ISBN 9781491157213. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. Key: D major. English. Aesops Fable.
With The Lion and the Mouse, Meader completes his charming, jazz-infused Aesop's fables trilogy with the other two being The Boy Who Cried Wolf (CM9508) and The Tortoise and the Hare (CM9143), both for SATB advanced choirs. Do not overlook these charming pieces!.
At last, the third movement of my Aesops Fables trilogy has arrived! I have always loved the Aesops sentiment the way some stories are a bit rough around the edges, and occasionally dont end well. Real world stuff - nothing sugar-coated! With that said, there are many uplifting messages within these stories, many of which demonstrate kindness and respect. The Lion and the Mouse is one of my favorites and has always been in the plans for my Aesops project. Like the other two Aesops compositions, I have taken the short story and extensively expanded the lyrics to create a full-length composition. The A-section melody has the simplicity and character of an old folk song, while the other sections expand into a bit more of a dynamic and rhythmic energy. I have kept the harmonic palate relatively traditional but used a lot of add two harmony, in which the 2nd note of the scale is incorporated into the voicings. Along with this, there is a wide use of 3rds in the bass voice (first inversion), which allows for a slightly more contemporary and contemplative flavor to permeate. Though the piece is substantial, there is a decent amount of harmonic repetition, so the notes shouldnt be too challenging to learn. The lyric memorization will take a while but should be attainable with repetition. The A-sections can be approached with a softer tone, and more legato phrasing. The B-sections take on more of a dramatic tone, so a fuller sound and more rhythmic articulation can by used in these sections. A programming note: If you are so inclined, the three Aesops fables could be performed as a trilogy. My vote would be to perform them in the following order: The Lion and the Mouse The Boy Who Cried Wolf The Tortoise and the Hare If you choose to perform all three, drop me an email to let me know how it goes! All the best, Darmon A. Meader.
