Steal Away—Deep River

Steal Away—Deep River

Steal Away—Deep River

for mixed voices a capella


While looking through some of my older compositions I came across this arrangement I had made, I think, my freshman year in college.  I had put it aside and forgotten about it.

            Although I don’t think the term was in use then, it might be described as a “mashup” (or to use the formal term, “quodlibet”) of two very familiar spirituals that actually go well together.  Although my style now is in many ways quite different, I definitely recognize some chord types that I still use, and the ending is very “me.”

            In 2021 I made a computer notation version, and made some small changes, most notably lowering the range of one passage so that sopranos and tenors aren’t in their top range as long as in the original, which I think makes the climax more effective as well.

            I often work with found material but this is the only time I have worked with this particular repertory; perhaps I will do some more exploring in this wonderful material.


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