Old Abram Brown

This simple four-part Canon is from the original ‘Friday Afternoons’ set by Benjamin Britten. Generations of young musicians have first accessed Britten’s music through this piece. The text is from Walter de la Mare’s early 20th Century collection of poetry for children called ‘Tom Tiddler’s Ground’ and Britten’s treatment of it is both catchy and haunting.

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Buy the full score

This song is available for purchase from Boosey & Hawkes as part of a collection of 13 songs for unison treble voices and piano, written between 1933 and 1934.

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Resources

  1. A Round Britten...How to write a round

  2. Breathing and Airflow

  3. Intervals

  4. Performance Skills

  5. Dynamics

  6. Tempo, Pulse, Counting

  7. Singing in Canon

  8. black and white image of young man with short hair playing the piano and looking intensely at the camera

    Britten's Early Works

  9. Britten's Impact

  10. Britten's Childhood

  11. Britten's Music for Children

  12. Composing and Exploring - Old Abram Brown

Credits

Music by:
Benjamin Britten
Text by:
Anon - 'Tom Tiddler's Ground' - Walter de la Mare

Performance track

Singers:
New London Children’s Choir
Conductor:
Ronald Corp
Accompanist:
Alexander Wells
Licensed by:
kind permission of Naxos

Song Details

Genre:
Classical
Tempo:
Slow funeral march
Time Signature:
4/4
Key Signature:
E Minor
Tonality:
Minor
Range:
E4 - E5
Piano Supporting Melody:
Occasionally