Plaudite: 2-Part Choral Octavo
(Plaudite Omnis Terra)
Music and additional words by Victor C. Johnson
Item: 00-PO-0005866
$2.20
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
Pickup currently not available
Description
Victor Johnson delivers the ultimate festival opener with this joyful mixed-meter selection meaning "clap your hands, all the earth." A strong minor-key motive, harmonized in sturdy open fifths, is punctuated by rhythmic handclaps. A contrasting section quiets the middle before a brief accelerando builds back to the triumphant return of opening material. Prominent dynamics and captivating rhythms create excitement.
Plaudite: 2-Part 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.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
16
SKU:
00-PO-0005866
More about this title
About the Composer: Victor C. Johnson
Victor C. Johnson brings decades of choral directing experience to his prolific composing career. Based in Dallas, Texas, he has published over 500 choral works, vocal solos, and keyboard collections, and currently serves as School Choral Editor for Sing!, the educational publishing division of Choristers Guild. From 2000 to 2018, he directed choral ensembles at Ft. Worth Academy of Fine Arts, including the Academy Singers and Academy Men's Choir, while also serving as artistic director for both the Singing Girls of Texas and Children's Choir of Texas.
His leadership extends to the Dallas Symphony Children's Chorus Mixed Ensemble, where he was appointed conductor in 2022. Johnson holds membership in the American Choral Directors Association, American Guild of Organists, Texas Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, and serves as an ASCAP composer. His deep roots in Texas music education inform every piece he writes.
Why we love this
Johnson designed this piece as a genuine festival opener, and it delivers exactly that energy without relying on oversized orchestration or excessive length. The mixed meters and handclaps create natural excitement while remaining technically manageable for developing singers, and the Latin text gives programs an immediate sense of purpose and occasion.
What to expect
Plaudite captures jubilation grounded in minor-key strength rather than brightness. The open fifths and handclaps create an almost processional quality, building momentum through rhythmic vitality and dynamic contrast. By the final return, the piece swells with the satisfaction of a journey completed.
Who it's for
Directors programming a festival or concert opener need music that excites an audience immediately while remaining accessible to 2-part choirs. This works for mixed or treble choirs at the middle school through early high school level, and for directors who value text-driven programming and rhythmic clarity.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening minor-key motive as a unified statement; the open fifths harmony requires precise intonation and balance between parts, so lock those intervals early in rehearsal.
- Treat the handclaps as a rhythmic instrument rather than an afterthought. They anchor the piece's energy, so coordinate them carefully with the singers and let them cut through the texture.
- The contrasting middle section's quiet moment only lands if you've allowed genuine space and diminishment beforehand. Resist the urge to rush the return accelerando; let the tempo rise gradually and naturally.
- Bring out the 'triumphant return' by reclaiming the dynamic strength and minor-key color you established at the opening, but with added confidence from what the singers have navigated.
How to use it
Open your festival, competition, or concert program with this piece to establish energy and focus from the first moments. Its 16 pages fit comfortably within a contest time slot while making an impact, and the Latin text pairs naturally with other sacred or classical repertoire in a concert sequence.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing mixed meters
- Intonation and balance in open fifth harmony
- Dynamic control and contrast across phrase lengths
- Rhythmic precision, especially when integrating handclaps with vocal lines
- Text expression in Latin