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Who's That Baby?: SATB, <I>a cappella</I> Choral Octavo

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Who's That Baby? Cover Image
Who's That Baby?: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

Who's That Baby?: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

Music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-18698
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Description
This may be the most exciting Christmas sprirtual Jay Althouse has ever written. It opens with the basses asking, in a hushed, rhythmic melody, "Who's that baby in a manger bed?" The text is classic spiritual style, but the music is anything but . . . t's fresh, new, and alive!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Who's That Baby?: SATB, 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 Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 8
UPC: 038081173382
SKU: 00-18698

More about this title

About the Composer: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he later received the Distinguished Alumni award. His career spans educational music publishing, where he spent eight years managing rights and licenses and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. He has established himself as one of the most prolific choral composers of our time, with over 800 works in print across all choir levels performed regularly in English-speaking countries worldwide.

Beyond composition, Althouse has shaped music education through numerous pedagogical resources: he co-authored The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers, compiled respected vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and created classroom materials such as Ready to Read Music and One-Page Composer Bios. He co-wrote I Hear America Singing with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Obama's inauguration in 2009. As a writer member of ASCAP and regular recipient of their Special Award, Althouse continues to contribute to the Folk Art Society of America through board service and published articles.

Why we love this

The rhythmic energy in the bass line sets this apart from typical Christmas spirituals; the repeated pulse feels propulsive rather than reverent, drawing singers and listeners into genuine excitement about the nativity story. Althouse honors the spiritual tradition while refusing to settle for predictable harmonic progressions, giving your singers something fresh to engage with musically. This is exactly the kind of Christmas piece that reminds choirs why they love making music together.

What to expect

The music opens intimately, with basses posed in quiet inquiry, then builds into something alive and celebratory. The spiritual tradition is unmistakable in the text and sensibility, but Althouse's harmonies avoid the predictable, keeping listeners and singers engaged by what comes next rather than waiting for expected resolutions.

Who it's for

This arrangement works beautifully for mixed choirs with solid musicianship and rhythmic security. It suits singers comfortable with a cappella blend and directors who want a Christmas spiritual that avoids cliché; the fresh harmonic language appeals to singers looking for genuine musical substance in holiday repertoire.

How to get the most out of it

  • Establish the bass rhythm as the foundation in early rehearsals. Those opening measures set the entire character, so lock that pulse before layering the other voices.
  • Shape the hushed opening by asking singers to sing with lifted soft palates and minimal vibrato; the rhythm should drive the sound, not warmth.
  • Balance the blend carefully in the SATB sections. With no instrumental support, clarity of each line depends on singers hearing each other and adjusting dynamic relationships.
  • Pay attention to text articulation on the question "Who's that baby in a manger bed?" Each word should land with intention, reflecting the spiritual's conversational tone.

How to use it

Program this early in a winter concert to grab attention with something genuinely contemporary in spirit while respecting tradition. It pairs well alongside both classical Christmas music and other spirituals; the piece's rhythmic vitality can bridge between quieter opening numbers and higher-energy selections later in the program.

Skills your students will build

  • A cappella blend and balance in SATB voicing
  • Rhythmic precision and independent pulse maintenance without instrumental support
  • Text-driven interpretation and articulation in spiritual style
  • Harmonic awareness through contemporary chromatic writing within traditional spiritual context

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