Four and Twenty Blackbirds

Description

Voice 1, Voice 2, Voice 3, Piano — An English rhyme meets a French folk tune in this delightful choral showcase for developing mixed choirs. My idea to put them together began with my fascination with the words. Imagine sitting down to eat a piece of pie and discovering blackbirds inside, not cooked, but singing! The traditional melody that goes with the rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence was not familiar to me; the French melody of At Pierrot’s Door was familiar, and it had the same rhythmic structure, so I decided to use it instead. The tune is also known by the title Au Clair de la Lune (By the Light of the Moon).The voice parts sing independently as they become the singing birds, assisted by chirping flourishes in the piano. The key to a successful performance is balance. Especially in the fa la la passages, the vocal lines should be equally strong, to maximize the birdsong effect.You could add drama by using a crown and a robe to costume the choir member who performs the spoken solo of the king. His imperious demand for his Christmas goose adds a touch of drama to the feast, setting the stage for the blackbirds to honor him with their generous gift of music: fa la la, fa la la la la! English rhyme meets French folk tune in this delightful holiday choral for young choirs. Pairing the well-known Sing a Song of Sixpence lyrics with Au Clair de la Luneand some fa la la la'smakes for a novel holiday concert pleaser that's loads of fun! Also available for Two-Part Treble Voices (BL1162).

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