Product Description
A small, simple, and sensitive work for a capella SATB choir, The First Witnesses explores the birth of Jesus from the perspective of the animals present in the stable in Bethlehem. Each verse presents Jesus as both newborn baby and Lord of all creation, including the very animals who were "the first witnesses" to his birth.
This piece was premiered by the Chamber Choir of Stillwater Christian School in December of 2016, a mere three weeks after its composition. Hunter says of the piece: "It was presented to the choir as a 'read through' piece in rehearsal, but instantly became a favorite and was added to our concert program at the last minute. It has since become a staple of our Christmas literature, and has consistently been a Christmas favorite for both our choirs and our audiences."
Easy to learn, fun to sing, and celebrating a childlike imagination of the first Christmas, The First Witnesses is a true "singer's song," which makes it enjoyable to rehearse and perform. The simple, pentatonic melody lends the piece a folk flavor, and the men and women both get chances to shine in their respective soli sections. A beautiful "ooh" refrain ends each verse, including the last.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.