I am the very model of a modern Major-General

E513109

"I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" is a famous patter song from Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera repertoire, renowned for its rapid-fire, tongue-twisting lyrics and satirical humor.

Try in SPARQL Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (1)

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf comic opera song
song
associatedCharacter Major-General Stanley NERFINISHED
composer Arthur Sullivan NERFINISHED
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
culturalStatus one of the most famous patter songs in English-language theatre
eraOfComposition late 19th century
firstPerformanceDate 1879-12-31
firstPerformancePlace Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York City NERFINISHED
firstPublisher Chappell & Co. NERFINISHED
genre comic opera
patter song
hasAdaptations adapted in advertising jingles
adapted in animated cartoons
adapted in film and television
hasForm solo song with chorus responses
hasParodies numerous parody versions in popular culture
hasRecording numerous commercial cast recordings
includedInAct Act I of The Pirates of Penzance NERFINISHED
influenced later patter songs in musical theatre
language English
lyricist W. S. Gilbert NERFINISHED
lyricStyle dense rhyming and internal rhymes
meter fast patter
musicalStyle light, syllabic setting
musicBy Arthur Sullivan NERFINISHED
notableFeature rapid-fire lyrics
satirical humor
tongue-twisting wordplay
openingLine I am the very model of a modern Major-General NERFINISHED
operaBy Gilbert and Sullivan NERFINISHED
originalMedium stage performance with orchestra
partOfWork The Pirates of Penzance NERFINISHED
period Victorian era
rightsHolder public domain in many jurisdictions
subjectMatter parody of military expertise
satire of superficial knowledge
sungByCharacter Major-General Stanley NERFINISHED
tempo allegro
theatricalFunction character introduction song
comic showpiece
timeSignature 2/4
title I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General NERFINISHED
typicalPerformerVoiceType baritone
usedFor showcasing verbal dexterity of performers
wordsBy W. S. Gilbert NERFINISHED
workFromOpera The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty NERFINISHED

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

The Pirates of Penzance notableSong I am the very model of a modern Major-General