Old English Liturgical Rounds

These three rounds stem from collaboration with the composer and poet John Engels in 1968. The melodies are edited, rather than composed, by Tortolano. He cites the first as an old English round known as “Adieu, Sweet Amarylis.” The second is Tallis’ Ordinal, and the third is credited as Gibbons with “melody famous as ‘The Silver Swan.'” The last of these, while Gibbons-like, bears no resemblance to the five-voice madrigal referenced. It is in B minor and has none of the familiar gestures of the Gibbons. All the same, it is a pleasant melody, and it works well as a round. Comments by Tortolano in the score suggest that they are intended for pedagogical use with choirs, and they would serve well as warm-ups that refine ensemble intonation.
The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians
January 2014