Three Ways to Vacuum Your House

In our concert choir, every year we have mixed gendered (SATB songs, and then solo gendered songs (either TTBB or SSAA, usually). This year, the girls did one of the coolest songs I have ever heard. It's called "Three Ways to Vacuum Your House." For some reason, I seriously just can not get over how cool it is.

I'm a tenor one, and I must say, if I could have my pick of the male parts in choir, that would be the one. But if I were a girl, I would pick alto two. I have no idea why, but for some reason their voices just make my heart melt. In "the vacuum song," the altos a have a pretty low part, and I think that is the reason I am attracted to it.

Supposedly, the basis behind the song was that this composer went around the country listening to the sounds of people vacuuming. At one point in the song, there is a part to represent the sound of a paper clip going through the vacuum. If it's the part I'm thinking of, there are no notes to the section, just speaking random gibberish. It sounds soooo cool.

Something that I have determined is that the girls just have cooler music selections than the guys (for choral music). Girls, for one, have Bulgarian music. Personally, I think this is some of the best choral music out there. It is so unique and, when done well, can send shivers up your spine throughout the entire song. Probably one of my favorite Bulgarian songs is "Kafal Sviri." In this song, again, the altos have a really cool low part.

Here is a recording of the Waubonsie Valley Women's Choir singing Kafal Sviri:



So, for me, when listening to a song, I rank it's "cool-ness" on the alto part. When Kafal Sviri ends, the altos have this descending interval that I personally think makes the song.

In conclusion, I don't really have a closing question, so I will leave you with this. If you don't already listen for the altos, I urge you to pay attention for them, their part, though not always identifiable, makes the song.