Composer

:

Albert Hay Malotte

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

2:13

"Sing a Song of Sixpence" is a popular nursery rhyme that has been adapted into various musical compositions over the years. One of the most notable adaptations is by American composer Albert Hay Malotte, who composed a choral setting of the rhyme in 1939. The composition was premiered on December 17, 1939, by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Roger Wagner Chorale. The piece is divided into three movements, each of which is based on a different verse of the nursery rhyme. The first movement, "Sing a Song of Sixpence," is a lively and upbeat setting of the first verse of the rhyme. The music is characterized by a jaunty melody and a playful rhythm, which captures the joyful spirit of the nursery rhyme. The second movement, "Four and Twenty Blackbirds," is a more somber and contemplative setting of the second verse of the rhyme. The music is characterized by a mournful melody and a slow, mournful rhythm, which captures the darker themes of the nursery rhyme. The third movement, "Baked in a Pie," is a dramatic and intense setting of the final verse of the rhyme. The music is characterized by a driving rhythm and a powerful melody, which captures the tension and drama of the nursery rhyme's climax. Overall, Malotte's "Sing a Song of Sixpence" is a masterful adaptation of a beloved nursery rhyme. The composition showcases Malotte's skill as a composer, as well as his ability to capture the essence of a simple children's rhyme and turn it into a complex and engaging musical work.

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