Work
Bacon Madrigal
for SATB quartet or choir
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In the 2014 New Zealand International Comedy Festival, I performed a duo show with Sam Smith under the band name of Augmented Fourth. We ran a crowdfunding campaign through PledgeMe, in which we offered custom-written songs as rewards.
Andrew Baldwin pledged $50 and asked for something about 'bacon arithmetic' in any genre. Aware that his vocal octet Laudamus's next programme was to consist of secular madrigals, I wrote something madrigally-pastichey about rather secular subject matter. In fact, the text is so heavily meat-related that half a millennium ago you probably would have got dirty looks for performing it on a Friday.
Laudamus clarified the focus of the concert to "The L Word – Madrigals and more – Love songs through the ages". To that end, I made sure the text included both the English verb 'to love' and the Italian verb 'amare'. Always in relation to bacon.
Hmmmm, bacon.
Also, on reflection, this piece is similar to the Daft Punk song Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. Oops. Although I was more half-remembering Josquin des Prez’s El Grillo. Something by one or more French dudes at least.
Commissioned note
"Commissioned" by Andrew Baldwin as part of Augmented Fourth's PledgeMe campaign.
Difficulty note
Suitable for The Big Sing.
Text note
Lyrics by Robbie Ellis. In English and Italian
Performance history
12 Jul 2014: Performed by Laudamus: Luana Prictor & Rebecca Guest (sopranos), Julia Robinson & Sarah Harris (altos), Jeffrey Chang & Andrew Baldwin (tenors), Warren Kilham & Timothy Carpenter (basses), at the St Luke's Presbyterian Church, in Remuera, Auckland.