In Bethlehem Cover Image

In Bethlehem: TBB, <I>a cappella</I> Choral Octavo

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In Bethlehem Cover Image
In Bethlehem: TBB, a cappella Choral Octavo

In Bethlehem: TBB, a cappella Choral Octavo

Words and music by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse

Item: 00-39814
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Description
Celebrate the baby's birth in Bethlehem with this change-of-pace a cappella spiritual, set in a walking tempo with four optional percussion parts (available free at alfred.com/choralparts). Feel and hear the Christmas story come alive!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, In Bethlehem: TBB, 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 Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
UPC: 038081444758
SKU: 00-39814

More about this title

About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht has shaped American choral music for over four decades, composing and publishing more than 600 choral works while maintaining an active career as a conductor and clinician. Her reputation rests on inventive use of movement and accessibility; she has led honor choirs at major venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center. Since 1987, she has received annual ASCAP Special Music Awards, and she served for more than 30 years as Director of School Choral, Vocal, and Elementary Publications at major educational publishers, most recently Alfred Music.

Albrecht holds degrees from Rollins College (B.A., 1976), the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama, 1977; M.M. in Accompanying, 1979), and has taught at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College. She has received the Distinguished Alumna Award from both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College, and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, composer and arranger Jay Althouse.

Why we love this

This arrangement brings freshness to Christmas programming by grounding the Nativity story in the spiritual tradition, complete with a steady walking tempo that feels contemporary yet reverent. The optional percussion parts (freely downloadable) give directors flexible ways to build texture and energy without requiring elaborate instrumentation, making it genuinely accessible for different ensemble sizes and facilities.

What to expect

The piece unfolds with gentle reverence, inviting singers and listeners alike into the quiet scene of Bethlehem. Its walking tempo creates forward motion without urgency, and the a cappella texture places full focus on the voices and the story they tell.

Who it's for

Treble-heavy choirs and groups working with limited baritone or bass sections will find this arrangement practical and musical. Directors seeking a slower-paced Christmas piece that complements faster, more energetic holiday selections will value its meditative character and spiritual depth.

How to get the most out of it

  • Treat the walking tempo as a meditation rather than a march; the steady pulse should feel unhurried and contemplative, allowing the text to land clearly with each phrase.
  • If using the optional percussion parts, have those players attend at least one rehearsal to lock the groove with the choir before adding them to the full arrangement.
  • Layer vocal lines gradually in rehearsal so each section can hear how their part sits within the harmonic fabric; this builds confidence in the a cappella setting where every voice matters.
  • Balance the top voices lightly so the lower parts remain audible; TBB voicings can easily tip toward the treble, so encourage tenors to sing from the diaphragm without pushing.

How to use it

This works beautifully as a reflective moment in a Christmas concert, perhaps following a livelier holiday selection to shift the emotional temperature. It pairs naturally with contemporary spiritual arrangements or instrumental settings of Nativity texts, and its moderate length makes it ideal for holiday programs that need both substance and variety.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining tone and breath control in a cappella singing
  • Balancing vocal lines within a close harmonic texture
  • Maintaining steady pulse and ensemble precision without instrumental support
  • Interpreting text with spiritual depth and emotional nuance
  • Coordinating with optional percussion while maintaining vocal independence

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