If Music Be The Food Of Love (from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night): SATB Choral Octavo

Purifoy's approach to this iconic Shakespeare passage respects the poetry while creating something singable and musically coherent. The piece manages to be both accessible for mid-level ensembles and genuinely interesting harmonically, which is harder than it sounds.

There's an introspective quality here, a contemplative mood that honors Shakespeare's opening lines about love and desire. The music unfolds with elegant restraint, inviting the listener into an intimate moment rather than overwhelming them with gesture.

This octavo works for high school and early college choirs, as well as community ensembles looking for concert repertoire with literary substance. The seven pages contain enough musical interest to reward serious rehearsal time without requiring virtuosic singers.

• Shape the opening with restraint. Let the text's famous melancholy breathe rather than pushing for dramatic effect early on.
• Balance clarity of diction with the lyrical line. The words matter here, but not at the expense of musical flow.
• Attend to the internal phrase architecture in each voice part. Purifoy writes efficiently; every note earns its place.

Pair this with other Renaissance or early Baroque settings to explore how composers across centuries have approached Shakespeare. It also works as a concert opener that establishes a thoughtful tone and immediately demonstrates your ensemble's musicianship.

• Singing text-driven music with attention to diction and phrase architecture
• Balancing lyrical expression with harmonic awareness in SATB writing
• Sustaining a contemplative character across seven pages
• Navigating moderate harmonic complexity while maintaining ensemble blend