Why We Sing at Christmas: SATB Choral Octavo

$2.25 USD

Why We Sing at Christmas: SATB Choral Octavo

Name: Why We Sing at Christmas: SATB Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-28889
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: InStock

By Dave Brubeck

Item: 00-28889

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Series: Lawson-Gould: The Dave Brubeck Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 038081309538

SKU: 00-28889

More about this title

About the Composer: Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck earned recognition as both a virtuosic jazz pianist and a serious classical composer whose works span choral music, orchestral suites, chamber pieces, and large-scale vocal works. His groundbreaking 1959 album Time Out became the first jazz recording to sell over a million copies, anchored by the now-legendary "Take Five." Beyond his influence on jazz itself, Brubeck studied composition with Darius Milhaud at Mills College after World War II, and Milhaud's encouragement to blend jazz language with classical forms shaped his compositional voice throughout his career.

Brubeck's choral output includes major works such as To Hope!, which has been performed across Europe and North America, as well as oratorios and sacred pieces recorded by ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices. He was a pioneering figure in breaking racial barriers in mid-20th-century American music and received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of the Arts, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2003.

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Why we love this

Brubeck brings his jazz-inflected harmonic sensibility into sacred choral writing, giving this Christmas piece a refreshing harmonic sophistication that sits comfortably within SATB ranges. The text choice itself reflects Brubeck's deep engagement with spiritual themes throughout his compositional life, making this an authentic expression of the composer's voice rather than a holiday novelty. Your singers will find the piece both musically substantial and genuinely moving.

What to expect

Contemplative and warm, with harmonic sophistication that elevates the familiar Christmas impulse into something more introspective. The piece carries Brubeck's spiritual depth and serves as a moment of genuine reflection within a holiday service.

Who it's for

Directors programming a Christmas service or concert who want something beyond traditional carols and want to offer their singers a piece grounded in serious composition. This works equally well for established adult choirs and mature high school ensembles with solid harmonic understanding and blend.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the harmonic richness carefully across all four voices; Brubeck's jazz-informed chord voicings can muddy if any part is underprojected. Make sure inner voices (alto and tenor) can be heard distinctly.
Shape the piece with lyrical phrasing rather than articulating on every syllable; let the text breathe and the harmonic movement speak.
Consider how your accompaniment interprets Brubeck's harmonic language. If using piano, the accompanist should lean into the jazz inflections without playing too rhythmically square or overly syncopated.

How to use it

Use this as a reflective anchor in a Christmas program; it pairs beautifully alongside more traditional seasonal repertoire and gives your concert intellectual weight. The text invites programming alongside other sacred or spiritual works, making it ideal for a mixed holiday service where you want to move beyond pure celebration into meaning.