A Roman War Song

A Roman War Song is a chorus from the opera Rienzi by Richard Wagner. It has been arranged here for TTBB Male Voice Chorus with Piano accompaniment by Percy E. Fletcher, withthelyrics translated into English by George Ellerton.

Rienzi was one of the composer’s earlier operas, but remains one of his most popular. Structured in five acts, it was written from 1838-1840 andfirstperformed in 1842. The plot revolves around the life of revolutionary Cola di Rienzi, who helps to overthrow the established nobility in Rome, before the populace also turns against him.

RichardWagner(1813-1883) was a German composer best known for his operas, most famously his Ring cycle. His complex textures and shifting tonality is sometimes seen as marking the birth of modern music.