Bob Chilcott Aesop's Fables

4
Secular
SATB and piano
Aesop’s Fables

Aesop’s Fables
for SATB and piano
Composer’s note
Aesop, supposedly a slave in Ancient Greece, lived sometime during the sixth century BC, but his wisdom
is timeless, as is seen in these stories that are still enjoyed by both children and adults all over the world.
I have used the translation made in the nineteenth century by the Reverend George Fyler Townsend, and
have set only five out of more than six hundred that were supposedly written by Aesop. At the beginning of
each story in my setting the title is spoken, as is the moral that comes at the end. I imagined these lines being
spoken with great character, unpitched, and in the mood of the song. The final song in the set, ‘The Goose
and the Swan’, is appropriately about singing. I have underpinned this song with a wonderful harmonic progression
taken from ‘Du bist die Ruh’ by the king of all songwriters, Franz Schubert.
Duration: c.16 minutes
Contents
1. The Hare and the Tortoise 3
2. The Mountain in Labour 11
3. The Fox and the Grapes 15
4. The North Wind and the Sun 20
5. The Goose and the Swan 31
B

3
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First published 2008
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or its affiliated Societies in each country throughout the world
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
ISBN 978–0–19–336179–9
Music and text origination by
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Printed in Great Britain on acid-free paper by
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for the Centenary Celebrations of Eltham Choral Society
Aesop’s Fables
1. The Hare and the Tortoise
Aesop (6th cent. BC)
trans. by George Fyler Townsend (1814–1900)
SOPRANO
ALTO
Constant rhythm q = 116
unis. (spoken) mp
BOB CHILCOTT
TENOR
BASS
unis. (spoken)
‘The
mp
Hare
and the Tor
toise.’
-
Constant rhythm q = 116
PIANO
p poco staccato
4
for online perusal only
S.
A.
p
A Hare
one day
p
T.
B.
A
Hare
one day
First performed on 29 March 2008 at Holy Trinity Church, Eltham, London, by Eltham Choral Society, conducted by Nicholas Jenkins, with Christopher Eastwood
at the piano.
© Oxford University Press 2008
Printed in Great Britain
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, MUSIC DEPARTMENT, GREAT CLARENDON STREET, OXFORD OX2 6DP
The Moral Rights of the Composer have been asserted. Photocopying this copyright material is ILLEGAL.

4
8
ri
- di culed
ri
- the short
- di culed
- the short
feet
feet
and slow
pace
and
slow
pace
of
of
the
the
11
Tor
Tor
-
-
toise,
toise,
cresc.
who
cresc.
who
re - plied,
laugh
re - plied, laugh
-
ing:
-
ing:
cresc.
15
f
‘Though
f
you
are swift
for online perusal only
as the wind,
I
will beat
you in a
f

5
18
sfp
race.’
sfp
p
The
sfp
sub. p
22
Hare,
p
The Hare,
be - liev
-
ing
- ing
be - liev
her as - ser - tion to be sim -ply
im -
her as - ser - tion to be sim - ply im -
for online perusal only
25
-
-
pp staccato
- pos - si ble,
as
-
sen
- ted to
the
pro
-
po
sal;
and they a -
pp staccato

6
29
( e = e )
- greed that the Fox should choose
the course
and
fix
the goal.
( e = e )
pp sempre
p staccato
34
B.
p ritmico
On the day
ap - point
-
ed
for the
race
T.
p ritmico
the two
-
start-ed
to
39
sfz
- ge
-
ther.
for online perusal only
mf
The
Tor
-
toise
ne -ver
for
a
sfz
mf

44
7
mo - ment stopped,
but went on with a slow
but stea - dy
mf
49
cresc.
ff
pace
straight to the end
of the course,
the
cresc.
ff
cresc.
ff
fff
54
course,
the course.
fff
fff
dim.
mp staccato
for online perusal only

8
61
S.
mp dolce
The Hare,
ly -ing
down,
2
ly - ing down
by the way
- side, fell
a
-
A.
T.
B.
mp dolce
The Hare,
mp dolce
The Hare,
mp dolce
The Hare,
ly
ly
ly
- ing down,
- ing down,
- ing down,
fell
fell,
fell
a
a
-
-
2
2
dolce
2
2
2 2
2
2
67
- sleep,
p
fell
a - sleep.
pp
- sleep,
p
fell
a
-
sleep.
pp
fell
p
for online perusal only
pp
a
- sleep,
fell
a
-
sleep.
- sleep,
p
pp
fell
a
-
sleep.
p
pp

