And as they came down from the mountain Op. 82 Nos. 13-16: SATB Choral Octavo

This set of four movements offers a rare opportunity to program Hovhaness's choral writing within manageable scope. The selections maintain dramatic and harmonic coherence while their moderate length makes them accessible for choirs still developing facility with his distinctive language. Directors appreciate how these pieces reward careful preparation with genuinely moving results that audiences recognize as distinctive and memorable.

These movements breathe with a contemplative, almost liturgical quality despite their concert setting. The harmonic language unfolds slowly, creating an atmosphere that feels both ethereal and grounded, where silence and sustain become as important as the notes themselves.

This octavo serves choirs with strong fundamental technique and some experience with contemporary or non-traditional harmonic language. The text setting and moderate ranges work for mixed ensembles of intermediate to advanced singers who are ready to engage with music that asks for focused listening and interpretive maturity.

• Shape each phrase with careful attention to the long melodic lines rather than treating them as vertical harmonies; Hovhaness builds meaning through sustained vocal contours across multiple measures.
• Balance the inner voices thoughtfully, as the harmonic color depends on clarity in the alto and tenor parts even when they sit below the soprano line.
• Allow space between movements for the acoustic and emotional qualities to settle; treat the set as a journey rather than rushing through the four pieces back-to-back.
• Practice sections separately by voice part before combining, as Hovhaness's modal and extended harmonies can feel unfamiliar until singers internalize their relationship to the overall harmonic gesture.

This work fits naturally into a concert exploring sacred music across traditions or alongside other contemporary American choral literature. The four movements can anchor a program of related shorter pieces or stand independently as a substantial artistic statement within a mixed repertoire concert.

• Reading modal and extended harmonies outside traditional major/minor tonality
• Sustaining tone quality and pitch stability in sparse, exposed textures
• Balancing inner voices to create harmonic color in non-traditional chord structures
• Interpreting long melodic phrases with appropriate phrasing and breath management
• Ensemble blend in music that prioritizes transparency over vocal blend