Voices Rising Concert Program Notes
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Chorus Kansas City
Kansas City Chamber Singers
Chorus Kansas City
The Music of Living by Dan Forrest
In this piece, composer Dan Forrest sets an anonymously written text that is universal in its design, calling upon the “Giver of life” and the “Creator of all that is lovely” to teach us to sing, to dance, and to live. Mr. Forrest has developed a fanfare-like anthem that is both majestic and prayerful in its style. The consistent alternation between triplet and duplet rhythms in the piano part creates a dramatic accompaniment that is engaging for the listener. The four-part harmonies created by the chorus in the opening statement blossoms into five parts. Episodes of call and response and canon are employed as the choir sings the text “I want to move in rhythm with Your plan… For You are leading the dance.” As the piece concludes, the opening thematic material returns.
The Music of Living Text
Giver of life, Creator of all that is lovely,
Teach me to sing the words to Your song.
I want to feel the music of living;
I want to feel the music of living;
And not fear the sad songs, but from them make new songs
Composed of both laughter and tears.
Giver of life, Creator of all that is lovely,
Teach me to dance to the sounds of Your world.
I want to move in rhythm with Your plan.
Help me to follow Your leading,
To risk even falling, to rise and keep trying,
For You are leading the dance.
Giver of life, Creator of all that is lovely,
Teach me to sing the words to Your song.
Shenandoah arranged by James Erb
There are few melodies as recognizable as that of the American folk song "Shenandoah." As with most folk songs, there are many different variations and versions, and it is impossible to determine the song's exact origin. It has commonly been sung as a sea shanty (also spelled chantey or chanty), though it most likely originated with early French Canadian fur traders.
The song first appeared in writing as "Shenadore" in “The New Dominion Monthly” in April, 1876. The author, Captain Robert Chamblet Adams, indicated that he had first heard the song around 1850. W.B. Whall reprinted it in his 1910 book Ships, Sea Songs and Shanties Collected by W.B. Whall, Master Mariner. The lyrics tell the story of a canoeing voyageur, or fur trader, who was in love with the daughter of a Native American chief.
This earliest known version of the song likely originated with French Canadian voyageurs who traded with Native Americans around the Great Lakes starting in the 16th century. The voyageurs gave weapons, tools, and money in exchange for animal furs, especially beaver pelts. They often sang while they paddled their canoes along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, including the Missouri, in the quest for furs.
Source: Ballad of America
Shenandoah Text
O Shenando’, I long to see you,
And hear your rolling river,
O Shenando’, I long to see you,
‘Way, we’re bound away,
Across the wide Missouri.
I long to see your smiling valley,
And hear your rolling river,
I long to see your smiling valley,
‘Way, we’re bound away,
Across the wide Missouri.
‘Tis sev’n long years since last I see you,
And hear your rolling river,
‘Tis sev’n long years since last I see you,
‘Way, we’re bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
O Shenando’, I long to see you,
And hear your rolling river,
O Shenando’, I long to see you,
‘Way, we’re bound away,
Across the wide Missouri.
O Shenando’.
Invictus by Joshua Rist, text by William Ernest Henley
From the composer:
I was introduced to the poetry of William Ernest Henley (1849 - 1903) in the spring of 2011, and “Invictus” instantly captivated me. The text is visceral, bold, and universally relevant, and it lent itself wonderfully to a choral setting. In many places, the piece felt like it was writing itself; it felt like I was discovering something as I was creating it.
I was further inspired when I studied the historical context of this text. William Ernest Henley fought a lifelong battle for his health, contracting tuberculosis of the bones as a child that necessitated the amputation of his left leg below the knee. When the disease later spread to his other leg and his doctors insisted on removing it as well, Henley challenged their diagnosis and sought a second opinion. His pursuit led him to meet Dr. Joseph Lester, a pioneer in the development of antiseptic surgery. After an arduous twenty-month hospital stay at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Henley's leg was saved and his health-at least partially—was restored. During his confinement, he recorded his impressions in his collection of poems, In Hospital. It was there he penned his most famous work, “Invictus” (Latin for "invincible," or "unconquerable").
As crippling as Henley's struggle with disease was, it is apparent that it did not get the best of him. Friends described him as a radiant, larger-than-life character, with a great red beard, clever wit, and "a laugh that rolled like music." Nineteenth-century poetry critic Arthur Symons wrote, "Mr. Henley, [out] of all the poets of the day, is the most strenuously certain that life is worth living, the most eagerly defiant of fate, [and] the most heroically content with death."
