Fame Is a Fickle Food: SSA Choral Octavo
Text by Emily Dickinson, music by Ruth Morris Gray
Item: 00-PO-0000020
$1.65
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This playfully polyphonic piece, composed in a minor key, features a text by Emily Dickinson and lively music reminiscent of the Classical era. An agile piano accompaniment and satisfying vocal parts that work well together make it a tasty treat to perform. Great for contests!
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0000020
More about this title
About the Composer: Ruth Morris Gray
Ruth Morris Gray serves as Director of Choirs at Rosemead High School in California, where she has led both choir and piano instruction since 2004. She 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, completing her California Single Subject Music Credential at Cal State Northridge. With over 100 published choral compositions to her name, Gray brings both compositional expertise and deep classroom experience to her work.
Beyond her writing desk and the rehearsal room, Gray is an active performer and musician who values intellectual and physical pursuits equally. She and her husband Douglas share interests in travel, reading, swimming, and cycling, passions that often inform the creative energy present in her music.
Why we love this
Gray's setting of Dickinson's wit and wordplay lands with perfect comedic timing while maintaining genuine musical sophistication. The Classical-era sensibility paired with minor key coloring gives the piece substance beyond its playful surface, making it equally rewarding in both contest and concert contexts.
What to expect
This piece sparkles with intellectual humor and playful melodic turns, all grounded in the minor key's subtle melancholy. There is energy and elegance here, a piece that sounds both approachable and thoughtfully composed, with the piano and voices working in genuine partnership rather than accompaniment following voice.
Who it's for
SSA choirs seeking contest repertoire with literary substance and musical wit will find this piece immediately engaging. It suits singers in grades 8 through 12 and works well for choirs with solid musicianship who enjoy text-driven performance.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the text articulation to match the piece's clever wordplay. Dickinson's punctuation and phrasing deserve precision; let your diction highlight her compressed syntax.
- Balance the polyphonic writing by bringing out individual lines without sacrificing blend. Each voice part has distinct material, so clarity of each strand will strengthen the overall effect.
- Keep the piano accompaniment brisk and rhythmically alive. Its agility is essential to the piece's character and will energize the vocal lines throughout.
How to use it
Program this alongside other text-forward repertoire to create a set that celebrates poetry in music. Its contest appeal pairs well with a mix of serious and lighter pieces on a concert, or position it as a concert opener to establish personality and engagement with your audience immediately.
Skills your students will build
- Polyphonic independence within SSA texture
- Text interpretation and diction in minor keys
- Ensemble balance when multiple melodic lines carry equal weight
- Rhythmic coordination with an active, linear piano part