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The Sound of Winter: 2-Part Choral Octavo

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The Sound of Winter Cover Image
The Sound of Winter: 2-Part Choral Octavo

The Sound of Winter: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-23111

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Description
"Can you hear a snowflake falling? Can you hear it touch the ground?" A simple, curious question from a thought provoking wintertime song. Fresh parallel chords move gracefully over a pedal tone bass as your choir sings this hushed, reflective piece. Reminiscent of a Karen Carpenter ballad, it's uncomplicated, yet sophisticated; subtle, yet elegant. The optional SoundTrax CD and SoundPax are highlighted by a delicate solo oboe (or alto sax).

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 8
UPC: 038081222936
SKU: 00-23111

More about this title

About the Composer: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse earned his B.S. in Music Education and M.Ed. in Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was later honored as a Distinguished Alumni recipient. Early in his career, he spent eight years managing rights and licenses for a major educational music publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America.

As a composer, Althouse has created more than 800 choral works performed widely across the English-speaking world. He holds ASCAP membership and has won multiple ASCAP Special Awards for his compositions. Beyond composing, he has co-written children's musicals with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, edited respected vocal solo collections, co-authored The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers, and created classroom resources including Ready to Read Music and One-Page Composer Bios. His collaborative work I Hear America Singing was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration. Althouse has served on the boards of the North Carolina Master Chorale and the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America.

Why we love this

This piece demonstrates how restraint and sophistication can work together in choral writing. The parallel chord movement paired with a sustained bass creates textural interest without demanding technical complexity, making it genuinely rewarding for developing singers to perform. Programming a meditation on winter that sounds this polished and elegant elevates your concert without overshadowing ensembles at other levels.

What to expect

Hushed and contemplative, this piece invites listeners into a quiet moment of observation. The delicate oboe line and gentle harmonic motion create an atmosphere of winter stillness, evoking the reflective quality of classic vocal ballads while remaining distinctly choral in approach.

Who it's for

Two-part choirs in middle school, high school, or community settings will find this piece accessible yet musically substantial. The straightforward voicing removes technical barriers while the compositional sophistication keeps singers engaged and interested.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the parallel chords to avoid a static, blocked sound; think of them as waves moving rather than stacked sonorities.
  • Balance the solo oboe (or alto sax) so it floats above the choir without disappearing; record a rehearsal to hear what the recorded accompaniment actually reveals.
  • Sing the opening lines ("Can you hear a snowflake falling?") with genuine curiosity in your tone, resisting the urge to oversell the emotion.
  • Allow silence and space around phrases to mirror the quiet landscape the text evokes.

How to use it

This works beautifully as a centerpiece for a winter concert program, offering contrast between more energetic seasonal selections and setting a reflective tone. Its brevity and introspective character also make it an excellent choice for a quiet moment mid-concert, or paired with other Althouse selections for a themed set.

Skills your students will build

  • Blending parallel chord structures while maintaining independent vocal lines
  • Sustaining focused tone in hushed dynamic contexts
  • Phrasing lyrical text with natural musicality rather than mechanical rhythmic precision
  • Listening to optional instrumental accompaniment and coordinating with it

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