Download Old Abram Brown analysis

Old Abram Brown
No. 12 of "Friday Afternoons" Op. 7
Text from "Tom Tiddler's Ground" by Walter de la Mare
Music by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
“FRIDAY AFTERNOONS was composed when Britten was 21. He was already
considered an established British composer reaching international recognition. Written
between 1933 and 1935 at the request of his brother Robert, headmaster of the boys'
school Clive House, Prestatyn, they were titled for the day Britten taught the boys music,
Friday afternoons. Set to a variety of texts from the KINGS TREASURIES and Walter de
la Mare's TOM TIDDLER'S GROUND, as well as anonymous texts, they are filled with
charm and humor. The collection was first published in 1936, as a set of 12 pieces, by
Ralph Hawkes - the company which would later become the great English publishing
house Boosey & Hawkes. The 13th piece, Lone Dog, would finally be published
posthumously in the early 1980's and is now included in the collection.
All thirteen movements (including "Lone Dog") introduce young singers to ten
pedagogical topics outlined in Choral Excellence for Treble Voices, written by the editor.
Britten was a genius at text versification and these pieces reflect that genius. No matter if
they are 50 seconds or 4 minutes in length, each piece has a musical gesture that is both
vocally and musically developing for singers of all ages. The diction and vowel
requirements alone make these pieces pure gold, but the phrase gesture and demands of
interpretation make them a powerful teaching tool. Britten conceived music that requires
advanced piano skills with the vocal declamation reflecting an advanced musician who
knew his craft…
“13: OLD ABRAM BROWN
"Old Abram Brown" is one of the greatest canons written in the twentieth century. The
use of augmentation and diminution between the parts is genius itself. The work also
builds the singer's ability to tune a descending minor scale. Like all canons, the piece
requires crisp diction and a careful adherence to the dynamics. The majority of the piece
is sung piano; therefore, the choir needs to develop vocal control that quietly projects.
Because the rhythms are generally composed in eighth notes, it is extremely important
that the children learn to bring out the more important words. The last movement of this
cycle, it is composed to a text by Walter de la Mare.”1
Recordings
YouTube: Tapiola Children’s Choir:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2kG5UQnRsQ - not the exact arrangement but
close
1
Marie Stultz, Benjamin Britten and Friday Afternoons, http://www.spectrummusic.com/CRFall2009.html [accessed 3/18/2010].
© Copyright 2014 Elizabeth Pauly. All rights reserved.
Several fine recordings on Amazon Mp3 store, including one by the Toronto Children's
Chorus that is outstanding. For fabulous diction and a wonderfully British sound, listen to
the recording by Purley, Choir of Downside School.
Analysis
Key: e minor
Structure: strict 4 voice canon with entrances every 2 measures
SECTION
MEASURE
EVENT AND SCORING
1st
1-6
Statement of
theme
1 ms piano introduction in the style of a funeral dirge;
melody sung twice in unison
2nd
statement of
theme
1 ms piano interlude, then sung twice as a canon
between sopranos and altos
7-18
3rd statement 19-31
of theme
1 ms piano interlude, then sung twice as a 4 voice canon
beginning with sopranos and descending through the
voice parts
4th statement 32-40
of theme
S/A sings the canon at half speed (ie, all eighth notes
have been augmented to quarter notes) against T/B
singing the canon twice in its usual form
coda
all voices sing in unison – alteration of first half of main
theme
41-47
Strategies for Learning
As this is a canon, learning the notes will not be difficult. However, there are a few vocal
issues to be aware of:
1. The octave leap in the opening phrase can be a bit of a challenge. Work to get it
into your voices so that there is no scooping or straining.
2. The second phrase has a descending line and can easily go flat. Work especially
to make the skips of a third between the words "wear a" and "coat that" high
enough.
3. Many of the words in this melody have syllables that end in "m" and "n". Make
certain to sing the vowels for their full length so that the tone does not get muddy.
© Copyright 2014 Elizabeth Pauly. All rights reserved.