Think on Me: SATB Choral Octavo
Words by Lady John Scott, music by Ruth Morris Gray
Item: 00-PO-0003632
$1.90
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This sincere setting of Lady John Scott's timeless poem is a joy to sing, a pleasure to teach, and a delight to hear. Delicate suspensions and expert choral writing underscore the meaningful text: "When hearts are lightest, when eyes are brightest, when griefs are slightest, think on me."
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0003632
More about this title
About the Composer: Ruth Morris Gray
Ruth Morris Gray directs choirs at Rosemead High School in California, where she has shaped the vocal program since 2004. Her output includes over 100 published choral compositions, a testament to her productivity and deep understanding of how voices work together. She earned degrees in Piano Performance and Composition from Biola University and in Music Composition from UC Santa Barbara, completing her teaching credential at California State University, Northridge.
Beyond the rehearsal room, Gray balances her musical life with travel, swimming, reading, and cycling adventures with her husband Douglas. This breadth of experience informs her compositional voice, which consistently prioritizes singability and emotional authenticity.
Why we love this
Gray's setting honors Lady John Scott's poetry with genuine restraint. Rather than overwhelming the text, she uses delicate suspensions and thoughtful voice leading to amplify the intimacy of the request: think on me when joy is present, when sorrow is absent. Directors appreciate choral writing this sophisticated and this singable at the same time, especially when the emotional payoff feels earned rather than manipulative.
What to expect
This is a piece that hovers in quiet tenderness. The text asks for remembrance in moments of lightness and brightness, creating an undertone of wistfulness beneath the bright words. The choral writing unfolds with the care of a handwritten letter, each line placed deliberately so the meaning emerges gradually.
Who it's for
SATB choirs with developing harmonic awareness and the ability to sustain lyrical singing. This works for high school choirs, adult community ensembles, and college choirs seeking repertoire that feels both accessible and musically substantial.
How to get the most out of it
- Treat the suspensions as natural breath points. They shouldn't feel suspended in time; rather, they should invite slight hesitations that let the poetry land.
- Balance transparency with warmth in the lower voices. The piece's delicacy depends on hearing all four voice parts without any one drowning out the text.
- Shape phrases around the paired ideas in Scott's poem (hearts/eyes, lightest/brightest, griefs/slightest) so the musical structure mirrors the emotional architecture.
How to use it
Pair this with other settings of English poetry or works that explore themes of remembrance and connection. Its brevity and emotional clarity make it an excellent choice for a choral concert's intimate segment, or as a poignant closer that leaves the listener reflective rather than exhausted.
Skills your students will build
- Singing suspensions with awareness of how dissonance shapes text meaning
- Balancing four independent lines while maintaining phrase cohesion
- Connecting poetic structure to musical structure
- Sustaining legit vocal production in a lyrical, unison-free setting