This setting requires three treble soloists with power below the staff and confidence in the blues style. The choral backgrounds are deliberately sparse— imitating guitar, light organ, banjo— until a climactic group shout for the preacher. The music is driving and relentless, the singers are determined to be "ready to go" into the kingdom of God. The characters in this unique and compelling work— mother, sister, brother, neighbor, preacher, and finally self— remind us that we will all face this journey, so we had best live right and shout "Hallelujah" when our turn comes.
