"Like a Singing Bird" [Bob Chilcott]

"Like a Singing Bird" [Bob Chilcott]

First line of lyrics: My heart is like a singing bird

Chilcott, Bob; music (English, born 1955)

Rossetti, Christina Georgina; text (English, 1830-1894)

Burns, Robert; text (Scottish, 1759-1796)

2007 [composition]; 2008 [publication]

Oxford University Press

genre: Scottish ballad|choral music|song

chorus: women’s SA chorus

instrumentation: piano

initial sharps/flats: two flats

initial time signature: 3/8

other version 1 - chorus: SATB chorus

other version 1 - instrumentation: piano

other version 1 - initial sharps/flats: two flats

origin: United Kingdom

male composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "A Birthday"

Work contains texts by multiple authors

Notes about the text: Starting in bar 48, the text of Robert Burns' poem "A Red, Red Rose" is sung in harmony with Rossetti's poem "A Birthday."

Composition history: "Like a Singing Bird was commissioned collaboratively through Chorus American's 2007 30th Anniversary Conference and Auction" by 20 American choruses, as listed on the score.

Tempo markings: quarter note = 84

Performance instructions: The score states that the music is to be played "with a gospel fervour." In a composer's note included with the sheet music, Chilcott describes the choreography that's meant to accompany the piece: "I imagined this piece to include two dancers, each representing one of the two different melodies that feature in the song. The first dancer could appear at the opening of the piece, and the second at bar 47, just before the Scottish melody. I imagined the dancing to be slow-moving, simple, and complementary."

Format 1: musical score

10 pages; Other version 1 16 pages; performance time 4 minutes

Other data reference(s): "Like a Singing Bird." JW Pepper, https://www.jwpepper.com/10190218.item#/submit. Accessed 25 Jan. 2019.
"Like a Singing Bird." Oxford University Press, https://global.oup.com/academic/product/like-a-singing-bird-9780193372320?cc=us&lang=en&#. Accessed 25 Jan. 2019.

Cataloguer: Sarah Pennington, University of Ottawa

musical score: Royal College of Music, London

This score is copyright protected. A score can be consulted here: "Like a Singing Bird." JW Pepper, https://www.jwpepper.com/10190218.item#/submit. Accessed 25 Jan. 2019.

Record: CRM-birthday-chilcott

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