Sing We Now of Christmas (A Seasonal Fanfare): 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo

Althouse understands what makes a concert opener work: immediate impact, musical substance, and flexibility. The optional brass quintet and snare drum give you options depending on your resources, while the piece stands beautifully on its own as a three-part choral work. This is the kind of piece that becomes part of your choir's annual identity.

Festive and assured, this is a fanfare that honors the majestic character of the original French carol while creating something fresh and concert-worthy. The interplay between fast and slow sections, between contrapuntal independence and harmonic unity, gives the piece architectural sophistication that feels both celebratory and musically substantive.

Choirs with solid musicianship and comfortable sight-reading skills, particularly those looking for a concert centerpiece that works year after year. This piece serves directors who want three-part writing with real compositional craft rather than simplified arrangements.

• Shape the contrapuntal passage carefully so each voice line carries its own melodic integrity; resist the urge to balance all three parts equally, since the French carol melody should emerge as the primary voice.
• Contrast the slower homophonic section by tightening the harmonic rhythm and articulation in the fanfare sections; this dynamic shift sustains listener interest across the piece.
• If you're using the optional brass parts, let them support rather than overwhelm the choir during the opening statement; reserve fuller orchestration for the final statements of the carol.

Position this as your opening number to establish energy and set an elegant tone for the entire concert. Its dual nature as both fanfare and carol makes it bridge well between secular and sacred holiday programming, or it can anchor a more traditional Christmas service with full musical weight.

• Reading and executing contrapuntal writing where each voice maintains melodic independence
• Shifting between faster, articulated fanfare sections and slower, sustained homophonic singing
• Balancing blend and clarity when the primary melody moves between voice parts
• Responding to tempo and dynamic changes that shape sectional contrast