. His output extends beyond composition to include vocal solo collections, co-authored instructional books such as The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers, and reproducible classroom materials. He is an ASCAP writer member and regular recipient of the ASCAP Special Award. Althouse has also collaborated with his wife Sally K. Albrecht on children's musicals and major choral works, including I Hear America Singing, performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Obama's 2009 inauguration. He resides in North Carolina and serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America.
Why we love this
Althouse writes from deep understanding of what male voices can do together. The piece moves between moments of gentle storytelling and genuine excitement without ever feeling forced, and the built-in contrasts in dynamics and texture make this natural material for teaching phrasing and ensemble balance. The descant option on the final chorus gives you flexibility to feature your strongest singers while keeping the piece accessible for developing choirs.
What to expect
Simple reverence that builds. The piece opens with the intimacy of someone sharing a beloved story, then unfolds into moments of wonder and quiet joy. There's a conversational quality to the opening that gives way to fuller, richer textures, all held together by music that feels both timeless and fresh.
Who it's for
Male voice choirs seeking repertoire with genuine spiritual warmth and accessible yet sophisticated writing. This works equally well for high school groups, college choirs, and community ensembles; the emotional directness and clear storytelling transcend skill level.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening question with a slight ritardando at "born in Bethlehem" to let the phrase land before moving forward into the narrative.
- Balance the solos carefully against the full sections; these passages should feel like a voice from within the group, not a featured performer stepping out front.
- Let the middle section breathe. The tenderness Althouse writes here relies on restraint and space between phrases rather than on dynamics alone.
- When you introduce the descant on the final chorus, rehearse it separately from the main voicing first so singers understand its independence before blending it with the ensemble sound.
How to use it
Pair this with other spirituals or contemporary sacred works to create a thematic concert block that shows the range of American sacred music. Its modest length (8 pages) and a cappella format make it ideal for holiday programs where you want substance without overweighting the instrumentation demands of your concert.
Skills your students will build
- Dynamic control and phrase shaping across contrasting sections
- Balance between solo and ensemble voices in a cappella texture
- Expressive text delivery in narrative-driven repertoire
- Blend and tuning in upper and lower male voice pairings