Nightfall: SSAA Choral Octavo

Name: Nightfall: SSAA Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-PO-0001524
Price: 1.85 USD
Availability: InStock

Words and music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-PO-0001524

Digital Download

$1.85

Minimum order quantity: 20 copies

Experience the imagery of nightfall in this hauntingly beautiful contemporary choral work. Features rich harmonies and expressive music that complement the picturesque text.

Nightfall: SSAA Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.

No sample videos found.

Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

SKU: 00-PO-0001524

More about this title

About the Composer: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse studied music education and music at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he later received the Distinguished Alumni award. His career spans composition, publishing administration, and music education; he served eight years as a rights and licenses administrator for a major educational publisher and held a position on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America.

Show moreShow less

Why we love this

Althouse brings the restraint and sophistication of contemporary choral writing to a piece that actually rewards singers. The harmonies are rich without becoming opaque, and the emotional arc of nightfall emerges naturally from the text rather than being imposed through heavy orchestration. Directors appreciate how accessible this piece remains for good high school or community choirs while avoiding the triteness that plagues so much contemporary secular choral work.

What to expect

Nightfall settles over the listener like dusk itself. The music invites contemplation rather than drama, with harmonies that seem to deepen as the piece unfolds, creating an atmosphere of peaceful stillness and natural beauty. Singers experience the meditative quality of sustained harmonic movement that allows the text to breathe.

Who it's for

This octavo works beautifully for advanced high school choirs and strong community or collegiate ensembles. The SSAA voicing makes it accessible to choirs without strong alto sections while maintaining the harmonic sophistication Althouse is known for.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the inner harmony parts carefully during sustained chords; these rich harmonies can blur if sopranos and altos aren't equally anchored rhythmically.
Shape the text expressively without sacrificing ensemble precision. The imagery demands emotional investment, but singers must stay locked together rhythmically.
Explore dynamic contrast within phrases rather than relying on sudden shifts. This piece rewards subtle swells that follow the natural shape of the melodic line.

How to use it

Program this alongside other contemporary pieces that explore nature and atmosphere to create a thematic concert section. Its eight pages and moderate performance demands make it suitable for spring or fall concerts, or as part of a program featuring text-driven secular choral work.