His zeal for life and self-determinacy is so brilliantly expressed in his “Invictus,” and it is my hope that this spirit and ideal may continue to inspire and embolden as it is expressed through this piece.
Invictus Text
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole.
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloodied but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears looms
But the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years finds,
And shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how straight the gate;
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
John the Revelator, arranged by Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory
From the arrangers:
Performed in a myriad of arrangements by gospel groups throughout the South, “John the Revelator” seems to have been first recorded between 1927 and 1930 by Blind Willie Johnson: Texan; street-corner evangelist; and self-taught master of the slide guitar. A decade later, the piece turned up as a regular staple in the repertoire of Delta Blues legend Son House. Both men authored most of their recorded material and Johnson’s recordings even credit him as the composer of “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning.” But neither artist claimed “John the Revelator” as his own. Both men identified it as traditional.
Both Blind Willy Johnson and Son House were practitioners of a charismatic tradition, a religion that used music to lift worshipers into an ecstatic, trance-like state of mind. These periods of holy delirium allowed followers to gain brief glimpses into the world described by John in the book of Revelation. More importantly, they offered respite and hope to an African-American population trapped in webs of physical and economic hardship.
To hear their re-released performances of “John the Revelator,” listen to Blind Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was the Night” and Son House’s “The Original Delta Blues.” Both discs are issued on the Mojo Workin’ label. Their renditions are sparse and uncomplicated. Son’s is downright monodic, accompanied only with occasional handclaps.
In our arrangement, we have tried to make optimal use of the precious Blues scales employed by Johnson and House. Harmonically and texturally, our piece is more closely related to the work of Son House’s musical children, the next two generations of American Blues pioneers.
John the Revelator Text
O tell me who is that writin’?
John the Revelator,
O tell me who is that writin’?
John the Revelator,
O tell me who is that writin’?
John the Revelator,
Writin’ in the book of seven seals.
O tell me what is he writin’?
‘Bout the Revelation,
O tell me what is he writin’?
‘Bout the Revelation,
O tell me what is he writin’?
‘Bout the Revelation,
Writin’ in the book of seven seals.
When John looked over Calvary’s hill,
Heard a rumblin’ like a chariot wheel.
Well tell us, John, what did you see?
I saw a beast rising from the sea!
O tell me who is that writin’?
John the Revelator,
O tell me who is that writin’?
John the Revelator,
O tell me who is that writin’?
John the Revelator,
Writin’ in the book of seven seals.
O tell me what is he writin’?
‘Bout the Revelation,
O tell me what is he writin’?
‘Bout the Revelation,
O tell me what is he writin’?
‘Bout the Revelation,
Writin’ in the book of seven seals.
Talk to us, John! What’s the good news?
The crippled can walk;
the dumb are singin’ the blues.
John, in the graveyard, whadaya see?
The dead are dancin’ all around me.
Tell us: Who is writin’?
Tell us what he’s writin’!
Tell us: who is writin’?
Tell us why he’s writin’.
Tell us: who is writin’?
Time for revelation
And for Jubilation.
Tell us what you’re writin’
Read it to us, John!
Well John, just tell it in your book.
John, write it down for us in that book.
John, write it down in that book of seven.
John!
Cindy, arranged by Carol Barnett
A tale of true love and romance, “Cindy,” is a favorite folk song among old-time musicians to this day, with the greatest names in American music having created renditions throughout history, including Johnny Cash, Burl Ives, Ricky Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, and Pete Seeger.
Though the original date of publication is unclear, the first references to “Cindy” appeared in the early 1900s, and John Lomax recorded renditions throughout the early 20th century. The song is thought to have been a popular one during the time of the American Civil War.
“You ought to see my Cindy…” the narrator boasts, describing Cindy as the most beautiful girl that he could ever dream of. Though the lyrics can be interpreted a variety of ways, as with all art, through a 19th-century lens, it appears that throughout the song, the narrator continually wishes Cindy to go home as she attempts to be intimate with him before they marry. Perhaps Cindy is too young, or the narrator is not ready—but he promises, “I’ll marry you someday.” The narrator continues to describe Cindy’s attempts to woo him: “standing in the door… her feet all over the floor” (bare feet being highly irregular), “She kissed me and she hugged me, she called me sugar plum, she threw her arms around me, I thought my time had come.” As the narrator concludes by describing his love, it seems that he has engaged with Cindy in a sense, as he is fully committed to her, stating, “If I can’t have my Cindy, I don’t want no girl at all.” “Cindy,” is certainly one of the most vibrant romantic songs to emerge from the 19th century.
