The Birds (SSATBB, a cappella) – a setting of the Hilaire Belloc poem
  • DWBasden
    Posts: 17
    This piece is a bit more ambitious than my Ave Maria setting already posted, but it should still be within the reach of solid church and community choirs. It's less than 3 minutes in duration, and may well find a place in church services.

    Because Hilaire Belloc's works are still in copyright in certain countries, I don't feel at liberty to upload the score here. However, his works are in the public domain in many places—including the USA and Canada—and I'm happy to email the score free of charge. Please contact me directly at: deebee(at)pacific(dot)net(dot)au

    Here's a link to a multitrack recording by Matthew Curtis.


    David Basden – Sydney
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,396
    I am much in awe of your compositional skills, Mr. Basden. However, I do not think that this text of Hillaire Belloc should find any place in a church service. The "incident" referred to in the poem is either from one of the apocryphal gospels or is the creative fancy of the poet himself. Using it at worship could mislead some worshippers into thinking that the incident is from the inspired Word of God.
    Thanked by 1DWBasden
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,220
    Thanks for posting the link, Mr. Basden. Indeed, this is a charming piece which would be delightful to hear in concert.

    As Fr. Krisman suggested, the story comes from the "Infancy Gospel of Thomas", a (probably 2nd-century) collection of anecdotes and miracle stories that portray the child Jesus in an imaginative, sometimes prankish way.

    The story of Jesus bringing clay birds to life has been used by artists before. I remember hearing it from the legendary Boston street performer Hugh Morgan Hill ("Brother Blue"), who had a doctorate in divinity with emphasis in storytelling.
    Thanked by 1DWBasden
  • DWBasden
    Posts: 17
    Thank you both for your encouraging comments about the music.

    Also, sincere thanks for pointing out the apocryphal background to Belloc's poem – I'd rather know now before I go blundering (further) into awkward situations. It's clear that the piece would best be confined to concert programs.

    (This is possibly a moot point: no-one has yet requested a copy of the score.)
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    Other Hilaire Belloc quotes:

    “Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
    There’s always laughter and good red wine.
    At least I’ve always found it so.
    Benedicamus Domino!”

    “If we are to be happy, decent and secure of our souls: drink some kind of fermented liquor with one's food; go on the water from time to time; dance on occasions, and sing in a chorus...”

    “The Church is a perpetually defeated thing that always outlives her conquerers.”

    “The Llama is a woolly sort of fleecy hairy goat, with an indolent expression and an undulating throat; like an unsuccessful literary man.”
    Thanked by 2JulieColl DWBasden
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Belloc's The Path to Rome is my all-time favorite book.
    Thanked by 1DWBasden
  • R J StoveR J Stove
    Posts: 302
    Isn't there something in the Koran about Christ and a clay bird?

    Oh, once again, very impressive music, by the way, Mr. Basden.
    Thanked by 1DWBasden
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    I'll bet this is a real hoot to sing. : ) I love the tight harmony; it makes me think of a flock of birds flying in close formation, like scenes from the movie Winged Migration.
    Thanked by 2R J Stove DWBasden
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,424
    Charming and masterful!
    You should send a score to The King's Singers... and to Oxford University Press.
    This text, a delightful fable, has also been set for solo voice by Benjamin Britten.
    Do you have any liturgically appropriate works to share with us?
    Thanked by 1DWBasden
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    I love Belloc.
    He's HILAIREIOUS!
    ---
    Someone once told me that find my poety to be reminiscent of HB. I took it as one of the greatest compliments anyone has ever offered.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,199
    Splendid choral writing, David! It's good to hear someone else writing sensitive 6-part (SSATBB) choral music. This voicing is really ideal for large enough groups that have real mezzos and baritones to go along with their high sopranos/tenors and low altos/basses.

    I'm going to publicize this and your Ave Maria setting here locally (in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul area), almost certain that at least one or two excellent choruses will want to program these works.
    Thanked by 1DWBasden
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Reared and raised on Seuss, was I


    These are really delightful, Adam, and does this line above ever resonate with me!

    All six of my kids were reared on Dr. Seuss from babyhood and I taught them all to read with his books. To this day when Daddy comes home tired from work, we all chime in and say:

    SAD DAD BAD HAD
    Dad is sad.
    Very, very sad.
    He had a bad day.
    What a day Dad had!

    Of if the house is a mess:

    This mess is so big
    And so deep and so tall
    We can't pick it up.
    There is no way at all.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • R J StoveR J Stove
    Posts: 302
    Funnily enough, my atheist parents loved Belloc's verse, and routinely read it out aloud to my sister and me when we were kids. This had the happy result that I can still remember whole tracts of Cautionary Tales and The Bad Child's Book of Beasts - not to mention the illustrations which accompanied them - without the smallest effort.
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    MATILDA told such Dreadful Lies,
    It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes.
    Thanked by 1R J Stove
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    I agree with you, and laughed... but boo hiss for politics on the forum.
    Thanked by 1Spriggo
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Peccavi nimis. I'm sorry; it just slipped out. I won't do it again. Have deleted the political reference.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • DWBasden
    Posts: 17
    @M. Jackson Osborn – many thanks!

    I probably won't bombard the King's Singers or OUP right out out of the blue, although if anyone has family in either of those organisations …

    Re liturgically appropriate: coming soon is a setting of Hildegard von Bingen's Alleluia! O virga mediatrix. It's written, but I'm intending to make a couple of minor adjustments and then to send it to Matthew Curtis to make a demo recording. It's SSAATB, reflecting the relative numbers of the choir I had in mind. (As it happens, they've never seen it.) Duration is about 1½ minutes. It should be ready by early January, and will be free of charge.

    If anyone would like a preliminary copy, please let me know. It's entirely singable as it is – the changes involve the lengths of held notes, writing out the dal segno for the sake of clarity, and possible imitative movement in the final bar. Also, space permitting, I might use three staves instead of the current two.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
Add a Comment