Something Told the Wild Geese Cover Image

Something Told the Wild Geese: SSA Choral Octavo

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Something Told the Wild Geese Cover Image
Something Told the Wild Geese: SSA Choral Octavo

Something Told the Wild Geese: SSA Choral Octavo

Words by Rachel Field, music and additional words by Andy Beck

Item: 00-45462
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Description
A stark fifth in the piano represents a chill in the air and frames the opening of this sensitive setting of the popular Rachel Field poem. Nuanced dynamics, tempi, and phrasing invite expressive singing. A resplendent chorus, featuring additional wintertime words, breaks into lush harmony.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 8
UPC: 038081512020
SKU: 00-45462

More about this title

About the Composer: Andy Beck

Andy Beck

Andy Beck directs choral publications at Alfred Music and has composed and arranged more than 450 works for choirs, singers, and young performers currently in print. His pedagogical resources, including Sing at First Sight, Foundations in Choral Sight Singing, and Vocalize! 45 Vocal Warm-Ups That Teach Technique, have shaped choral music education across the country. His compositions appear in rehearsals and on concert stages worldwide, as evidenced by frequent performances shared online.

Beyond the page, Beck maintains an active presence in the choral world as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician. He has served as commissioned composer and guest conductor for honor choirs throughout the Southeast, and he performs regularly as a tenor with the North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir. He holds degrees in music education from Ithaca College and Northwest Missouri State University, grounding his compositional voice in both artistry and classroom practice.

Why we love this

Beck's setting captures the emotional weight of Rachel Field's poem through restrained, intelligent orchestration and genuine expressive possibility for singers. The opening fifth in the piano creates immediate atmosphere without overshadowing the voices, and the dynamic arc invites singers to invest in subtle shaping. This is the kind of piece that rewards careful rehearsal and reveals new dimension with each performance.

What to expect

The opening evokes a crisp autumn or winter morning, still and observant. As the piece unfolds, warmth builds through layered harmony and expanded text, creating a moment of collective reflection that feels both intimate and grand.

Who it's for

This octavo suits SSA or SSAA choirs seeking a concert or festival piece with literary depth and genuine musical substance. Directors working with treble choirs at the middle school through adult level will find expressive singing opportunities and manageable technical demands that repay focused rehearsal.

How to get the most out of it

  • Let the piano's opening fifth establish the winter landscape alone; resist the urge to enter with full volume. The chill it creates sets expectations for the singers' opening phrases.
  • Shape the nuanced dynamics and tempo shifts as markers of emotional journey, not merely technical instructions. Small variations in pacing signal character change.
  • Balance the lush harmony of the resounding chorus section so the additional wintertime text sits clearly. Encourage singers to listen inward to blend without loss of individual line.
  • Attend to sustained vowels in slower passages; a steady, warm tone prevents the sensitive opening from feeling tentative or thin.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece for a fall or winter concert, pairing it with other seasonal repertoire or poetry-based settings. Its length and expressive range make it equally effective in festival competitions, where its restraint and musical intelligence distinguish it from more heavily arranged alternatives.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining dynamic control across longer phrases
  • Blending and balancing multiple vocal lines within SSA texture
  • Responding to tempo and dynamic nuance as expressive tools
  • Singing with consistent vowel tone across register changes
  • Interpreting text-painting and mood through musical detail

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