Ballad of the Tempest: S(S)AB Choral Octavo
Words by James T. Fields, music by Ruth Morris Gray
Item: 00-PO-0000016
$1.85
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
The captivating words of James T. Fields are set to dramatic music evocative of a tumultuous sea and symbolizing the constant struggle of man versus nature. An exciting musical story that your choir will love to tell. Effective in all voicings.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
16
SKU:
00-PO-0000016
More about this title
About the Composer: Ruth Morris Gray
Ruth Morris Gray has directed choirs at Rosemead High School in California since 2004, where she also teaches piano. Her compositional output spans over 100 published choral works, reflecting a deep commitment to creating music that speaks to student singers and ensemble directors alike.
Gray holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Composition from Biola University and a Master of Arts in Music Composition from UC Santa Barbara. She earned her California Single Subject Music Credential at Cal State Northridge. Beyond the rehearsal room, she is an active performer and traveler who brings her passion for music and life experience into every piece she writes.
Why we love this
Gray captures the raw drama of Fields's maritime text without oversimplifying the musical language. The piece works across multiple voicing configurations, making it genuinely flexible for mixed choirs at different voice balance points. The narrative arc is built into the music itself, so your singers will inhabit the story naturally rather than having to impose interpretation on top of a generic setting.
What to expect
Turbulent and immediate. The harmonic language evokes churning water and the psychological weight of fighting forces beyond human control, yet the vocal writing never loses its lyricism. You sense both the danger of the storm and the resilience of the people enduring it.
Who it's for
This piece suits developing and intermediate choirs with mixed voices, including groups where the soprano section is split. Singers need basic part-reading skills and comfort with dramatic interpretation, but the music remains accessible in range and technical demands.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the vocal lines to mirror the turbulent imagery: broader phrases when the text describes struggle, more fragmented rhythms as the sea becomes more threatening.
- Balance the three parts carefully during unison or octave passages; the symbolic unity of those moments deserves clarity and commitment from all voices.
- Work dynamics as a ensemble conversation rather than isolated voice parts. This piece thrives when each section listens and responds to the others.
How to use it
Consider this for a concert exploring humanity's relationship with nature, or pair it with instrumental work that echoes its maritime imagery. Its narrative strength also makes it effective as a dramatic centerpiece in a mixed choral program, where it can stand alone and leave an impression.
Skills your students will build
- Dramatic interpretation and storytelling through vocal line
- Balance and blend across three distinct voice parts
- Reading and executing variable dynamics to match textual imagery
- Sustained phrasing through longer melodic passages
- Ensemble listening and rhythmic cohesion in unison and octave writing