Let’s sing the praises of Rounds Resounding Day. This annual event aims to celebrate the art of singing rounds, or part-songs – with different voices taking up various elements of the melody.
English nursery rhymes Three Blind Mice and Row, Row, Row Your Boat and the Australian song Kookaburra are among the most popular rounds, often sung around the campfire by Scouts and Guides. However, serious composers have also written many songs in this format. The oldest published English part-songs date back to the 17th century. More recently a cappella groups and barbershop quartets have put a whole different spin on singing in the round.
The special day was founded in 1987, to promote singing in harmony. A great way to mark the occasion is to join forces with family or friends and try singing a mixture of songs, both old favourites and new discoveries. The day is likely to prove a resounding success!
