During the Hotspur Festival of 2009, celebrating 700 years of the Duke of Northumberland’s Percy family at Alnwick Castle, I was asked to write a song for a local school which had been invited to perform at the unveiling of a new statue of Harry Hotspur in the town.

The bronze sculpture (featured in this learning video) is by Keith Maddison of Elsdon, Northumberland and was unveiled in August 2010. To learn more about Keith Maddison and his sculptures…. http://www.keithmaddison.co.uk/Welcome.html

Lion Bridge, Alnwick Castle

“Harry Hotspur” is one of the most famous members of the Duke of Northumberland’s family. He famously features in Shakespeare’s play Henry the Fourth in which the two Henrys moved from being friends to enemies in battle.

Each verse of “Henry Hotspur Percy” can be treated as a separate song one after the other, but they also fit together nicely as a partner song (or round). There are also ostinato or repeating accompaniment patterns for instruments to play, if you like. The claps/stamps (∗) in the first and third verses  are intended to help with the counting for rehearsal purposes, and the singers should be gradually weaned off them once they know the song well enough. I feel that there is already enough percussive noise in this song with the ostinato patterns!

I have included the song in my collection “Sea Pie Parcel” which contains 20 enthusiastic songs for young choirs or classes, all of which can be sung as unison songs with accompaniment, but also all have part-singing opportunities such as rounds, simple harmonies, repeating patterns, descants or, as in this case, are partner songs. All the songs in this collection are also available individually.

∗ The boy Henry,  ∗ ∗ ∗

∗ Henry Percy,  ∗ ∗ ∗

∗ From an early age was steeped in the arts of warfare and chivalry.  ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗

∗ The boy Henry,  ∗

∗ Henry Hotspur Percy,  ∗

∗ At an early age was taken by his father to war.

Jousting in Newcastle, Scrimmish in Otterburn,

Victory at Homildon Hill,

News of his exploits rang throughout the land.

His fearlessness, swiftness in battle, impulsiveness and loyalty,

Earned him the nickname of Hotspur from his Scottish foes.

William  ∗ ∗ Shakespeare tells the tale of

Henry  ∗ ∗ the Fourth and Harry Hotspur.

Once they  ∗ ∗ were friends but now they fought in the

Battle ∗ ∗ of Shrewsbury.

“Percy Percy! Esperance Percy and set on!” was the

Battle  ∗ ∗ cry of Hotspur to his comrades. ∗ ∗

They fought with power and swiftness

Till an arrow shot Hotspur in  ∗ ∗ the eye and he was slain.

“Percy!  ∗ ∗ Esperance Percy and set on!”

If you’d like a backing track for this or any other of the Sea Pie Parcel songs, contact Cheryl.