I Wish You Music

by Teresa Jennings

If you really want to say something nice to someone, wish them music. What a beautiful and perfect sentiment. At least that's the way those of us who live a life of music feel about it.

This gentle and sincere song is a partner song. There are two parts which are introduced separately at first, and then joined together in harmony. Part 1 is deliberately simpler than part 2 so that you can blend varying groups if you need to. For example, use a younger class for part 1 and an older one for part 2. Or teach part 1 to the student body or a group of teachers or parents and let your choir do part 2. Things like that. Part 2 goes up to a high E flat and is a bit more challenging in range and rhythm.

This is also a good candidate for doing live in performance. While we love our recording of it, we do appreciate that sometimes songs that are more simply arranged can be performed nicely without the recording as well. If you do use the recording, you will be treated to a lovely mix of strings and brass, featuring a flugelhorn ensemble. There is also the flugelhorn solo, which is notated on the music for your convenience. This part can be played by any solo instrument you wish, such as oboe, violin, clarinet, etc. Just have the player transpose if needed. If you use a flute, playing an octave higher might be a good idea. If you don't have a soloist, your piano player should play the flugelhorn cues in addition to the piano part as much as she can, as this part is integral to the tune.

Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.