Rounds for Squares
12 performance rounds for incurable fuddy-duddies
by Brian Kogler
Are you a square? Can you easily retrieve a gas bill from 1979? Do you pine for the return of spats? Do you chew each mouthful forty times while letting the bottle “breathe”? And when you watch TV, do you recoil from all murders except those committed on the village green? If so, these rounds are for you: they will loosen you up in all the right places. Squares aside, they may of course be sung by mixed groups of all ages. Should the range of any round seem daunting, turn to the final page for an explanation of “partnered voices”.
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
SKU: BKR-006
Categories: Children's Choir, Choral Music, Lower Voices, Mixed Voices, Treble Voices
Instrumentation: Choral
| Voicing: | Equal Voices, SSAA |
| Instrumentation: | A Cappella |
| Language: | English, Latin |
| Sacred or Secular: | Secular |
| Difficulty: | Intermediate, Advanced |
| Descriptive Tags: | Fun, Humorous, Light, Rounds, Silly |
| Season or Event: | General |
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Title | View | Voicing | Duration | Language | Composer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Equal Voices ⋅ SSAA | Each round 1′30″ to 2′ (in performance) | English ⋅ Latin | The modern Chapel is a meeting-place for diverse musical expression, a place where choral polyphony has long had a home. The term “a cappella” (“in the style of the chapel”) evokes the sound of a Renaissance chorus unaided by any church organ. This original collection of 14 sacred and biblical rounds (a “poor man’s polyphony”) […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The modern Chapel is a meeting-place for diverse musical expression, a place where choral polyphony has long had a home. The term “a cappella” (“in the style of the chapel”) evokes the sound of a Renaissance chorus unaided by any church organ. This original collection of 14 sacred and biblical rounds (a “poor man’s polyphony”) […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2' 37" | This new setting of the traditional Latin prayer features traditional harmonies and a simple unhurried rhythm, providing ample space for prayer and contemplation of the one blessed among women. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This new setting of the traditional Latin prayer features traditional harmonies and a simple unhurried rhythm, providing ample space for prayer and contemplation of the one blessed among women. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 4' | English | “Coney Island,” was written by Pulitzer prize winning American poet Sara Teasdale (1884-1933) and was first published in 1911 in the collection “Helen of Troy and Other Poems.”. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she lived for many years in New York City. My immigrant great-grandparents settled in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1890’s, and lived […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| “Coney Island,” was written by Pulitzer prize winning American poet Sara Teasdale (1884-1933) and was first published in 1911 in the collection “Helen of Troy and Other Poems.”. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she lived for many years in New York City. My immigrant great-grandparents settled in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1890’s, and lived […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 4'36" | Latin | This energetic setting of Gloria in excelsis Deo, from the Latin Mass, opens with rhythmic patterns that enhance the text. Midway through, the chorus softly occults between two simple chords under an alto then baritone soloists. The opening patterns return before a fugal section at the text “cum santo spiritu.” The final Amen is another […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This energetic setting of Gloria in excelsis Deo, from the Latin Mass, opens with rhythmic patterns that enhance the text. Midway through, the chorus softly occults between two simple chords under an alto then baritone soloists. The opening patterns return before a fugal section at the text “cum santo spiritu.” The final Amen is another […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3'30" | English | The text for How Can I Keep from Singing was written by members of the Derventio Choir of Allestree, Derbyshire, England, and Steven Paxton’s setting was composed for the competition celebrating that choir’s 30th anniversary. Moderate tempo a cappella sections alternate with fast, rhythmically driving sections mixing 6/8 and 5/8 meters. The piano accompaniment is […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The text for How Can I Keep from Singing was written by members of the Derventio Choir of Allestree, Derbyshire, England, and Steven Paxton’s setting was composed for the competition celebrating that choir’s 30th anniversary. Moderate tempo a cappella sections alternate with fast, rhythmically driving sections mixing 6/8 and 5/8 meters. The piano accompaniment is […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 2'15" | English | Short choral blessing (text from the Old Testament) written as part of 2001-2003 Composer Residency at San Francisco’s National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi. Premiered by resident ensemble, Schola Cantorum SF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short choral blessing (text from the Old Testament) written as part of 2001-2003 Composer Residency at San Francisco’s National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi. Premiered by resident ensemble, Schola Cantorum SF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3'30" | English | This is the combined choir (SATB) version of “Puzzle.” There is also 2-part, SA choral piece for children’s choir/ elementary choir. Lyrics by Linda Trott Dickman. How can we resolve our disagreements? “Puzzle” suggests there is a way. The text begins “How to get along together / it’s a puzzle / Will we understand each […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This is the combined choir (SATB) version of “Puzzle.” There is also 2-part, SA choral piece for children’s choir/ elementary choir. Lyrics by Linda Trott Dickman. How can we resolve our disagreements? “Puzzle” suggests there is a way. The text begins “How to get along together / it’s a puzzle / Will we understand each […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3' | English | “Shout For Joy” was composed for the undergraduate commencement exercises of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in May, 2003, and is dedicated to the graduating class of that year. The text, from Psalm 33, is suitable for a range of liturgical occasions, and the work is also effective as a concert piece. The energetic opening […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| “Shout For Joy” was composed for the undergraduate commencement exercises of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in May, 2003, and is dedicated to the graduating class of that year. The text, from Psalm 33, is suitable for a range of liturgical occasions, and the work is also effective as a concert piece. The energetic opening […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3'30" | English | The cumulative rhyme, “The House that Jack Built” follows a series of connected objects, animals, and people, from the titular house through to an unrelated “farmer sowing his corn.” This setting features a light, skipping melody that slows down periodically to linger on the developing romance between the “maiden all forlorn” and the “man all […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The cumulative rhyme, “The House that Jack Built” follows a series of connected objects, animals, and people, from the titular house through to an unrelated “farmer sowing his corn.” This setting features a light, skipping melody that slows down periodically to linger on the developing romance between the “maiden all forlorn” and the “man all […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSA | 3'30" | English | SSA settings, with piano accompaniment, of texts by e. e. cummings (in Just), Thomas Dekker (The Merry Month of May), and from Genesis 1:11-12 (First Spring). The style is rhythmically intricate, includes spoken passages, and is rooted in an expanded tonality; the piano accompaniment is virtuosic. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSA settings, with piano accompaniment, of texts by e. e. cummings (in Just), Thomas Dekker (The Merry Month of May), and from Genesis 1:11-12 (First Spring). The style is rhythmically intricate, includes spoken passages, and is rooted in an expanded tonality; the piano accompaniment is virtuosic. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||