Ride Up in the Chariot: TTB Choral Octavo
Music by Donald Moore
Item: 00-PO-0004070
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Here's a new and rousing spiritual for choral groups of all ages. The text includes traditional spiritual imagery, but the music is fresh and new. Easy part writing and straightforward voice leading. Great TTB voicing!
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0004070
More about this title
About the Composer: Donald Moore
Donald Moore earned his Bachelor of Music in organ performance and Master of Arts in Teaching from Kent State University. He has served as Organist-Choirmaster at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and maintains an active presence as a published composer and arranger across multiple genres and publishing houses including Alfred Music, Hal Leonard, and Heritage Music Press.
With over 500 compositions in print, Moore has established himself as a significant voice in American choral music, recognized by the American Choral Directors Association as one of 400 elite composers in the field's history. His work spans sacred, secular, and educational choral literature alongside organ and piano pieces. He is a seventeen-time recipient of the ASCAP Composers Standard Award, and his compositions regularly appear at state and national music festivals and competitions.
Why we love this
Moore strips away needless complexity without sacrificing musicality. The fresh melodic writing and clean voice leading mean your singers can focus on authentic expression rather than technical survival, and the TTB voicing sits naturally in the male voice range while remaining accessible to groups of varying experience levels.
What to expect
Rousing and direct, this spiritual channels traditional imagery through contemporary harmonic language. The piece carries the buoyancy and forward momentum you expect from the spiritual tradition without leaning on cliché; it feels both grounded in heritage and unmistakably modern.
Who it's for
This octavo works for TTB ensembles across high school and community choirs, church choirs, and college groups seeking accessible sacred repertoire that doesn't talk down to singers. The easy part writing and accessible ranges make it equally valuable for developing choirs and established groups looking to round out a spiritual programming.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melody between the first and second tenors so neither line dominates; the interplay between parts drives the spiritual's energy.
- Let the text's imagery shape your phrasing and dynamics; the rising chariot metaphor invites a building trajectory through key moments.
- Lean into the rhythmic vitality without rushing; straightforward notation can tempt conductors to push tempo, but restraint lets the spiritual breathe.
- Explore the available recorded accompaniment to establish an ensemble reference for style and tempo before rehearsals begin.
How to use it
Pair this with other spirituals or sacred works to build a thematic concert segment, or position it as a contrasting piece alongside more complex contemporary choral literature. Its relative brevity and energetic character make it ideal for opening a second half or providing an emotional pivot point in a longer program.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing melody and harmony in TTB texture
- Singing authentic spiritual style and expression
- Reading straightforward voice leading and part independence
- Coordinate ensemble phrasing across multiple voice parts
- Interpreting text imagery through musical shape and dynamics