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The Major-General's Song (Fl, Ob, Cl)
from 'The Pirates of Penzance'
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You are purchasing high quality sheet music PDF files suitable for printing or viewing on digital devices.The Major General’s Song is probably the most famous of Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘patter songs’ – fast, tongue-twisting challenges for the performer. The tune features in Act I of The Pirates of Penzance (or the Slave of Duty) and introduces the character by way of a resumé, covering his education and highlighting his strengths but also touching on a few of his shortcomings.
Clearly ripe for adaptation, the Major-General’s Song has been parodied in a wide variety of contexts. Even those unfamiliar with Gilbert & Sullivan may recognise the melody from Tom Lehrer’s ‘Elements Song’ or have encountered the version from the film Despicable Me 3, sung by the minions, which has been viewed in excess of 18 million times on YouTube!
