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Timothy C. Takach
Timothy C. Takach Publications
A Red, Red (Noun) (TB)
Singers get to complete this famous Robert Burns poem, Mad Lib style!
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A Red, Red (Noun)
TB, piano
Work with your singers and get them engaged in this piece right away! Through any method you desire (small groups, voting, group brainstorming), fill in the missing words of this famous love poem, and delight your singers and your audience. No two performances will be the same. Or, ask a local celebrity (principal, shop teacher, mayor) to submit their own version. Or, you could perform it “straight,” with the original text. Either works fine!
Composer’s Notes
So this is obviously not a normal choral piece. The funny thing is, I’m usually really picky about the texts I choose to set to music, and with this piece, I’m giving that responsibility to you.
You could sing this with the real poem by Robert Burns, amd it will sound lovely. But this piece is a word game, a chance for you to make the piece your own. So go wild. Make a funny version. Make a sci-fi version, have a high-ranking city official make one.
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Here are some thoughts and ideas: 1. It doesn’t matter how many syllables are in your version. But you’ll have to figure out how to squeeze them into the spots in the piece. There are some places where it would be easy to add a pick-up syllable (m. 9, 14, etc.) on “4 and.” Depending on your new word in m. 20-21 you might use the last eighth as part of the new word, or you could slur it to the previous eighth on “my.” In m. 42 there are three notes you could use (or not), and there are places like m. 33 where time is short and you’ve just got to make the best of it.
2. I’m usually really specific about where I want you to breath, but I’m going to leave that up to you. If it makes sense to cut a half note down to a quarter so you can breathe, do it.
3. From where I sit, I think you should sing this straight – that is, don’t give away the fact that it’s funny, or unexpected. Let the audience figure that out. But again, you might have a totally different way of going about it. In that case, go ahead.
4. You could write in your score in pencil, but even after a few versions that score is going to look a mess. Another idea is to get those little Post-It flags and use those above the music where the new word goes.
5. In your printed program, leave the title as is. Don’t insert a new word for (Noun).
6. Let’s see how many of these we can all make. Video your performance and post it on YouTube. Title it “(Your Choir Name) sings “A Red, Red (Noun)” by Timothy C. Takach.” Then tag it with “Timothy C. Takach,” “Choral Mad Lib” and “Red, Red (Noun).” I want to hear what you do!
– Timothy C. Takach, 2016
Text
Text (the real version):
O my Luve’s like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve’s like the melodie
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I:
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry:
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt with the sun:
I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands of life shall run.
And fare thee well, my only Luve
And fare thee well, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.
– Robert Burns
Or (see score for placement)…
(noun) ___________________________
(adverb) __________________________
(adverb) __________________________
(noun) ___________________________
(adjective) _________________________
(verb) ____________________________
(plural noun) _______________________
(verb) ____________________________
(previous plural noun) ________________
(previous verb) _____________________
(term of endearment) _________________
(verb) ____________________________
(baked good) _______________________
(plural noun) _______________________
(noun) ___________________________
(previous verb) _____________________
(same verb) ________________________
(same baked good) ___________________
(plural noun) _______________________
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