Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

words by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564 - 1616)

music by RASMUS KRIGSTRÖM (1986 - )

About the piece

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? was the first piece I did for my male choir Zero8, back in the early spring of 2017. The text is obviously very famous, but I didn't know of a male choir version so I thought why not compose something over these legendary words. Knowing my own choir, a bit too well perhaps, I wanted to test their limits when it comes to vocal range and tonal complexity but without making the song sound too harsh or incomprehensible. This resulted in a freely modulating tune, with a clear melody in the top voice, and a spectacular range.

Difficulty : Medium
Voicing : SATB Divisi
Accompaniment : Unaccompanied
Duration : 3 - 6 minutes
Genre : Secular
Catalogue Number : V8P1420

An uplifting setting that uses the full harmonic palate to express a timeless text. More advanced choirs will relish the challenge of making every chord ring, while at the same time giving direction and flow to the phrases.

20 Copy Licence Details

Your purchase gives you a licence to print or distribute 20 copies of the score for rehearsal and performance. The PDF is delivered immediately by download. Copies may not be further reproduced or shared beyond the licensed quantity.

Other Quantities

Other licence quantities are available:

• 10-copy licence — https://voces8.com/sheet-music/sonnet-18-words-by-william-shakespeare-1564-1616-music-by-rasmus-krigstrm-1986-1-ljjeg

• 50-copy licence — https://voces8.com/sheet-music/sonnet-18-words-by-william-shakespeare-1564-1616-music-by-rasmus-krigstrm-1986-1-ljjeg-rjgzs-6kfzd

For larger quantities or bespoke licensing enquiries, contact us at info@voces8.foundation.