Who'll Be a Witness: SATB Choral Octavo

Name: Who'll Be a Witness: SATB Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-LG52279
Price: 2.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Arr. Wendell Whalum

Item: 00-LG52279

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Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Lawson-Gould Music Publishers

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 16

UPC: 783556013976

SKU: 00-LG52279

More about this title

About the Arranger: Wendell Whalum

Wendell P. Whalum brought together deep expertise as a conductor, organist, musicologist, and arranger, building a career that spanned teaching, performing, and scholarship. He studied at Morehouse College in Atlanta, earning his Bachelor of Arts in 1952, then pursued graduate work at the University of Iowa, completing his Master of Arts in 1965. The University of Haiti honored him with a Doctor Honoris Causa in 1968. In 1953 he joined the Morehouse faculty as Director of the Morehouse College Glee Club, a position from which he shaped generations of singers and helped establish Morehouse's choral legacy.

Whalum's work reflected his wide-ranging knowledge of music history, sacred traditions, and the African American choral canon. He held memberships in Phi Beta Kappa, the American Guild of Organists, the National Humanities Faculty, and the Music Educators National Conference, among many others. His contributions as arranger and composer enriched the repertoire available to choirs seeking music rooted in spiritual and cultural authenticity. He passed away on June 9, 1987.

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Why we love this

Whalum's arrangement honors the spiritual's emotional core while giving SATB choirs a manageable, a cappella setting that showcases ensemble blend and clarity. The piece moves naturally for singers without sacrificing the power of the traditional material, making it equally strong for concert programs and festival competitions.

What to expect

The arrangement carries the quiet urgency and witness-bearing power of the spiritual, with clear harmonic textures that allow the weight of the text to emerge. Singing a cappella focuses the emotional intensity of the piece, asking the ensemble to hold both vulnerability and strength.

Who it's for

SATB choirs seeking a cappella sacred repertoire with roots in the African American spiritual tradition. High school and college ensembles preparing for concert or festival performance will find this piece both accessible and substantial.

How to get the most out of it

Approach the unaccompanied texture as an opportunity to balance all four voice parts equally; avoid letting any line recede or dominate. Listen inward for tuning stability, especially at phrase endings.
Shape the harmonic changes with intention rather than rushing through them. Let each chord speak clearly, which requires slightly flexible tempos and responsive ensemble listening.
Connect the spiritual's narrative arc to the singers' physical and emotional commitment. This music demands presence, not just accurate notes.

How to use it

Place this in a sacred or spiritual-focused concert segment where it can anchor a program of traditional and arranged spirituals. Its a cappella nature and festival-ready stature make it ideal for competition settings or formal concert programs that benefit from repertoire with historical and cultural resonance.