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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

A sharp, where you'd expect a natural
Language: English 
A sharp, where you'd expect a natural,
A natural, where you'd expect a sharp;
No rule observed but the exceptional,
And then (first happy thought!) bring in a Harp!
 
No bar a sequence to the bar behind,
No bar a prelude to the next that comes;
Which follows which you really needn't mind --
But (second happy thought!) bring in your drums!
 
For harmonies, let wild discords pass;
Let key be blent with key in hideous hash;
Then (for last happy thought!) bring in your Brass!
And clang, clash, clatter -- clatter, clang and clash!

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, from an American newspaper of about 1884, collected by Nicolas Slonimsky in Music Since 1900 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Henry Dixon Cowell (1897 - 1965), "A sharp, where you'd expect a natural", subtitle: "Directions for Composing a Wagner Overture", 1938, from Three Anti-Modernist Songs, no. 1. [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Researcher for this page: T. P. (Peter) Perrin

This text was added to the website: 2004-04-10
Line count: 12
Word count: 93

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