Agnus Dei: 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo
Words from Traditional Latin, music by Ruth Morris Gray
Item: 00-PO-0007210
$2.20
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Ruth Morris Gray presents an exquisite minor-key setting that elevates choral musicianship. A rich melody ebbs and flows over the colorful harmonic palette, while a captivating piano theme winds its way throughout. Various textures, expressive dynamics, and rubato tempos encourage artistry. For added flexibility, a few optional notes in the 2-Part voicing offer moments of SSA harmony.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0007210
More about this title
About the Composer: Ruth Morris Gray
Ruth Morris Gray has directed choirs at Rosemead High School since 2004, where she also teaches piano. Her compositional output exceeds 100 published works for choral ensembles, reflecting two decades of direct experience with what singers need to grow artistically.
Gray holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Composition from Biola University, a Master of Arts in Music Composition from UC Santa Barbara, and her California Single Subject Music Credential from Cal State Northridge. Her training across performance, composition, and pedagogy informs her approach to writing music that is both singable and musically substantial.
Why we love this
Gray's minor-key setting transforms a familiar text into something that rewards repeated listening. The interplay between vocal lines and a distinctive piano part creates natural opportunities for students to shape phrases with intention, and the optional SSA moments in the second part mean you can program this for choirs at different stages of development without compromising the arrangement's integrity.
What to expect
Contemplative and spacious, this setting invites singers and listeners into a reflective space. The minor key and flowing melody create an intimate quality, while the piano's colorful harmonic movement adds sophistication that lifts the piece beyond simple reverence into something genuinely artful.
Who it's for
This octavo works well for high school and community choirs with solid sight-reading skills and comfort with rubato phrasing. The optional SSA voicing in the 2-Part section makes it accessible for younger or less experienced ensembles without sacrificing the arrangement for stronger singers.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the flowing melody as though it were a single long arc rather than stopping at phrase endings. Let the piano's winding theme carry the sense of line forward when singers need to breathe.
- Explore the harmonic palette's minor-key color by encouraging singers to listen inward toward the chord clusters around them. This creates cohesion without requiring full blend.
- Vary your rehearsal approach to dynamics and rubato. Rather than locking in a single tempo, move through the piece flexibly in sectionals so singers understand where the expression serves the text.
How to use it
Pair this with other sacred works in a concert devoted to meditation or prayer. Its eight pages make it substantial enough to anchor a choral set, and the artistic demands mean it works equally well in a contest or festival setting where interpretation matters as much as precision.
Skills your students will build
- Singing with expressive dynamics in a minor key
- Phrasing across longer melodic lines
- Listening to and blending with piano accompaniment
- Interpreting rubato and tempo flexibility
- Balancing individual voice part clarity with ensemble blend