The Flu Fugue: SAB Choral Octavo

Albrecht treats fugal writing as a playable, teachable craft rather than an intimidating historical puzzle. The Baroque framework keeps singers engaged with imitative lines that build logically, while the humorous lyrics about catching a cold make the counterpoint stick in memory. It's the kind of piece that makes students actually care about voice independence because they're too busy laughing at the subject matter to overthink the technique.

The piece channels Baroque counterpoint with a wink, unfolding like a musical round but with more architectural ambition. Singers bounce between melodic lines with a bright, almost conversational energy, and the illness-themed lyrics give the whole enterprise a tongue-in-cheek lift that feels contemporary despite the period-music structure.

Directors seeking an engaging entry point to fugal writing for developing mixed choirs will find this piece both musically legitimate and genuinely fun to teach. SAB voicing keeps it accessible for groups with lighter soprano or tenor sections, while the humor and movement component appeal to students who think classical forms sound boring.

• Bring out the subject line clearly in each voice part's entrance; mark these entries in rehearsal so singers understand when they're introducing the main musical idea versus supporting other voices.
• Work the imitative sections by voice part separately before combining them, so each singer hears exactly how their line relates rhythmically and melodically to the others.
• Layer in the suggested tissue box choreography gradually once the music is secure; the physical comedy lands hardest when the singing is confident and the timing is tight.
• Keep the tempo conversational and steady; rushing the fugal exposition sacrifices clarity and undermines the humor of the text.

Program this before or after more serious Baroque repertoire to show how composers from any era can play with form and humor in the same breath. It also works beautifully as a concert closer, especially in a program exploring how music can tell stories; the movement element gives audiences something visually engaging to remember on their way out.

• Reading and performing fugal subject entries across multiple voice parts
• Maintaining independence and blend while following imitative lines
• Coordinating lyrics and choreography to enhance musical meaning
• Listening for contrapuntal relationships between voices while singing
• Applying Baroque compositional principles to secular, accessible repertoire