A Twist of the Tongue: SAB/SATB Choral Octavo
Music by Carl Strommen and Lauri Strommen
Item: 00-PO-0004475
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
As the text says, "A twist of the tounge is easier sung than said." It's true! Just "enunciate clearly the words you love dearly" and these "twisters and teasers, grammatical pleasers are" a singer's verbal delight. It's fun, of course, but hidden beneath this song's humor is an excellent teaching piece-ideal for rehearsal work on diction and enunciation. Use it as a vocal exercise or as a concert work...two pieces in one.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0004475
More about this title
About the Composer: Carl Strommen
Carl Strommen's output spans band, orchestra, jazz ensemble, and choral music, making him one of the most frequently performed composers and arrangers working today. His works appear regularly in concert halls, on television, and in film productions. He has received the ASCAP Standard Writers Award annually throughout his career and maintains an active schedule as both a clinician and commissioned composer.
A graduate of City College of New York, Strommen continues his connection to academic music by serving as an adjunct professor of orchestration and composition at C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. He resides on Long Island and divides extended family time between there, Denver, and Boulder, Colorado.
Why we love this
This piece does what few tongue twisters manage: it's genuinely entertaining while demanding real diction work from your singers. The humor keeps singers engaged during rehearsals focused on articulation and vowel clarity, and the payoff feels natural rather than forced. You get serious vocal technique development masked as pure fun, which means singers want to nail the text as much as you do.
What to expect
Sharp, witty, and tongue-in-cheek, with a rhythmic snap that demands precision from every singer. The humor sits lightly on top of genuine vocal challenges, creating a piece that feels effortless and delightful to hear but requires careful attention to execute well.
Who it's for
This octavo works for any mixed choir (SATB or SAB) looking for a piece that strengthens diction fundamentals without sacrificing entertainment value. It functions equally well as a focused rehearsal study or as a concert opener that immediately puts your audience in a playful mood.
How to get the most out of it
- Record a section or two during early rehearsals to help singers hear their own diction patterns and identify where clarity breaks down under tempo.
- Establish a consistent vowel shape for repeated syllables across all voice parts; inconsistent mouth positioning will muddy even the cleverest text work.
- Start at a deliberately slow tempo during initial rehearsals, prioritizing articulation before gradually building speed as confidence grows.
- Work the consonant clusters first as a choir before adding melodic content; isolate the consonants and ensure they're landing crisply across all sections.
How to use it
Open a concert with this piece to signal that you're not taking yourself too seriously and to energize an audience right away. It also works beautifully mid-program as a palate cleanser between more serious works, or as a finale that sends people out smiling while leaving them impressed by your singers' clarity and control.
Skills your students will build
- Clear consonant articulation and crisp consonant cluster execution
- Sustained vowel consistency across voice parts and phrase lines
- Text clarity and diction precision at varying tempos
- Rhythmic precision and ensemble synchronization in fast-moving passages