Open the Window, Noah: 3-Part Mixed, a cappella Choral Octavo
(Inspired by a Traditional Spiritual)
Words and music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0005958
$2.05
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Inspired by the much-revered spiritual tradition, this original a cappella piece recounts the biblical story of the Great Flood. On its third attempt, Noah's dove returned with an olive branch, signaling the discovery of dry land. Flexible call-and-response solos are accompanied by a humming choir in the verses, and a jubilant refrain becomes even more thrilling when a treble trio joins at the end!
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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0005958
More about this title
About the Composer: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus. Early in his career, he spent eight years managing rights and licensing for a major educational publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. His catalog now exceeds 800 choral compositions performed widely across English-speaking countries.
Althouse's contributions to music education extend well beyond composition. He is a writer member of ASCAP and a frequent recipient of the organization's Special Award. Working alongside his wife Sally K. Albrecht, he has co-written children's musicals, edited respected vocal solo collections, and authored influential classroom resources including The Complete Choral Warm-up Book, Accent on Composers, and several reproducible music theory and history books. His collaborative work "I Hear America Singing" was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Obama's 2009 Inauguration. Based in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Althouse remains active in the choral and folk music communities.
Why we love this
Althouse captures the spiritual tradition authentically while giving singers real interactive moments through flexible call-and-response solos that invite different voices forward. The scoring is genuinely inventive: humming choir parts create an unexpected textural support that gives soloists breathing room, and the treble trio entrance at the final refrain delivers an organic swell that feels earned rather than tacked on.
What to expect
The piece has a storytelling warmth rooted in the spiritual tradition, with call-and-response passages that feel conversational and alive. When the humming choir enters underneath a solo line, there's an almost meditative quality that shifts to jubilation as the full choir and treble voices join in the final refrain.
Who it's for
Mixed voice choirs at intermediate level and above who want substantial spiritual material without overstuffed arrangements. This works equally well for concert programs, festival competition, or special services where a cappella singing feels appropriate.
How to get the most out of it
- Encourage soloists to phrase the call-and-response passages conversationally, not robotically. The story should unfold as if being told rather than recited.
- Shape the humming choir sections with dynamic intention. They're not background filler; they set the emotional landscape for what the soloist is singing above.
- Let the treble trio entrance breathe. A slight pause or breath gesture before that final refrain helps the listener register the new color and builds anticipation.
How to use it
Program this during a concert section focused on spirituals or sacred choral literature, where it can stand proudly alongside traditional arrangements. Its eight pages and moderate performance demands make it suitable for a spring or fall concert without requiring extensive rehearsal time, freeing your focus for more complex works.
Skills your students will build
- Call-and-response phrasing and ensemble interaction
- A cappella intonation and internal pitch matching
- Blending humming sounds with sung text
- Dramatic storytelling through choral texture