Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

Virgo Delight (Virgo song) is a contemporary art song set for Mezzo-Soprano voice or Baritone voice. It is the sixth song in Margaret Brandman's 'Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac' Song Cycle. The lyrics are by astrologer and poet Benita Rainer who has artfully distilled the individual characteristics of this star sign in her text.

The second earth sign in the cycle, those born under the sign of Virgo are modest, careful and critical of imperfections. Virgo seeks to purify systems through organisation.

The central concept in the lyrics captures these aspects.

All my life was rearranged, you joined my dots and cross'd my t's.

Order from chaos in an instant.

This upbeat song is set in the key of G, beginning with a swing waltz feel. The A section includes a modulation to E Major. After the first verse, the modulatory section takes the music to Gb major.

The B section of the song, beginning with the lyrics 'Order from chaos' in the key of E Major includes both the 5/4 and ¾ time-signatures with a swing feel. This section finishes on an F# major chord. A simple chromatic progression, takes the music back to the home key of G for the final sixteen bars of the piece.

Owing to the lyrics of this C section of the song, 'Scintillating rhythm, quite upbeat' there is a change to a swinging dance rhythm in quadruple time, while the melody is harmonised with chromatic jazz- influenced chord progressions

Work Details

Year: 2016, this version: 2017

Instrumentation: SATB choir, piano.

Difficulty: Advanced

Written with a Swing Feel.