With Glory, Honor And Praise!: SATB Choral Octavo

Besig writes SATB writing that sits comfortably for mixed choirs without sacrificing musical substance. The pairing with Nancy Price on this text creates a piece that works equally well in a worship setting or a concert program, which means you're not pigeonholing it into one context.

Confident and bright without being bombastic. The text pairs glory and honor with praise, and the musical setting supports that arc from dignified proclamation to genuine celebration. It's the kind of piece that leaves a room feeling uplifted rather than drained.

Any mixed choir (church, school, or community ensemble) looking for a sacred piece that feels substantive but doesn't require extensive rehearsal. The ranges and part writing accommodate singers of varying abilities.

• Balance the soprano and alto lines in the opening sections; Besig often gives the melody to the sopranos, but Price's text pairs beautifully when both upper voices are clearly heard.
• Keep the harmonic rhythm moving gently forward even in sustained passages. This piece sits in the warm register of most choirs, so resist the temptation to slow it down.
• Invest time in clear, unified vowel shapes across all sections during the phrase endings. The reverent character depends on voices blending, not standing out.

This lands naturally in a mid-concert position where you want to shift the emotional register but maintain energy. It also serves as a strong finale if your program calls for something affirming and accessible. For church choirs, consider pairing it with a more introspective anthem to create contrast within a Sunday service.

• Singing sustained harmonic progressions with secure intonation
• Blending upper and lower voice lines in SATB texture
• Phrasing across longer melodic arcs without scooping
• Maintaining clarity in text delivery while managing sustained vowels