S.
A.
T.
B.
73
B.
p ritmico
At last
wak
-
ing,
wak-ing
up,
p ritmico
and
p ritmico
T.
and
9
p staccato
78
p
sfz
mov-ing
as fast as he could,
sfz
mf dim.
he
mf dim.
sfz
for online perusal only
mf dim.
83
saw
più legato
that the
Tor
2
2
2
- toise had
2
2
reached
2
2
the
2
2
goal,
p
and
was
p

88
S.
A.
T.
B.
10
and
comf - ’ta- bly doz - ing,
comf - ’ta- bly doz - ing,
p
doz - ing,
doz - ing,
doz - ing,
comf
p
doz
p
- ’ta -bly
doz
- ing
af
- ing,
doz
- ter her
fa
-
tigue.
- ing,
doz
-
ing,
for online perusal only
93
( e = e )
doz
doz
doz
-
-
-
ing.
ing.
ing.
( e = e )
p poco staccato
S./A.
T./B.
99
unis. (spoken)
unis. (spoken)
mp
‘Slow
mp
but
stea-dy
wins
the
race.’
attacca
pp
attacca

11
2. The Mountain in Labour
103
Grandiose q = 104
T./B.
ff
unis. (shouted)
‘The Moun-tain
in La-
bour!’
ff
108
sub. p
S.
A.
112
p
for online perusal only
sfz
T.
B.
A Moun - tain
p
was once
great-ly
a - gi - ta - ted.
sfz
sfz

12
S.
A.
T.
B.
116
mf
mf
Loud
mf
and noi
groans
- ses were
sfz
heard,
sfz
sfz
ff
and
120
crowds
of peo
for online perusal only
ff
and
crowds
- ple came,
of peo
- ple came,
and
crowds
of peo
and
peo
- ple came
- ple came
ff
mf
from
from
mf
124
all
parts
to
see
what was
sfz
the
sfz
mat
sfz
-
ter,
ff
the
ff

13
128
mat
- ter.
ff
pp
133
S.
A.
While
pp
While
they
T.
B.
pp
they
as
- sem - bled,
as
- sem - bled
pp
While
they
they
as
as
cresc.
- sem - bled
cresc.
- sem - bled
cresc.
p cresc.
in
in
in
in
S.
A.
T.
B.
137
anx
mp cresc. molto
- ious ex
mp cresc. molto
mp cresc. molto
- pec - ta - tion of
some
for online perusal only
ter
- ri - ble ca
fff
- la - mi - ty,
fff
fff

14
142
pp
came
out
pp
a Mouse.
pp
147
T./B.
unis. (spoken)
‘Don’t
make
much a - do,
for online perusal only
150
much a - do
a
- bout no - thing.’

15
3. The Fox and the Grapes
S.
A.
153
Gentle, but with a sense of irony q = 54
unis. (spoken) p dolce
‘The Fox
and the Grapes.’
p sost.
3
3
3
3
3
3
156
p cantabile
A
fa
- mished Fox
saw some
3
3
3
3
3
3
for online perusal only
159
clust
3
- ers of
ripe black Grapes
hang
-
ing
3
from a
trel
- lised vine.
3
3
3
3
3
3

16
S.
A.
162
p legato
T.
B.
3
3
6
p legato misterioso
She
p legato
re
- sor - ted to
6
6
6
for online perusal only
164
all
her
tricks
to
get
3
3
at
3
3
them,
but
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
166
3
3
wea - ried
3
her - self in vain,
3
6
6
6
6
6
mp
mp
6
6
6
mp

17
S.
168
p espress.
for she could not reach
them,
for she could not reach
them.
A.
p espress.
for
she
could
not
reach
them,
reach
them.
T.
p espress.
for she could not reach
them,
for she could not
B.
p espress.
for she could
not
reach,
p
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
for online perusal only
170
poco rit.
a tempo
reach
reach
them.
them.
6
poco rit.
a tempo
3
6
p
3
3
3

18
173
unis. p espress.
she turned a -
At
last
way,
3
3
3
3
175
hid
-
ing
3
dis- ap - point - ment and say
-
ing:
3
3
3
3
3
3
S.
A.
178
for online perusal only
‘The
Grapes
are
sour,
and
not
ripe
as
I
T.
B.
p
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6

180
thought,
6
6
6
6
I
mp
thought,
mp
6
6
6
6
mp
19
182 poco rit.
thought.’
thought.’
poco rit.
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
184
S./A.
a tempo
unis. (spoken)
p
‘Sour
for online perusal only
Grapes.’
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
rit.
(LH)
6
6
6
186
6
pp
attacca