Source: American Battlefield Trust
Cindy Text
You ought to see my Cindy,
She lives a way down south.
She is so sweet the honey bees
Swarm around her mouth.
I wish I was an apple
A-hangin’ from a tree,
And every time my Cindy passed
She’d take a bite of me.
Oh get along home, Cindy,
I’ll marry you some day.
She told me that she loved me,
She called me sugar plum,
She throwed her arms around me
And I thought my time had come.
When Cindy went to preachin’,
She shouted all around.
She got so full o’ glory,
She knocked that preacher down
Oh get along home, Cindy,
I’ll marry you some day.
She took me to her parlor,
She cooled me with her fan,
She told me I’z the purtiest thing
In the shape of mortal man.
Oh Cindy got religion,
She had it once before,
But when she hear the banjo,
She’uz the first one on the floor.
Oh get along home, Cindy,
I’ll marry you some day.
Goodnight Moon by Eric Whitacre
From the Composer
Through his first six years, I must have read Goodnight Moon to my son a thousand times, maybe more. Somewhere around reading number 500 I began hearing little musical fragments as I read, and over time those fragments began to blossom into a simple, sweet lullaby. I knew it was a long shot, but I asked my manager, Claire Long, to contact HarperCollins and see if they would allow the text to be set to music. To my surprise and delight, they agreed—the first time they had ever allowed Goodnight Moon to be used in such a way. I composed the piece relatively quickly, originally setting the text for harp, string orchestra and my son's mother, soprano Hila Plitmann.
About the Book
Goodnight Moon is an American children's book written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. It was published on September 3, 1947, and is a highly-acclaimed bedtime story. In a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association listed the book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." In 2012 it was ranked number four among the "Top 100 Picture Books" in a survey published by School Library Journal.
Souce: Wikipedia
Goodnight Moon Text
In the great green room
There was a telephone
And a red balloon
And a picture of
The cow jumping over the moon
And there were three little bears sitting on chairs
And two little kittens
And a pair of mittens
And a little toy house
And a young mouse
And a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush
And a quiet old lady who was whispering “hush”
Goodnight room
Goodnight moon
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon
Goodnight light
And the red balloon
Goodnight bears
Goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens
And goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks
And goodnight socks
Goodnight little house
And goodnight mouse
Goodnight comb
And goodnight brush
Goodnight nobody
Goodnight mush
And goodnight to the old lady whispering “hush”
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere.
Light of a Clear Blue Morning by Dolly Parton, Arranged by Craig Hella Johnson
From her early days on "The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour" to her record-breaking hits and beyond, Dolly Parton has been an ambassador of optimism, a trait she likely inherited from her grandfather, Reverend Jake Owens. Like his renowned sermons, many of Dolly's songs carry a similar message of faith and inspiration.
"Everything’s going to be all right that’s been all wrong." Dolly penned these words in her song "Light of a Clear Blue Morning." It came to her while driving home from one of her last business meetings with Porter Wagoner. As many know, Dolly wrote what would become her signature anthem, “I Will Always Love You,” as a farewell to her singing partner and dear friend when their business relationship ended. In contrast, "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" was a revelation of clarity and a promise of a brighter tomorrow, a message that she has shared across the globe in all aspects of her career. About the song Dolly said, "It was my song of deliverance. It was my song of freedom, and I knew that God was in it. I knew that I was free. And when the Lord has set you free, ‘Ye are free indeed.'"
Light of a Clear Blue Morning Text
It’s been a long dark night,
And I’ve been waiting for the morning.
It’s been a long hard fight,
But I see a brand new day a-dawning.
I’ve been looking for the sunshine
‘Cause I ain’t seen it in so long.
Everything’s gonna work out fine.
Everything’s gonna be alright,
It's gonna be okay.
I can see the light of a clear blue morning.
I can see the light of a brand new day.
I can see the light of a clear blue morning.
Everything’s gonna be alright,
It's gonna be okay.
I can see the light,
See the Iight…
Brand new day.
