3 Quodlibets for a Gaggle of Ghouls : Unlikely Company, The Ghost Ship & We're Back!

A quodlibet or ‘what you will’ is a group of songs that can all be sung at the same time, similar to partner songs, but written as a set.

  1. “Unlikely Company” is a set of five songs (sung two to five at a time) featuring a strange mix of Halloween creatures: the Fay, the Troll, the Frankenstein Monsters, the Banshee and Bug-a-boo.
  2. “The Ghost Ship” includes five songs featuring the crew of a Ghost Ship (the Black Pearl, maybe?): the captain, the cook, the first mate, the cabin boy and the navigator.
  3. “We’re Back!” includes four songs featuring undead Halloween monsters: the skeleton, the vampire, the mummy and the zombie.

SATB arrangements of these quodlibets are available on this site: Unlikely Company, The Ghost Ship & We’re Back!

These quodlibets were originally available in the “Thirteen for Halloween” songbook which you can get at SongsForTeaching.com. There is also a “Thirteen for Halloween” CD available. These both feature different arrangements of this same Halloween quodlibet. Check out ThirteenforHalloween.com for more fun Halloween music and videos.

American Revolutions : A Patriotic Program for Solo or Unison Voices









Find Individual Tracks Here

American Revolutions Program
Lead Sheets and Song Introductions (PDF):

The American Revolutions program is based on the album by M Ryan Taylor:

If you’d like to get the additional bonus tracks, Man of La Mancha and The Impossible Dream, you can purchase the compact disc at CDBaby.

About the American Revolutions program:

Join pilgrims, revolutionaries, civil rights activists, suffragettes, abolitionists and veterans through the music that tells their story to make the United States of America a land of unparalleled freedom.

A number of additional songs were inserted in the live version of this program:

Be Strong and of a Good Courage

Music:

About:

I wrote this children’s primary song based on the story of Joshua and Caleb. The third verse applies the story personally to the singers. See Deuteronomy 31:6-8 and Joshua 1:6-9. The setting is march-like, which I felt was appropriate to the admonition to ‘be strong and of a good courage.’

Lyrics by M Ryan Taylor:

When Moses sent twelve for report into the promised land,
Ten men returned and gave their word that Israel could not stand,
“For we shall seem as insects against their giant band.”
Then Joshua spoke and Caleb true, “All Canaan’s in our hand.”

[Chorus]
“Be strong and of a good courage; be brave, be true.
The Lord thy God, he will go with you.
Be not afraid, be not dismayed.”
Though storms may wail, you can face the gale,
for the Shield of Faith will see you through.
“Be strong and of a good courage; be brave, be true.”

When Joshua stood on Jordon’s shore and looked on Jericho,
He thought about the trials met since forty years ago;
How Israel found its courage by wand’ring far and near
‘Til Moses said, “The time has come,” and spoke for all to hear, [Chorus]

When I am faced with challenges that seem to hard to bear,
When I am left to stand alone and no one seems to care
I think about my Savior and his Gethsemane,
I feel his gentle arms and hear the Spirit’s urgent plea, [Chorus]

Performances:

Thank you for reporting all performances of this original work to mryan@choirworks.com (performer, venue, date). This information is essential for my yearly grant applications.

Beautiful Savior : Medium or High Voice (or Unison Choir) and Piano

Accompaniment for the original High Voice version:

Accompaniment for Medium Voice:

Dracula's Theme Song

“Dracula’s Theme Song” was written to go along with the opening credits of the old Bela Lugosi “Dracula” which uses the famous tune from “Swan Lake.” Usually I don’t go putting words to famous tunes, but one night I was watching this film, close to Halloween, and ‘inspiration’ struck. This is completely tongue-in-cheek; I hope it makes you smile as much as I do when singing it. Please be as melodramatic as possible!

I'm a Giraffe (Round for 3)

Round for 3 by M Ryan Taylor. Includes optional chords for ukulele and baritone ukulele.

Words:

I’m a giraffe,
A giraffe am I;
When I stand on my toes
my nose bumps the sky.

Ode to a Fruitcake : a Christmas Song

Ode To A Fruitcake : a Christmas Song
Medium Voice and Piano
Words & Music by M Ryan Taylor

     Pure holiday fun! “The irony here is that even though I wrote this seasonal song all in good fun, I love fruitcake. I’ve had variations I’m not crazy about, so I understand the jokes, but our family’s recipe, which served as the basis for many of the ingredients listed in the song, is absolutely sensational. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it.” ~ M Ryan Taylor

Ode to a Fruitcake
by M Ryan Taylor

Fruitcake! Fruitcake!
Oh, what a glorious fruitcake!
Nothing quite says, “Merry Christmas, Good Cheer!,”
like a fruitcake.

With raisins, green pineapple, candied orange peel,
an applesauce batter to make a good seal,
the walnuts and hazelnuts, pecans and cherries,
cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves ‘mid dried berries!

Though many may dispute it’s reputation,
the fruitcake is a holiday sensation!
And, though the thought might fill a few with dread,
I proudly declare that the fruitcake is the ultimate queen of quickbread!

