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On That Great, Gettin' Up Day: SATB, <I>a cappella</I> Choral Octavo

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On That Great, Gettin' Up Day Cover Image
On That Great, Gettin' Up Day: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

On That Great, Gettin' Up Day: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

Music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-4783
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On That Great, Gettin' Up Day: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

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Description
A powerful combination of two spirituals (Great Day and In That Great, Gettin' Up Mornin') in the classic choral tradition. Big dynamic contrasts and excellent voice leading (both Jay Althouse trademarks) make it exciting, yet accomplishable. Features two solo parts (high and low) which can be divided among several singers. This a cappella work will truly be the highlight of your choral concert. Appropriate for general or Christmas use.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, On That Great, Gettin' Up Day: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
UPC: 038081010632
SKU: 00-4783

More about this title

About the Composer: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse studied music education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he earned both his B.S. and M.Ed. degrees and later received the Distinguished Alumni award. Before establishing himself as a prolific composer, he spent eight years in rights and licensing administration for a major educational publisher, even serving on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America.

With over 800 choral works in print, Althouse has become a standard voice in American choral music, performed regularly across the English-speaking world. His catalog ranges from full-length children's musicals (co-written with Sally K. Albrecht) to instructional resources and collections. He is a writing member of ASCAP and a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Award. His work "I Hear America Singing" gained national prominence when the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs performed it at President Obama's 2009 Inauguration.

Why we love this

Althouse has a gift for building spiritual arrangements that balance accessibility with genuine emotional weight. The combination of two well-loved spirituals here gives you dramatic arc without requiring your singers to navigate unfamiliar melodic material, and the optional solo divisions mean you can cast singers at various levels of confidence without creating bottlenecks.

What to expect

The piece unfolds with quiet determination, then builds into something joyful and celebratory. There's a sense of collective hope woven through the harmonies, enhanced by the way Althouse lets the voices move independently yet cohesively, creating moments of surprising depth in what feels like a straightforward arrangement.

Who it's for

This arrangement works for choirs at the intermediate level and above who want a sacred work that delivers real impact without excessive technical demands. It's particularly valuable for programs seeking spirituals that honor the tradition while offering modern voice-leading sophistication.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the dynamic contrasts deliberately; these aren't just written for excitement but to clarify the spiritual's call-and-response tradition. Let softer moments breathe rather than rushing toward the next swell.
  • Distribute the solo passages across 4-6 singers rather than assigning them to just two individuals. This builds ensemble ownership and allows singers of different voice types to share the weight.
  • Balance the a cappella texture by having your singers lock into a steady pulse during the opening; a moment of unison or octaves can help establish intonation before the voices separate into harmony.

How to use it

Position this as a concert centerpiece rather than a supporting work; it has the musical substance and emotional resonance to anchor a program. It works equally well in a sacred or seasonal concert context, and its twelve pages give you room to develop real rehearsal depth without overwhelming your score rotation.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing independently within SATB voicing while maintaining blend
  • Releasing phrase endings with precision in a cappella settings
  • Sustaining intonation across dynamic contrasts without instrumental support
  • Executing the rhythmic and harmonic interplay of spiritual call-and-response structures
  • Balancing solo and ensemble roles within the same work

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