Hold Fast to Dreams: SATB Choral Octavo

Name: Hold Fast to Dreams: SATB Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-OCT9916
Price: 1.30 USD
Availability: InStock

Text by Langston Hughes, music by Dave Brubeck

Item: 00-OCT9916

$1.30

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One moment…

Dave Brubeck has taken the words of the great poet and philosopher Langston Hughes and created a wonderful, upbeat choral work. It can provide a lighter musical moment on even the heaviest concert program.

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Series: Lawson-Gould

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 12

UPC: 029156988673

SKU: 00-OCT9916

More about this title

About the Composer: Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck brought the language of jazz into the concert hall with a composer's discipline and a improviser's spirit. Beyond his landmark recordings like "Time Out" and the timeless "Take Five," he spent decades creating large-scale choral works, chamber music, orchestral pieces, and religious compositions that drew equally from classical structure and jazz vocabulary. His study with Darius Milhaud at Mills College after World War II shaped his conviction that these two musical worlds could speak together.

Brubeck's influence extended far beyond the concert stage. He was a pioneer in dismantling racial barriers in American music during the mid-20th century, and his works have been performed and recorded by major orchestras and choral ensembles worldwide, from the London Symphony Orchestra to the Cathedral Choral Society at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. His achievements earned him a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of the Arts, and induction into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.

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Why we love this

Brubeck's gift for melody shines through in this setting of Langston Hughes. The upbeat character and accessible harmonic language make it an ideal palate cleanser on a concert program without sacrificing musical substance or the weight of Hughes's words.

What to expect

The piece radiates optimism and forward momentum. Brubeck's harmonic language feels contemporary without being difficult, and the combination of his compositional clarity with Hughes's inspiring words creates a moment that lingers with audiences long after the final chord.

Who it's for

This octavo works for intermediate and advanced choirs seeking a piece that combines accessibility with artistic substance. It fits programs where you want to include a lighter moment that still showcases your singers' musicality and text interpretation.

How to get the most out of it

Honor the text clarity first. Hughes's language carries philosophical weight; ensure articulation and diction allow the poetry to land with the audience.
Lean into the rhythmic vitality. Brubeck's jazz background means this piece wants forward motion and swing feel, not a drag.
Balance parts so the melody is always visible. With a 12-page score, there's room for ensemble depth without burying the primary musical line.

How to use it

Position this after a heavier work to shift the emotional temperature while maintaining artistic credibility. It also pairs well on a program celebrating American poetry and music, or on concerts exploring the intersection of jazz language and choral writing.