I Don’ Feel No Ways Tired arranged by Stacey V. Gibbs
For Stacy Gibbs, the promise of a “bettuh day a comin’” inspires hope and change. Here, exuberant syncopations provide “hope to shout glory when dis worl’ is on fiyer,” and that hope empowers us to endure the pains of today. Some may wonder why these spirituals are sung with such antiquated diction or worry that this practice is disrespectful. Drawing on the research and advice of African American choral scholars including Dr. Andre Thomas and Dr. Felicia Barber, choirs maintain these traditions to honor the courageous, creative, and oppressed people who first crafted such songs. “Th” is frequently replaced by “d” because most African languages have no “th” sound, and the enslavers denied their captives’ access to education. Dr. Brandon Boyd points out that enslaved people lacked basic medical and dental care, and the resulting injuries and diseases affected their ability to pronounce certain letters. Modernized diction would hide the circumstances that inspired spirituals. Additionally, we should reflect on why one rarely judges a British, French, or German accent negatively, while regularly looking down on those who speak African American Vernacular English or Southern White Vernacular English. Instead, let us learn to love these dialects for the uniquely powerful stories they can tell.
Source: Jacksonville’s Children’s Chorus
I Don’ Feel No Ways Tired Text
Oh, I am seekin’ fo’ a city, hallelujah.
I am seekin’ fo’ a city, hallelujah.
For a city into de Kingdom, hallelujah.
For a city into de Kingdom, hallelujah.
Oh Lord, I don’ feel no ways tired,
Childun oh, glory hallelujah,
Fo’ I hope to shout glory
When dis worl’ is on fiyer,
Childun oh, glory hallelujah.
Dere’s a bettuh day a comin’, hallelujah.
Dere’s a bettuh day a comin’, hallelujah.
When I leave dis worl’ of sorry, hallelujah,
Fo’ to jine dat holy numbuh, hallelujah.
Oh, I am seekin’ fo’ a city, hallelujah.
I am seekin’ fo’ a city, hallelujah.
For a city into de Kingdom, hallelujah.
For a city into de Kingdom, hallelujah.
Oh Lord, I don’ feel no ways tired,
Childun oh, glory hallelujah,
Fo’ I hope to shout glory
When dis worl’ is on fiyer,
Childun oh, glory hallelujah.
Jubilate Deo
Dan Forrest’s “Jubilate Deo” brings to life the global aspect of the traditional Psalm 100 text, “O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands,” by setting it in seven different languages and drawing from a wide spectrum of musical influences. Each movement combines some characteristics of its language-group’s musical culture with the composer’s own musical language.
The opening movement sets the ancient liturgical Latin translation of the Psalm in a rather American musical idiom, reflecting various influences from the composer’s native country and introducing key musical motives for the work.
The second movement sets the “from age to age” portion of the text in Hebrew and Arabic, evoking ancient cultures from the Middle East. The music intentionally intertwines the two languages in a symbolic gesture of unity between these cultures.
Movement three uses Mandarin Chinese in a tranquil setting of the shepherd-sheep metaphor from the traditional text and quotes “the Lord is my shepherd” from Psalm 23, while the orchestra evokes the sounds of traditional Asian instruments.
The fourth movement shifts to Africa, setting celebratory portions of the text in Zulu and drawing from African vocal and drumming traditions.
Movement five represents Latin America, setting Spanish text to a folk-song style melody and blending traditional folk instrumental sounds with polyphonic textures from the classical choral tradition.
The sixth movement, “Song of the Earth,” portrays the Earth itself singing—first wordlessly, but eventually finding its own voice—and leads seamlessly into the final movement.
The finale unites many of the key themes and cultures from previous movements with other material, both old and new, as all the earth sings as one, “omnis terra, jubilate!"
Jubliate Texts
1. Jubilate Deo...
O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands:
serve the Lord with gladness,
and come before his presence with a song.
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God;
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise;
be thankful unto him,
and speak good of his name.
For the Lord is gracious,
his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth from generation
to generation.
(Psalm 100, Latin Vulgate)
2. Ve adthdor vador (From age to age)
Bless his name. For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures from age to age.
(From Psalm 100:4-5, Hebrew and Arabic)
3. Ta cao chang de yang (The sheep of his pasture)
It is he that has made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
(From Psalms 100:3 and 23:1, Mandarin Chinese)
4. Ngokujabula! (With great rejoicing!)
Shout with triumph to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the
Lord with joy, come before his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God! (From Psalm 100:1-3, Zulu)
5. Bendecid su nombre (Bless his name)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise.
Be thankful, and bless his name. (Psalm 100:4, Spanish)
6. Song of the Earth
Alleluia.
Praise Jehovah. (Nearly universal transliteration)
7. ...Omnis Terra!
Omnis terra, jubilate, omnis terra, laudate,
Omnis terra, jubilate Deo!
(Adapted from Psalm 100, Latin Vulgate)
Sing for joy, dance in gladness,
shout for joy, all the earth!
(Adapted from various English translations)