Follow the Drinking Gourd Cover Image

Follow the Drinking Gourd: SAB Choral Octavo

$2.25 USD
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Follow the Drinking Gourd Cover Image
Follow the Drinking Gourd: SAB Choral Octavo

Follow the Drinking Gourd: SAB Choral Octavo

Arr. Jay Althouse

Item: 00-11600
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Description
An exceptional arrangement of the traditional African-American folk song pertaining to the Big Dipper (the "Drinking Gourd") and how it points north t freedom. Features solid choral writing with a haunting piano accompaniment. Comfortable ranges, no solos, no divisi. Good for multi-cultural programs.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 8
UPC: 038081118277
SKU: 00-11600

More about this title

About the Arranger: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was later honored as a Distinguished Alumnus. His eight-year tenure in rights and licensing at a major educational publisher gave him deep knowledge of the choral music industry; during that time, he served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. As a composer, he has placed over 800 works for choirs across all levels into print, earning regular ASCAP Special Awards and recognition throughout English-speaking countries.

Beyond composition, Althouse has shaped choral practice through co-written books including The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers, as well as classroom resources like Ready to Read Music and One-Page Composer Bios. He has collaborated with his wife, Sally K. Albrecht, on children's musicals and vocal collections, including Folk Songs for Solo Singers. His arrangement and curation work reflects a sustained commitment to making quality repertoire accessible to music educators. Based in North Carolina, he serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America and contributes regularly to its publications.

Why we love this

Althouse captures the spiritual weight of this freedom song without demanding vocal virtuosity from your singers. The SAB voicing sits comfortably across a range of voices and abilities, while the piano accompaniment carries harmonic depth and emotional resonance that elevates what could be a simple folk setting into something genuinely moving. It's the kind of piece that sounds mature and intentional without requiring advanced musicianship.

What to expect

Haunting and contemplative, with a quiet strength beneath every phrase. The melody carries the weight of hidden meaning while the piano weaves a somber, determined accompaniment that feels like a journey unfolding. There's reverence here, and resilience.

Who it's for

Directors programming multicultural and sacred music who need accessible, dignified repertoire for developing choirs. The SAB voicing accommodates changing voices and mixed ensembles where vocal ranges vary, making this work across middle school through adult community choirs.

How to get the most out of it

  • Let the piano anchor the emotional tone. The accompaniment isn't just support; it carries the weight of the journey north. Singers should listen and allow their phrases to breathe within the harmonic foundation.
  • Shape the phrases with the narrative in mind. This isn't a march or a triumph; it's a coded message and a desperate hope. Encourage your singers to connect to the meaning, which will naturally inform phrasing and dynamics.
  • Balance the three parts without letting any voice disappear. In SAB writing, the middle voice can vanish if singers aren't secure. Rehearse in parts early, then blend with attention to ensemble blend and line independence.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece for a concert focused on American spirituals and folk traditions, or pair it with other freedom songs and African-American choral literature to create thematic depth. Its eight-page format and modest technical demands make it ideal for building programming around cultural history and social justice themes without overextending rehearsal time.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing with textual intention and historical awareness
  • Balancing three independent parts while maintaining ensemble unity
  • Responding to and supporting a harmonic accompaniment
  • Sustaining legit phrasing in folk idiom across SAB writing

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