Where Go the Boats?: SSA Choral Octavo

Name: Where Go the Boats?: SSA Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-4757
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: InStock

Music by Ruth Artman

Item: 00-4757

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Over the years, Ruth Artman has written beautiful and accessible music for SSA choirs. Where Go the Boats?, a setting of the charming text by Robert Louis Stevenson, is in the classic tradition of music for women's voices. Optional flute and bells set the serene picture of a flowing river. Excellent concert, contest or festival selection.

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Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 12

UPC: 038081004624

SKU: 00-4757

Instrumentation: Opt. Flute and Bells

More about this title

About the Composer: Ruth Artman

Ruth Artman has spent decades composing music that serves the specific needs and capacities of women's choirs. Her catalog reflects a deep understanding of SSA voicing: she writes with sensitivity to range, blend, and the particular resonance of treble voices, never sacrificing musicality for accessibility. Her work appears regularly in school and community concert programs across the country.

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Why we love this

Artman's setting captures the dreamy, meditative quality of Stevenson's poem without oversimplifying the harmony. The optional flute and bells add shimmer without becoming cloying, and the piece works equally well in concert or festival settings, making it a flexible choice for programming. Directors value her restraint: this is music that trusts the text and the singers.

What to expect

The music evokes the gentle motion of water and the quietness of childhood imagination. Artman's harmonic language feels both familiar and slightly impressionistic, creating an atmosphere that is contemplative rather than sentimental.

Who it's for

This piece suits SSA choirs of mixed ability levels, from developing high school ensembles to community and college groups. Directors seeking repertoire that is genuine and singable without patronizing will find this a valuable addition to their libraries.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the phrases to follow the natural rhythm of Stevenson's language rather than the bar lines; let the words breathe and guide your phrasing.
If including the optional flute and bells, bring them in gradually rather than from the opening; let the voices establish the river imagery first.
Balance the SSA texture so the alto line doesn't disappear; Artman has given that voice significant work that supports the overall sonority.
Keep the tempo flowing but never rushed; the serenity of the piece depends on unhurried transitions between phrases.

How to use it

Program this as a moment of calm within a concert that includes more energetic selections, or pair it with other Stevenson settings for a thematic program about childhood and nature. It also works beautifully in festival contexts where an SSA choir needs a piece that demonstrates both musicality and solid ensemble singing.