20
4. The North Wind and the Sun
S.
A.
Driving tempo q = 120
188
unis. (spoken, agitated) f
‘The North Wind
3
and
the
Sun.’
T.
B.
unis. (spoken, agitated)
f
‘The North
Wind
3
and
the
Sun.’
Driving tempo q = 120
f feroce
3 3 3 3
3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3
191
3
3
S.
A.
f
The
North
Wind
3
3
and
the
Sun
3
3
dis -
for online perusal only
3
3
T.
B.
f
The
North
Wind
3
3
and
the
3 3
3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3

21
194
- pu
-
ted
3
3
as
to
which
3
3
was
the
most
po
-
3
3
wer
-
ful,
3
3
and
a -
Sun
dis
- pu - ted
3
3
as
to
which
3
3
was
the
most
po
-
3
3
wer
-
ful,
3 3 3
3
3 3 3 3
3 3
3
3
197
- greed
3
3
that
he
for online perusal only
3
3
should
be
made
the
vic
-
tor
3
3
and
a
-
greed
3
3
that
he
3
3
should
be
made
the
vic
-
tor
3 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3 3

22
200
mf cresc.
3
3
who
3
could
3
mf cresc.
first
3 3 3 3
3
3
strip
3
3
3
mf cresc.
3
a
way
3
3
3
- far
3
3
- ing man
3
for online perusal only
3
3
3
3
3
of
3
3
his
3
203
ff
clothes.
ff
ff
3
3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
206
mf cresc.
The
3 3 3 3
3
mp
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

S.
209
North
212
3
mf cresc.
might,
Wind
3
first
3
3
tried
3
The
his
mf cresc.
3
power
North
3
Wind
3
first
3
3
tried
3
and
his
3
ff
blew
ff
power
A.
T.
B.
might,
blew with all
blew
div.
blew
with
all
and
and
his
his
with
3
3
3
3
with all
blew
blew
might,
with
all
might,
all
3
3
3
his
his
with
with
his
for online perusal only
3
ff
3
might,
3
23
with all his
and
3 3
3
and the
and the
and the
his might,
unis.
and the
3 3
3
might,
his might,
all
all
3
might,
3
3
3

S.
A.
T.
B.
24
f
215
keen
f
keen
- er his
- er his
blasts,
blasts,
the
the
mf espress.
3
clo
Tra
-
3
ser
mf espress.
3 3 3
3 3 3 3
3
3
f sonore
mf espress.
-
the
3
Tra
v’ller
-
3
3
vel
-
ler
3 3
218
wrapped
his cloak
a
- round him,
mp
-
B. un
3
3 3
3
3
3 3
3
3
3
3
mp
3
221
- til
A.
mp
un
- til
at last,
at
last,
for online perusal only
T. mpat
S. mp
re
3
3
- sign - ing
3
last,
3
all
hope
of
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

25
224
vic
vic
-
-
3
3
to
3
3
to
-
-
ry,
ry,
poco rit.
poco rit.
the
3 3 3 3
a tempo
3
Wind
3
called
a tempo
3
u
- pon the
the
Sun
Wind
3
3
called
u
to
- pon the
3 3 3
3
3
3
3
227
see
Sun
to
see
what
what
he
he
for online perusal only
could
could
do.
do.
3 3 3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3 3 3
230 rit.
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3
rit.

26
233
Broad q = 54
S.
p dolce espress.
A.
The
p dolce espress.
Sun,
the
Sun
T.
The
p dolce espress.
Sun,
the
Sun,
the
B.
The
p dolce espress.
The
Sun,
Sun,
the
the
Sun,
Sun,
the
the
Broad q = 54
p dolce espress.
for online perusal only
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
237
3
sud - den - ly
f
f
Sun
f
Sun
f
Sun
f
3
3
shone
out,
shone out, sud -den
- ly
3
sud -den
- ly
3
3
3
shone
3
3
out,
shone
3
3
sud -den
- ly
3
3
3
sud -den
- ly
out,
shone
3
3
shone
out
3
sud -den
- ly
sud -den
- ly
with all his
3
shone
out
shone
his
his
out
all his
3
3
3
3
3
3

27
239 Moderate tempo q = 96
mf
warmth.
mf
warmth.
mf
warmth.
unis
ṃf
warmth.
3
3
mf
3
Moderate tempo q = 96
3
3
3
p dolce
3
3
for online perusal only
242
3
3
p espress.
The
p espress.
The
Tra
Tra
-
-
3
vel
3
vel
- ler no
- ler no
3
soon
3
soon
3
- er felt
- er felt,
p espress.
3
3
felt
his
3
his
3
The
Tra
-
vel
- ler felt
his
3
p espress.
3
3
The
Tra
-
vel
- ler felt
his
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

