Te Deum: SAB Choral Octavo
By Ruth Morris Gray
Item: 00-PO-0005529
$1.90
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Riveting and majestic, this contemporary setting of the traditional Latin text is sure to impress. Choirs both large and small will easily achieve a big sound. Modal harmonies convey a sense of urgency throughout, and an optional descant brings the piece to a dramatic close.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0005529
More about this title
About the Composer: Ruth Morris Gray
Ruth Morris Gray brings decades of experience in choral music to her compositional work. A faculty member at Rosemead High School since 2004, she directs choirs while maintaining an active performance and composition practice. She holds degrees in piano performance and composition from Biola University and a master's degree in music composition from UC Santa Barbara.
With over 100 published choral compositions to her name, Gray has established herself as a prolific and respected voice in choral literature. Her training across performance, composition, and pedagogy informs her distinctive approach to writing music that works for ensembles of all sizes.
Why we love this
Gray's modal harmonies create genuine dramatic tension without requiring advanced voice leading from singers. The piece lands that rare balance: it sounds impressive and feels achievable, which means your choir will nail the dramatic arc and you'll actually want to program it multiple times. The optional descant gives you real flexibility for contest and concert contexts.
What to expect
Urgent and expansive at once. The modal harmonies create a sense of forward momentum while the majestic qualities in the text setting give the whole piece gravity and presence. This is contemporary music that still honors the weight of the traditional Latin text.
Who it's for
Any SAB or three-part mixed choir looking for contemporary sacred repertoire with real impact. This works equally well for groups of 20 and groups of 80, making it practical for festivals and contests where you need music that scales without losing character.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the modal progressions by thinking of each chord as a color rather than a functional harmony. This keeps the urgent quality from feeling academic and lets singers lean into the contemporary sound.
- If you're using the descant, rehearse it separately first, then integrate it only once the main three parts are secure. The added texture needs to feel inevitable, not added on.
- Lock ensemble tone on the vowels across all three parts. The majestic quality depends on blend, and SAB voicing can get muddy without clean vowel matching at register transitions.
How to use it
Pair this with Renaissance polyphony or classic hymn settings for a concert that traces centuries of Te Deum settings. Its contemporary voice also works as a festival showcase piece or as the centerpiece of a liturgical concert where you want to highlight your ensemble's versatility.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and singing modal harmony
- Balancing blend across three-part mixed voicing
- Shaping dramatic form through harmonic progression
- Ensemble flexibility in both large and small group settings