This striking work is surprisingly simple in its format, and yet

the harmonics are carefully crafted. It's a variation on the round

format (as in good old Row, row, row your boat), but with the first

line always underneath as a background texture. Like the traditional

round, it opens with a solo voice, "A Robyn, gentle Robyn, tell me

how thy leman (beloved) doth and thou shalt know of mine." When

this line repeats, the second voice joins in, and on the third repetition,

the third voice joins. Two voices then constantly repeat this opening

line underneath the higher voice's singing the rest of the text, a

dialog between Robyn and the person who is talking to. The melody is

quite lovely, and the whole effect can be breathtaking when the performers

are working in perfect synchronization.

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