Follow the Drinking Gourd: SAB Choral Octavo
Traditional Spiritual / arr. Victor C. Johnson
Item: 00-PO-0006452
$2.05
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Victor Johnson's driving setting of the traditional African-American spiritual conveys a sense of urgency that builds from beginning to end, including a dramatic optional descant in the final chorus. A hardy piano accompaniment propels the arrangement and supports the syncopated singers, who are fully harmonized in all voicings.
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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0006452
More about this title
About the Arranger: Victor C Johnson
Victor C. Johnson, originally from Dallas, Texas, serves as School Choral Editor for Sing!, the educational publishing arm of Choristers Guild. His catalogue includes over 500 published choral works, vocal solos, and keyboard pieces that span styles from spirituals to contemporary settings.
From 2000 to 2018, Johnson directed choral ensembles at Ft. Worth Academy of Fine Arts, where he led the Academy Singers and Academy Men's Choir while serving as Artistic Director for both the Singing Girls of Texas and the Children's Choir of Texas. Since August 2022, he has conducted the Dallas Symphony Children's Chorus Mixed Ensemble, working with advanced high school singers as the resident children's choir for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He holds memberships in the American Choral Directors Association, American Guild of Organists, Texas Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, and other professional organizations.
Why we love this
Johnson's arrangement captures the spiritual's historical urgency without sacrificing musicality. The syncopated harmonies feel contemporary and engaging for singers, while the escalating intensity and dramatic optional descant in the final chorus give your concert or festival performance real dramatic arc and memorability.
What to expect
This arrangement pulses with forward momentum and historical weight. The fully harmonized voicings create rich texture, while the syncopation and driving accompaniment evoke determination and strength. The dramatic optional descent in the final chorus lifts the piece toward a powerful conclusion.
Who it's for
SAB choirs seeking a setting of this spiritual that feels urgent and contemporary without oversimplifying the music. The arrangement works well for groups with solid part-singing skills who want to program a compelling piece for concert or festival performance.
How to get the most out of it
- Anchor the syncopated rhythms in the piano accompaniment during early rehearsals. Have singers listen carefully to how the harmonic rhythm propels the piece forward, then layer the parts gradually.
- Shape the building intensity from beginning to end by allowing the dynamic and textural growth to feel organic rather than sudden. Mark breath points and ensure section transitions don't lose momentum.
- If you use the optional descant in the final chorus, consider letting altos or sopranos trade the line to showcase different voices and distribute the responsibility.
- Recorded accompaniment is available separately. Using it can help singers internalize the driving rhythmic pulse and stay locked with the harmonic movement.
How to use it
Program this near the end of a concert to capitalize on the building intensity and dramatic final chorus. It pairs well alongside other spirituals or works that celebrate African-American musical traditions, and its driving energy provides strong contrast to ballads or slower selections.
Skills your students will build
- Singing syncopated rhythms against a steady harmonic pulse
- Maintaining part independence in three-part mixed voicing
- Building and sustaining dynamic growth over an entire piece
- Interpreting spiritual tradition with contemporary arranging techniques