Francis Bellamy

The Pledge of Allegiance and Other Pieces Francis Bellamy

A song setting of the American Pledge of Allegiance in the style of the great classical masters. Words are adapted from Francis Bellamy's landmark pledge of 1892: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all." The character of the music is solemn, evocative, powerful, and devotional and is equally suited to grace special, formal occasions and private moments. While the complete composition includes an introduction and a coda that encourage an appropriately reverent approach and departure, the central hymn-like setting of the pledge may also be sung on its own and without accompaniment. The piano part is imaginative and somewhat challenging; it makes a beautiful composition in its own right that will be welcomed by pianists. The key of the piece is E major and the vocal range is from low E to high G sharp, and thus ideally suited for soprano or tenor voices. The performance time is just under two minutes. The composition celebrates the noblest sentiment and ideals of this great nation. - The additional works for guitar or piano range from simple to intermediate difficulty and are mostly romantic in character. They will be welcomed as exciting and rewarding recital pieces. The song "Come, be merry!" is an addition to the Christmas repertory. A few of the solo pieces employ C clefs.