Between the Lines: "Desperta Ferro!" by Christopher Fox

Desperta Ferro! is a thrilling new work for Tenor/Bass voices, piano, and optional percussion composed by Christopher Fox. "Desperta Ferro!"—literally, "Rise, iron!" in medieval Catalan—was one of the battle cries employed by the fierce Almogàvers as they struck the earth with their weapons, causing sparks to fly from the stones.

Composer Christopher Fox is the Director of Choruses and Music Theatre at Bonnie Branch Middle School in Howard County, MD. He has twice been awarded “Teacher of the Year” while teaching across all music disciplines (K-12). He has been commissioned by the VCDA Junior All-State Choir, Virginia Organization of Kodály Educators, Fairfax Choral Society, Penn State University, Central PA/ACDA’s Boyz Noyz, as well as several Virginia District Honors Choirs. Mr. Fox is an active guest conductor and clinician.

Read on to learn about the inspiration for Desperta Ferro! , and get strategies for teaching it. Be sure to share his message to singers with your group!

What inspired you to write Desperta Ferro! ?

I had heard the story of the Almogavers several years ago and thought what a great idea for a piece for my Cambiata Chorus. I was hired to conduct Central PA/ACDA's “Boyz Noyz” event and they commissioned me to write a work for that ensemble. This was my opportunity—however, I didn't want to write about war and violence. I thought, "how can I provide a positive message while still keeping the integrity of such a fierce war cry?" I began to think about all the peaceful leaders who "went to war," MLK, Jr., Mandela, Ghandi … the list goes on. The idea that our armor and weapons are things of honor and integrity is one that I discuss with my men every day, so this idea sat really well for using music to create better people. Desperta Ferro! was born.

What teaching suggestions do you have to share for Desperta Ferro! ?

The piece was initially written for TB, so teaching the outer two voices first and then moving to the inner harmony will help them with intonation. Also, the piece is constructed to build ... but like a yo-yo, there need to be ups and down. The builds can be much more powerful when they come from nothing. Don't be afraid to really take a section to the limits dynamically.

Even though we are in triple meter with some difficult rhythms, the music is very "singable" and given a little discussion on triple meter rhythms, the teacher and students will find that the speech-like way the piece sings makes it a great learning tool for some of these difficult rhythms.

What message do you have for singers learning this piece?

This is a battle cry for peace and justice. Often, standing up at the beginning of the battle is one of the hardest things to do. Don't just sing this piece and move on. Imagine ways that you can impact your world with your integrity and desire to do right. Put the words of Desperta Ferro! into action and look for ways to make this world a better place, standing up for those that can't defend themselves, as brothers united in a common mission.

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