SKU: GI.WW1774
UPC: 785147021865. English. Text source: Traditional spiritual. Traditional Spiritual.
Wade in the Water, arranged by Aeolians alumnus Stephen M. Murphy, uses vocal jazz techniques and expanded harmonies to lift the text off of the paper, resulting in an unquestionably cool and fun setting. Performed and recorded by the Aeolians, this arrangement will be a show-stopper for advanced choirs. Jason Max Ferdinand Choral Series.
SKU: GI.WW1740
UPC: 785147016861. English. Text source: Traditional spiritual. Traditional Spiritual.
Brent Wells' setting of I Heard from Heaven Today builds from melancholy reflection to an outpouring of joy. An exceptional selection for mid-level and advanced treble choirs with achievable vocal lines and learning opportunities.
SKU: GI.WJMS1172
UPC: 785147017363. English. Text source: Traditional spiritual. Traditional Spiritual.
Stacey Gibbs' Li'l David for women's chorus is a tremendous creation by the well-loved arranger. This will be a great choice for more advanced women's choirs, but the way the two SSA choirs play off of one another is natural and achievable. Jo-Michael Scheibe Choral Series.
SKU: AP.46941
UPC: 038081535906. English. Traditional Spiritual.
A grandiose choral introduction travels through several keys to open this polished setting of the traditional spiritual, which soon breaks into a joyously brisk treatment featuring call-and-response between sections, terraced dynamic contrasts, and thick divisi textures. Fantastic a cappella writing for advanced choirs.
About Alfred Choral Designs
The Alfred Choral Designs Series provides student and adult choirs with a variety of secular choral music that is useful, practical, educationally appropriate, and a pleasure to sing. To that end, the Choral Designs series features original works, folk song settings, spiritual arrangements, choral masterworks, and holiday selections suitable for use in concerts, festivals, and contests.
SKU: CF.CM9634
ISBN 9781491157060. UPC: 680160915620. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. Key: G major. English, English. Traditional Christmas Spiritual.
Berg's fantastic setting of this beloved American Christmas spiritual for advanced tenor-bass choirs tells a story of hope and meaning. The various textures throughout the a cappella arrangement with solos add much variety and musical interest. A holiday programming must!.This beloved American Christmas Spiritual, like all spirituals and/or folk songs, tells a story. This is a story of hope and meaning. The introductory solo call and response (mm. 1-7) is hymnic in nature, just to get us started. (Think of it as an effective head fake!) The entrance at m. 8 from the upper three voices (we'll call them the trio part henceforth) is pivotal. They set the stage for the conversation between the singers and the soloist for the rest of the song. From this point, the song is basically a Jazz Trio in vocal form. The bass singers take on the role of the cool dude in the back wearing dark glasses and a beret playing the string bass. They provide the driving force for the forward movement of the entire song. The trio part, basically tenors 1 & 2 and baritones, take on the role of the keyboard providing chordal structure and syncopation. Their job is to fill the listener's ear with sound and rhythm. The soloist tells the story using the known melody and text with appropriate improv opportunities to keep the listeners focused on the message of the song. There is enough repetition to make for easy learning, but this also means that the chords need to snap into position cleanly every time. The Verses are easily identified (there are three) and presented with some small variations in Verse 3 (see mm. 56-58...this only happens once). The Refrain (mm. 30-37) is the part of the song where the singers switch from the Jazz Trio role and actually become a Men's Choral Ensemble. This Refrain is repeated after Verse 3 at mm. 66-71. Between verses 2 & 3, there is not a refrain. Instead, there is a bridge repeated from the introductory material, but used this time to move us into a new key signature. This can be a very exciting moment for the singers as well as the listeners! Measures 72-75 is known in the business as a vamp. It can be repeated once and then move on, OR it can be repeated multiple times, depending on the comfort level of the soloist and the response of the audience. It is important that there be a clear signal from the conductor as to how to end the vamp and move effectively to the actual coda of the song. The ending should be sung with tight control that only looks like reckless abandon! Faces bright; words clean; melody clear; rhythms precise! Enjoy.This beloved American Christmas Spiritual, like all spirituals and/or folk songs, tells a story. This is a story of hope and meaning. The introductory solo call and response (mm. 1-7) is hymnic in nature, just to get us started. (Think of it as an effective head fake!)The entrance at m. 8 from the upper three voices (we’ll call them the “trio part” henceforth) is pivotal. They set the stage for the conversation between the singers and the soloist for the rest of the song. From this point, the song is basically a Jazz Trio in vocal form. The bass singers take on the role of the cool dude in the back wearing dark glasses and a beret playing the string bass. They provide the driving force for the forward movement of the entire song.The “trio part”, basically tenors 1 & 2 and baritones, take on the role of the keyboard providing chordal structure and syncopation. Their job is to fill the listener’s ear with sound and rhythm.The soloist tells the story using the known melody and text with appropriate improv opportunities to keep the listeners focused on the message of the song.There is enough repetition to make for easy learning, but this also means that the chords need to “snap into position” cleanly every time. The Verses are easily identified (there are three) and presented with some small variations in Verse 3 (see mm. 56-58…this only happens once).The Refrain (mm. 30-37) is the part of the song where the singers switch from the “Jazz Trio” role and actually become a “Men’s Choral Ensemble”. This Refrain is repeated after Verse 3 at mm. 66-71. Between verses 2 & 3, there is not a refrain. Instead, there is a bridge repeated from the introductory material, but used this time to move us into a new key signature. This can be a very exciting moment for the singers as well as the listeners!Measures 72-75 is known in the business as a “vamp”. It can be repeated once and then move on, OR it can be repeated multiple times, depending on the comfort level of the soloist and the response of the audience.It is important that there be a clear signal from the conductor as to how to end the “vamp” and move effectively to the actual coda of the song. The ending should be sung with tight control that only looks like reckless abandon!Faces bright; words clean; melody clear; rhythms precise! Enjoy.
SKU: CF.CM9573
ISBN 9781491153673. UPC: 680160911172. 6.75 x 10.5 inches. Key: Ab major. Latin. Traditional Latin.
O Magnum Mysterium?exemplifies quintessential Busto choral writing through varied textures and tempi with poignant harmonies all of which depict the sacred text O great mystery. For advanced mixed choirs and appropriate for any concert and festival setting.
SKU: GI.WW1771
UPC: 785147021568. English. Text source: Traditional spiritual. Traditional Spiritual.
This spiritual is full of joy, though it comes from a tumultous time. This arrangement uses rhythmic passages and complex harmonies at times to convey what it means to escape this life of toil. For more advanced choirs, this would make an excellent concert closer! Jason Max Ferdinand Choral Series.
SKU: HL.288346
UPC: 888680910938. 8.5x11.0x0.281 inches.
This 5-movement, multi-media choral drama honors one of the great heroes of the emancipation era. The journey of those who sacrificed becomes a story we can relive and honor. Dr. Kean's goal was to compose and arrange original music and traditional spirituals in a style that is evocative of the enslaved Africans' frame of mind. The spirituals are accompanied with kalimba (thumb piano) to honor the sub-Saharan African musical tradition of connecting with ancestors and with the marimba to sound like the west African balafon. This is a work that will move an audience to tears. Medium to Advanced. The Journey of Harriet Tubman has generated a much needed discussion of African American enslavement and and cultural appropriation. The composer has dedicated half of his royalties from this work to The Equal Justice Initiative, a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. Please visit https://eji.org/about for more info.