Fruitcake! Fruitcake!
Oh, what a marvelous, glorious, beauteous fruitcake!
“Merry Christmas! Good Cheer! Happy New Year!”

Peace I Leave With You (Round for 3)

Often when I am feeling distressed and am trying to calm my mind, the words of this scripture bring my breathing back to normal:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ~ John 14:27

I was sitting in church one day thinking on these words and the piece that I wrote on them so many years ago, and I thought, “The first section of that would make a nice round.” So, here it is.

Purple (Collaboration with 5th Grade Class)

Sheet Music:

Accompaniment:

About this song:

This song was a collaboration with a NY 5th grade elementary school class in 2005. The teacher had the children write poems on the theme, “Purple.” I was sent the poetry and compiled a collage of images from the individual works. The result was an ABA form. I took what I thought were the strongest images for the A section. In the center, or B section, since many of the images seemed to conflict, I imagined a debate over the properties of the color purple and wrote the music accordingly.

The song was performed by the students at an assembly.

Words:

Purple is the heat of California in July,
Purple’s in a breezy park, a breezy day of Fall,
In wintertime dark snow is where she longs to be,
In Spring she spouts like lilacs in the meadow.

Purple makes me think of flowers, reminds me of roses.
Like the wind you want to catch it, but its too fast.
Purple is the sound of a flute playing softly.
It’s the sound of fanfares and kings!
Purple is the sound of violins playing.
It sounds like howling wolves!
It sounds like bluebirds!
It sounds like bells!
It sounds like kids laughing on a Spring day.

Purple is the heat of California in July,
Purple’s in a breezy park, a breezy day of Fall,
In wintertime dark snow is where she longs to be,
In Spring she spouts like lilacs in the meadow.

~Text collage adapted from poetry by Beth Dubay’s fifth grade class at Peru Intermediate School, Peru NY 2005 by M Ryan Taylor

Simple Song Sheets (Folk, Music by Children, etc.)

In addition to the following resources, there are a number on song sheets on my ukulele site: http://ukuleleplay.com/ukulele-learning-materials/songbooks/

Written by the students of the American Fork Chilren’s Choir

Ten Tone Twisters

An elegant collection of elocutionary songs for your singing enjoyment by M Ryan Taylor. Settings of traditional tongue twisters! Perfect for ESL choirs or any choir wanting to work on diction and have a wonderful time doing it. Highly contrasted in mood/style and all wonderfully ‘tongue in cheek.’

Mix & Match your Ensembles (a great match for multi-choir programs):

Solo Version:


Contents:

  1. A Tree Toad Loved a She Toad
  2. Swan Swam Over Sea
  3. Betty Botter
  4. That Felt!
  5. Yellow Butter, Purple Jelly
  6. A Flea and Fly
  7. Black Bug
  8. The Ghosts!
  9. Night Light
  10. Silly Sally

CHOIRWORKS.COM
mryan@choirworks.com

Traditional Rounds

Two by Two (Round for 4)

An original round celebrating Noah’s Ark can be found on one of my ukulele website:

As always, please report performances to mryan@choirworks.com . . . I can’t tell you how much it helps. Thank you!

Wayfaring Stranger for Medium Voice (or Unison Choir), Trumpet and Piano

Music:

About:

I have long loved this song and arranged it for me and my friend and fellow composer John Newman to perform (sadly, John can no longer play the trumpet). This arrangement is definitely influenced by my father as well, who was always listening to jazz in the car when I was growing up.

Words:

I’m just a poor wayfaring stranger,
A trav’lin through this world of woe;
But there’s no sickness toil or danger
In that bright land to which I go.
I’m goin’ there to see my father,
I’m goin’ there no more to roam;
I’m just a goin’ over Jordan,
I’m just a goin’ over home.

I know dark clouds will gather ’round me,
I know my way is rough and steep;
Yet beautious fields lie just before me,
Where God’s redeemed their vigils keep.
I want to wear a crown of glory,
When I get home to that good land;
I want to shout salvation’s story,
In concert with that bloodwashed band.

I’m goin’ there to see my Savior,
I’m goin there to sing his praise;
I’m just a goin’ over Jordan,
I’m just a goin’ over home.

Where is He? - Matthew 2:2 (Round for 3)

Though this round could be sung by anyone, I wrote it with 3 men in mind, representing the wise men from the east. Chords for ukulele, guitar and baritone ukulele are provided for an optional accompaniment.

Text from Matthew 2:2

Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Wondrous Love for Baritone (or Unison Choir) and Piano Trio (Violin, Cello and Piano)

Music:

About:

Another of my favorite folk hymn/spirituals. Please note the word painting used on the second verse’s ’sinking down.’ The entire arrangement plays back and forth with ‘3 against 2′ rhythms.

Words:

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down beneath Gods righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

And when from death Im free, Ill sing on, Ill sing on;
And when from death Im free, Ill sing on.
And when from death Im free, Ill sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, Ill sing on, Ill sing on;
And through eternity, Ill sing on.