28
245
ge
3
- nial rays
3
3
that he took off
one
3
gar -ment
af-ter
a - no - ther,
and
at
ge
3
- nial rays
3
that he took
3
off
one
gar -ment
af-ter
a
3
-
no - ther,
and
at
ge
ge
3
- nial rays
3
- nial rays
3
3
that he took off
3
3
that he took off
one
one
3
gar -ment
af-ter
a - no - ther,
3
gar -ment
af-ter
a - no - ther,
and
and
at
at
3
3
3
3
3
3
for online perusal only
3
3
3
3
3
3
248
last,
last,
last,
last,
at
mf espress.
o
at
mf espress.
last,
mf espress.
at
last,
mf espress.
last,
- ver - come with
o
heat,
o
- ver - come
with
- ver - come
with
o
- ver -
3 3
3
3 3 3 3
mf espress.
3
3
3
3 3

29
251
o
- ver -come
with
heat,
un
- dressed
and
heat,
with
heat,
un
- dressed
and
heat,
with
heat,
un
- dressed
and
- come
with
heat,
un
- dressed
and
3 3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3 3 3
3
S.
A.
254
mp
T.
B.
bathed
in
a
stream
mp
that
lay
in
his
3
3
3
3
3 3
3 3
3 3 3 3
for online perusal only
mp
257
path.
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3

30
260 poco rit.
a tempo
poco rit.
3 3 3 3
a tempo
3
p dolce
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
263
unis. (spoken) mp dolce
unis. (spoken)
‘Per -sua
- sion
mp dolce
is
bet - ter
3
3 3
3
3
3
3
3
for online perusal only
3 3
3 3
266 rit.
than
Force.’
3 3 3
3
3
3 3 3
rit.
3 3 3 3

31
5. The Goose and the Swan
270
Lyrical and expressive q = 84
p sost.
S.
A.
276
unis. (spoken) p
‘The Goose
and the Swan.’
T.
B.
mp
281
for online perusal only
S.
A.
p espress.
A cer - tain rich
p espress.
man
bought
in
the
p

32
286
mar
mp
a Goose
-
ket
a Goose and a
Swan,
mp
and a Swan.
mp
291
p
He fed
p
the
one
for his ta
-
ble
and kept
the
o
-
ther
p
296
mp
the sake
for online perusal only
for the sake
of its
song,
mp
of its song.
mp

33
T.
B.
301
mp cresc.
When the time
came for
kill - ing the Goose,
the
cook
went to
get
him
at
mp cresc.
S.
A.
T.
B.
304
f
night,
when it
was
mp
dark,
mp
and
was
not
f
mp
307
cresc.
for online perusal only
a
- ble to
dis
- tin - guish one bird
from the
cresc.
o
-
ther.
By
mis -
cresc.

34
310
f appass.
dim.
- take
he caught
f appass.
the
Swan,
by mis - take
he caught
dim.
the
f appass.
dim.
313
mp
Swan in- stead of the Goose.
mp
mp
317
poco rit.
poco rit.
a tempo
a tempo
mp cresc.
The Swan,
for online perusal only
mp cresc.
threat - ened with death,
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320
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35
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and
pre - served
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mf dolce
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for online perusal only
mf dolce
328
S.
life
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life
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B.
life
life
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by
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36
332
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336
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341 mp
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345
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350
mp
S./A.
355
unis. (spoken) mp espress.
rit.
for online perusal only
slower
T./B.
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mp espress.
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BC118
This engaging new choral work by Bob Chilcott sets five of Aesop’s famous fables:
‘The Hare and the Tortoise’, ‘The Mountain in Labour’, ‘The Fox and the Grapes’,
‘The North Wind and the Sun’, and ‘The Goose and the Swan’. Chilcott’s masterful
musical setting brings each story to life, from the groaning mountain to the dozing
tortoise at the end of the race, resulting in a characterful portrayal of these moral
tales that is sure to appeal to audiences of all ages. This is a wonderful addition to
the choral repertory and an ideal concert work for all mixed-voice choirs.
Bob Chilcott has been involved with choral music all his life, first as a chorister and
then a Choral Scholar at King’s College, Cambridge. Later, he sang and composed
music for twelve years with the King’s Singers. His experiences with that group, his
passionate commitment to young and amateur choirs, and his profound belief that
music can unite people, have inspired him both to compose full-time and, through
proactive workshopping, to promote choral music worldwide.
Have you tried?
Jazz Folk Songs for Choirs
The Making of the Drum (BC27)
I Share Creation (BC84)
Butterfly’s Son (BC101)
Simple Pictures of Tomorrow (BC113)
For more details about Bob Chilcott and his music, please contact
Oxford University Press, Music Department.
Cover image: © David Phipps; used by permission. All rights reserved.
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