Psallite: Let All Nations Sing: SAB Choral Octavo

Althouse writes for the voice with genuine understanding of what makes singers sound confident and supported. The combination of Latin and English text creates an immediate sense of occasion without requiring your singers to master unfamiliar language, while the descants for soprano and tenor add dimension and lift without complicating the overall structure. This piece proves that exuberance and strong voice leading belong in the same room.

Psallite radiates celebration from the first measure. The blend of Latin and English creates an inviting, almost inclusive quality, as if the choir is singing on behalf of many nations. There's energy here without chaos, sophistication without pretension.

This octavo fits choirs with comfortable three-part mixed voicing who want a substantial concert piece with real musical substance. It works equally well for high school choirs seeking something fresh and accomplished-sounding, and for community and adult choirs ready to stretch slightly beyond unison or very simple two-part writing.

• Balance the Latin and English text colors by having singers lean slightly into the vowels of the Latin sections; this natural approach prevents the piece from sounding split between two languages.
• Shape the descant lines as independent melodic voices rather than decorative material. They should sing with the same care and projection as the main choir voices.
• Let the strong harmonic writing do the work. Avoid over-interpreting; clear diction and confident ensemble sound will project the exuberance without forcing dynamics.

Program this as a strong closing number for a concert centered on global themes or interfaith community, or use it as a bridge piece that acknowledges Althouse's contemporary idiom while maintaining the choral tradition. It also works beautifully as the centerpiece of a concert built around pieces with text in multiple languages.

• Singing in Latin with accurate vowel sounds and clear articulation
• Balancing independent descant lines with ensemble texture
• Executing rhythmic precision in a secular work with driven, celebratory energy
• Blending treble voices in the soprano descant part while maintaining part independence
• Sustaining legit choral sound across both modern and classical harmonic contexts