Snow on Snow: SATB Choral Octavo
Words and music by Andy Beck
Item: 00-PO-0006910
$2.05
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
Pickup currently not available
Related Items
Snow on Snow: PianoTrax Digital Audio Download |
$9.99
|
View | |
Snow on Snow: 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo |
$2.05
|
View | |
Snow on Snow: 2-Part Choral Octavo |
$2.05
|
View | |
Snow on Snow: SATB Choral Octavo |
$2.05
|
View | |
Snow on Snow: 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo |
$2.05
|
View | |
Snow on Snow: 2-Part Choral Octavo |
$2.05
|
View |
Description
Like a cozy sweater on a cold day, this original wintertime poem juxtaposes warmth with chills. Imagine the opening descending motive as the first falling flake and the eventual musical layers as accumulating snow. Each voice part sings in the sweet spot of their tessitura to garner rich choral tone. A harmonically vivid bridge creates contrast and offers a flurry of beauty in the piano, as singers realize the beautiful snowflakes are fleeting, "all too soon they fade away." Delicate yet deep, simple yet stunning. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Snow on Snow: SATB Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
1 / 2
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0006910
More about this title
About the Composer: Andy Beck
Andy Beck serves as Director of Choral Publications at Alfred Music and has established himself as one of the most prolific voices in contemporary choral writing, with more than 450 compositions and arrangements currently available. His work spans choral octavos, vocal resources, and children's musicals, and he is equally recognized for his pedagogical contributions through widely adopted sight-singing and vocal technique resources. Beyond the page, Beck maintains an active presence as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician across the United States and internationally, with particular engagement among honor choirs and all-state programs throughout the Southeast.
A tenor vocalist and musical theatre director, Beck brings performance experience to every note he writes. He holds degrees in Music Education from Ithaca College and Northwest Missouri State University, and has been an Alfred Music recording artist since 1992. His involvement with the North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir and his consistent commissioning for regional and state honor choirs demonstrate his deep commitment to choral artistry at all levels of experience.
Why we love this
Beck captures something essential about winter beauty in just 12 pages, resisting both sentimentality and oversimplification. The opening descending motive is genuinely memorable, and the bridge offers real harmonic color that will reward rehearsal time without becoming cumbersome. Directors appreciate that he's written each voice into its most resonant range, which means your singers will sound rich and confident from the first run-through.
What to expect
The piece unfolds with quiet restraint, drawing listeners into the intimacy of a winter moment. As layers accumulate, there's a building sense of wonder, followed by a bittersweet recognition of transience that feels both simple and deeply felt.
Who it's for
This octavo works for intermediate to advanced SATB choirs looking for an original piece with genuine musical substance and seasonal relevance. It suits both concert and festival contexts, and its accessible difficulty means rehearsal time can focus on interpretation rather than technical hurdles.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening descending motive with a slight swell and then release each phrase cleanly, as if tracking the fall of individual snowflakes rather than pushing through legato lines.
- Emphasize the textural shift in the bridge by encouraging singers to listen closely to the piano's "flurry of beauty" and adjust their dynamic balance so the harmony blooms without overwhelming the vocals.
- Lighten and thin the texture on 'all too soon they fade away' through both volume and vowel placement, allowing the bittersweet text to register emotionally.
- Mark breathing points generously in rehearsal; singers will naturally want to sustain longer lines, but strategic breaks preserve the piece's intimacy and clarity.
How to use it
Pair this with other winter or nature-inspired works for a thematic concert, or use it as a poignant closer to a mixed choral set when you need something that doesn't exhaust your singers but leaves a lasting impression. Its modest page count makes it ideal for festival programming where every minute counts.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining long, lyrical phrases while maintaining tonal focus
- Blending four-part harmony in close voicing
- Responding to textural and dynamic shifts that enhance text painting
- Balance between individual voice independence and choral unity