This Christmas (arr. Roger Emerson): SAB Choral Octavo

Roger Emerson's arrangement captures the elegant restraint of Hathaway's original without losing its warmth. The SAB voicing gives you real flexibility in smaller choirs while maintaining the sophisticated jazz colors that make this arrangement sing.

Sophisticated and intimate, like listening to Hathaway in a room with excellent acoustics. The arrangement honors the original's easy elegance while remaining accessible for school and community choirs.

Choirs with intermediate to advanced singers who can handle jazz harmonies and want holiday material with real musical substance. This works particularly well for groups programming a contemporary or secular holiday concert.

• Balance the harmonic movement in the inner parts; the sophistication lives there, not just in the melody
• Shape the phrase endings with a slight ritardando to honor the jazz sensibility of the original
• Keep the ensemble tone warm and blended rather than bright; this arrangement rewards singers who listen inward

Pair this with more traditional carols to show the range of holiday musical expression. It's particularly effective as a closing number that leaves audiences with something modern yet timeless.

• Singing jazz voicings and extended harmonies
• Interpreting legit jazz phrasing in a choral context
• Balancing harmonic interest across three parts
• Understanding soul music as a legitimate choral tradition