My Head Fell Off
The round in Western culture has been associated as closely with wit as it has with praise. Here are thirteen risible rounds of varying difficulty intended for a cappella performance. Admirably suited to treble voices, they may be sung by mixed groups of all ages. The lyrics are light and teasing, the music jaunty and memorable. Any choral performance must benefit from the inclusion of a brace of crowd-pleasing canons!
The composer recommends “partnering” the voices by combining female voices “high-with-low” (SA) and male voices “high-with-low” (TB). Each compound “part” will therefore be comprised of both kinds of voice, ideally in equal numbers.
Over 100 of Brian Kogler’s rounds are now accessible on YouTube. Scores are available for free on request. Please contact: bkogler [at] bigpond [dot] com
| Voicing: | Equal Voices, SSAA, SSAB |
| Instrumentation: | A Cappella |
| Language: | English, Latin |
| Sacred or Secular: | Secular |
| Season or Event: | General |
| Difficulty: | Intermediate, Advanced |
| Descriptive Tags: | Fun, Humorous, Light, Silly |
Explore More Music…
Title | View | Voicing | Duration | Language | Composer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SATB | 2' 10" | Latin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This communion motet, setting the famous 14th century words attributed to Innocent VI, took the prize in the Composition Competition of The Wessex Festival in August 2016. It has since been sung in venues including Ripon Cathedral, UK. Set largely homophonically for SATB choir without divisions, its well-structured melody is complemented by the texture created […] More info & view score » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 5' | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A fresh setting of George Herbert’s well-known poem, using a variety of techniques including canon and mirror inversion as well as an a cappella section. Moderate difficulty. More info & view score » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 3'30" | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Golden Apples Of The Sun (SATB, unaccompanied) is a joyful, rhythmic piece with lyrics inspired by a Yeats poem. Accessible, uptempo and exhilarating, it is ideal for civic events and celebrations. It is a dynamic work that is exciting for both performers and listeners. Winner of the Celebration Singers 80th Anniversary Composition Competition. More info & view score » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SSA | 2' | Hebrew | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Composed in the summer of 2020, Psalm 117 is a fun and uplifting setting of this psalm (“Praise the Lord, all nations!”) sung in Hebrew (IPA pronunciation guide included). The recording here is an electronic demo. More info & view score » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 4'20" | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
THE SMALLEST SONG, a setting of a text by American poet Martha Collins, is a gentle piece, full of warmth and intimate emotion. The wordplay in the text is matched in the composition; phrases are slightly altered, inverted and developed as the work builds. Jazz-like harmonies infuse the piece with a soothing vitality throughout. “A […] More info & view score » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SSA | 6'30" | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
To Blossoms To Daffodils Gather ye Rosebuds All three of these poems are by the Seventeenth Century English lyric poet, Robert Herrick (1591-1674). While flowers are referred to in each of them, their main common theme is time – in particular the briefness of our lives here on this earth, and the need to use […] More info & view score » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SAB | 3' | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||