Preview
Detailed preview (3 pages) available after sign-in.
The Silver Swan
Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
Publisher: Albrecht Schneider
Description
Gattung & Besetzung: Englisches Madrigal 5-stimmig: SATBB A cappella Textdichtung in frühem Neuenglisch – kurze, poetische Szene voller Symbolik Inhalt & Bedeutung: Der Text erzählt von einer silbernen Schwanendame, die ihr ganzes Leben schweigt und erst beim Sterben singt („More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise“). → Doppelte Botschaft: Der Schwanengesang als Legende: der schönste Gesang kommt mit dem Ende des Lebens Gesellschaftskritik: Weisheit wird selten, Dummheit überwiegt Damit gehört das Stück thematisch zu den Vanitas-Motiven der Renaissance. Musikalische Merkmale: Elegisch, ruhig, konzentriert Schlichte Homophonie in vielen Abschnitten → Text im Zentrum Eingestreute Imitationen beleben den Ausdruck Chromatische Wendungen in Schlüsselwörtern wie die, worst, fools Steigerung zur dramatischen Schlussbotschaft Sehr fein gearbeitete Klangbalance der fünf Stimmen Wirkung: zart und gleichzeitig erschütternd – große Kunst in kurzer Form Schwierigkeitsgrad: Mittelschwer Anforderungen an den Chor: Intonationssicherheit in enger Harmonik klare Diktion des englischen Textes Subtile Dynamik und gemeinsamer, zurückhaltender Ausdruck Perfekt für Chöre mit Liebe zum feinsinnigen Detail. Einsatz im Konzert: Ideal für: Renaissance-Programme Abend- oder Gedenkkontexte Kontrastpunkte in gemischten geistlichen/weltlichen Programmen Als kurzer, aber emotionaler Höhepunkt sehr wirksam Publikumseindruck: leise Gänsehaut, edle Melancholie Kurzfazit: The Silver Swan ist ein kleines Meisterwerk englischer Vokalpoesie: schlicht, bewegend und voller zeitloser Weisheit.
No VAT charged according to § 19 UStG
Purchase requires a Chorilo account
You need a Chorilo account and an active choir to buy licenses.
What you should know about this piece
These notes help you place the piece — voicing, difficulty, licence model and the steps after purchase.
Understanding the voicing: SATB▾
The voicing tells you which vocal parts your choir will need to sing.
- SATBSoprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass — the classic mixed choir.This piece
- SSAThree women's voices: two sopranos and alto.
- SSAAFour women's voices: two sopranos and two altos.
- TTBBFour men's voices: two tenors and two basses.
- SABSoprano, Alto, Baritone — eases the tenor part and suits smaller choirs.
- SATBSATBDouble choir: two independent SATB choirs, often in dialogue.
- unisonUnison — for children's choirs, congregational singing or unison passages.
Understanding difficulty levels▾
The difficulty level gives you a feel for how many rehearsals your choir should plan for.
- BeginnerClear rhythms, familiar keys and singable intervals — works for young or newly formed choirs.
- MediumFor an experienced choir; some chromatic passages, key or metre changes. Around 6–10 rehearsals for a clean performance.This piece
- HardClose harmonies, complex rhythms, wider ranges — needs disciplined rehearsing and vocally secure singers.
- Very hardConcert-choir level: modulations, polyphony, extreme registers, demanding intonation and voice leading.
How the per-singer licence works▾
With Chorilo you get a digital performance licence. Your choir is covered — no scramble for photocopies.
Per-singer licence Current model
One licence per singer. Scales fairly with ensemble size; many pieces include volume discounts.
Minimum quantity: 20 licences.
Ensemble flat-rate
One fixed price per ensemble. All current and future members get access, no matter how the choir grows.
The licence covers rehearsing and performing through Chorilo. External performance rights (e.g. GEMA, PRS — where applicable) remain unaffected.
Using the piece in Chorilo▾
- 1
Buy the piece
Choose your ensemble, accept the terms and complete payment securely via Stripe.
- 2
Distribute the licences
Licences are assigned automatically as soon as members open the music. In the "Licences" area you can also assign the seats you bought manually to individual members or to the whole ensemble — for example when you print the music for a member.
- 3
Singers receive the music
Your members see the piece immediately in the Chorilo app — on tablet, phone or desktop, offline too.
- 4
Rehearse and perform
Listen to voice-part audio in rehearsal, mark passages, isolate your voice — and have everything to hand at the concert.