Rainfall: SSA Choral Octavo
Rainfall Sheet Music Preview

Rainfall: SSA Choral Octavo

By Patti Drennan / As performed by Emily Pauline Johnson

Item: 35-DS00316762
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$2.50
Description

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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 7
SKU: 35-DS00316762

More about this title

About the Composer: Patti Drennan

Patti Drennan

Patti Drennan's career spans four decades as both educator and composer. She holds degrees in music education from Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma, and spent 28 years directing choral programs in Norman Public Schools. Her tenure included 20 years at West Mid-High School (where she earned Teacher of the Year) and eight years at Norman High School, where her four choirs consistently earned superior ratings at festivals.

Drennan's compositional output is substantial: over 425 published choral octavos with major publishers and more than two million copies in circulation. In 2004, the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association honored her with the Director of Distinction Award. Since retiring from classroom teaching that same year, she has maintained an active presence as a clinician, adjudicator, and composer weekend facilitator across the United States and Canada. Her work has been performed at Carnegie Hall, and she continues to collaborate musically with her daughter, Emily, a performing artist in New York.

Why we love this

Drennan understands how to set text with clarity and emotional resonance, and her gift for accessible yet sophisticated writing makes this piece rewarding for both singers and audiences. The SSA voicing opens the piece to a wider range of choir levels without sacrificing musical substance. Programming work by a composer with Drennan's track record and prolific output means your singers are learning from someone who has spent decades refining the craft of choral writing.

What to expect

The piece captures a quiet, contemplative mood that invites listeners into a moment of reflection. Rainfall imagery flows through the text and music, creating a natural sense of movement and inevitability that feels both intimate and universal.

Who it's for

SSA choirs at the high school or community choir level will find this piece accessible without feeling simplistic. Directors seeking meaningful, well-crafted repertoire by a composer with extensive classroom experience will appreciate both the musicality and the pedagogical soundness of Drennan's writing.

How to get the most out of it

  • Pay close attention to text inflection in the opening phrases; Drennan's text setting rewards singers who commit fully to the natural speech rhythm beneath the musical line.
  • Balance the upper voices carefully during sustained passages to ensure the harmonic color remains transparent rather than top-heavy.
  • Shape phrases with attention to where the text naturally breathes, which often differs from obvious musical cadences.

How to use it

Include this in a concert exploring nature-inspired texts or as part of a broader program celebrating Canadian writers. The seven-page length and accessible voicing make it an excellent choice for spring festivals or community concert programming where you want repertoire that connects with both performers and audiences.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing text with natural phrase rhythm and emotional authenticity
  • Balancing SSA voicing to maintain clarity across all three parts
  • Interpreting subtle dynamic and harmonic shifts to support textual meaning
  • Reading and understanding literary imagery as it manifests in musical choices

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