Songs with descants, 2 part songs, rounds and canons
By the Waters of Babylon
By the Waters of Babylon is a Round or Canon (like Row Your Boat!).
Psalm 137 is one of the best known of the psalms from the Bible. Its opening lines, "By the rivers of Babylon..." have been set to music on several occasions.
A Round or Canon is a song in which two or more voices sing exactly the same melody, but with each voice beginning at different times so that different parts of the melody coincide in the different voices, but it still fits together. Good examples of Rounds/Canons include "Row Your Boat", "3 Blind Mice" and "Frere Jaques."
Imitation is a term we use for each voice copying the other as in a round. Notice that the patterns of pitches are all very similar, except they start a note lower each time. A Tune that follows the same pattern, but starting a note higher or lower is called a Sequence.
Psalm 137 is one of the best known of the psalms from the Bible. Its opening lines, "By the rivers of Babylon..." have been set to music on several occasions.
A Round or Canon is a song in which two or more voices sing exactly the same melody, but with each voice beginning at different times so that different parts of the melody coincide in the different voices, but it still fits together. Good examples of Rounds/Canons include "Row Your Boat", "3 Blind Mice" and "Frere Jaques."
Imitation is a term we use for each voice copying the other as in a round. Notice that the patterns of pitches are all very similar, except they start a note lower each time. A Tune that follows the same pattern, but starting a note higher or lower is called a Sequence.
Lyrics
By the waters, the waters, the waters of Babylon
We lay down and wept, and wept, and wept for thee Zion.
We remember, we remember, we remember thee, Zion.
Type of song - Round or Canon (3-part canon i.e. 3 voices in imitation)
Tempo - Moderate
Metre - 4. (4 beats in each bar)
Form - A,B,C (3 different phrases)
Mood - Reverent (holy)
SEQUENCE VIDEO
We lay down and wept, and wept, and wept for thee Zion.
We remember, we remember, we remember thee, Zion.
Type of song - Round or Canon (3-part canon i.e. 3 voices in imitation)
Tempo - Moderate
Metre - 4. (4 beats in each bar)
Form - A,B,C (3 different phrases)
Mood - Reverent (holy)
SEQUENCE VIDEO
Chosen Songs
A Quodlibet is a mixture of 2 popular songs, the fore-runner to the modern day 'mash-up'. We've arranged our own Quadlibet based on 'Summer Loving' and 'What makes you beautiful'. These 2 songs fit so well together because they are based on the same chord progression, have similar rhythm and tempo.
Alternatively, any of the canons mentioned on this page can be used as our choice song.
Alternatively, any of the canons mentioned on this page can be used as our choice song.