Piano (6 hands)
Arranged for 1 piano, 6 hands by Michael Higgins. The Carnival of the Animals (Le Carnaval des animaux) is a humorous musical suite of fourteen movements by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The work, about 25 minutes in duration, was written for private performance and Saint-Saëns prohibited public performance of the work during his lifetime, feeling that its frivolity would damage his standing as a serious composer.
SSAA unaccompanied
Duration: 3 minutes | Difficulty: Moderately Difficult – Difficult
This lovely arrangement of the popular American folk song, for SSAA upper voices by Michael Higgins, perfectly captures the sense of loss and longing in the words. The music flows through a range of textures and harmonies, gently relaxing for a quietly evocative close.
SSA unaccompanied
Duration: 3 minutes | Difficulty: Easy – Moderately Difficult
This beautifully written setting for unaccompanied 3-part upper voices (SSA) of the famous World War I poem by John McCrae is poignant and atmospheric, with approachable contemporary harmony, creating an emotional impact.
SABar and piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes | Difficulty: Very Easy – Easy
A gentle arrangement by Michael Higgins of the 17th-century lullaby for SABar, with a flowing idiomatic piano accompaniment.
TBarB and piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes | Difficulty: Very Easy – Easy
Higgins’ setting of this popular folk song is simple and wistful, particularly well-suited for children’s and youth choirs. With delicate quaver flourishes, the piano accompaniment flows gently alongside the vocal lines, creating suspensions that reflect the mysterious demands of the narrator. Originally published in The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs ed. Bullard for three-part choir.
Also available in versions for SSA or SABar and piano.
SATB (with divisions) and piano
Duration: 8 minutes | Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
Higgins’s arrangements of three North-American traditional songs are sophisticated and beautiful, supported by well-crafted piano accompaniments. The first, ‘Bright morning stars’, is illuminated by a shimmering piano part with opportunities for a soloist or small group. Energy and bounce is abundant throughout the second, ‘Little wheel a-turnin’’, where the melody is passed around the voices and coloured with interesting harmonies. The last piece, ‘He’s gone away’, is a parting song between two lovers with flowing melodies and accompaniment, and ends on a note of anticipation.
SSA and piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes | Difficulty: Very Easy – Easy
Higgins’ setting of this popular folk song is simple and wistful, particularly well-suited for children’s and youth choirs. With delicate quaver flourishes, the piano accompaniment flows gently alongside the vocal lines, creating suspensions that reflect the mysterious demands of the narrator. Originally published in The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs ed. Bullard for three-part choir.
SABar and piano
Duration: 2.5 minutes | Difficulty: Very Easy – Easy
Higgins’ setting of this popular folk song is simple and wistful, particularly well-suited for children’s and youth choirs. With delicate quaver flourishes, the piano accompaniment flows gently alongside the vocal lines, creating suspensions that reflect the mysterious demands of the narrator. Originally published in The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs ed. Bullard for three-part choir.
SABar (with optional Bass) and piano
Duration: 2 minutes | Difficulty: Easy
Higgins’s setting explores the vibrant, natural imagery in Rossetti’s text with flowing melodic lines and warm harmonies. The elegant piano accompaniment is characterised throughout by quick demisemiquaver flourishes, as though painting an aural portrait of the ‘singing bird’. First published in The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs ed. Bullard.
SSA and piano
Duration: 3 minutes | Difficulty: Easy – Moderately Difficult
From the collection As you sing ed. Ferris and Tomlinson ‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers is a warmly uplifting secular concert work by Michael Higgins, setting the well-known poem by Emily Dickinson.
