Witticisms and Lamentations from the Graveyard (Five Epitaphs): Choral Works (inc. Oratorios)

Rhodes brings genuine wit and dark humor to choral writing without sacrificing musical substance. The epitaph conceit gives each movement its own character and dramatic focus, making this set rewarding for ensembles ready to balance interpretive lightness with precise execution.

Darkly comic and contemplative in turns. Rhodes pairs sardonic poetry about death with music that is both formally sophisticated and human in scale, creating moments of genuine poignancy alongside moments of mordant humor.

This octavo works for advanced high school and collegiate choirs comfortable with text-driven interpretation and harmonic language that rewards close listening. The epitaph texts and musical wit appeal to singers who enjoy character work and narrative clarity.

• Clarify the harmonic rhythm in slower movements by shaping phrases through the natural arcs of the text rather than pushing toward cadences.
• Let diction carry the humor. Crisp consonants and natural speech inflection matter more here than lyrical blending.
• Balance the five movements as distinct pieces with their own tempos and moods rather than treating them as variations on a single idea.

Ideal as a complete set on a concert devoted to American choral works or as a memorial program offering. The five movements can stand alone or together; programming them as a complete suite creates narrative arc and showcases interpretive depth.

• Reading and interpreting text-music relationships in contemporary choral writing
• Managing tonal harmony with chromaticism and extended sonorities
• Balancing dramatic expression with musical coherence across multiple short movements
• Clarity of diction as a primary musical tool