Download A Lifetime of Choral Gems

A Lifetime of Choral Gems
Dr. Ronald Kean
A Lifetime of Choral Gems
TITLE
1
2
3
4
5
Til Time and Times are Done
A Soalin'
Three Carols
Heavenly Light
Antiphona de Morte
6
The Lover's Ghost
7
Siksik Se Batu Manikkam
8
9
COMPOSER
VOICING
PUBLISHER
PUBLISHER #
Ron Kean
SATB
Pavane
P 1355
SATB
Hinshaw
HI.HMC1909
SATB
Oxford Univ. Press
SATB
Carl Fischer
Slogedal, Barne
SATB
R. V. Williams
Arr. Pontas Purba
Arr. Ron Staheli
Peter Warlock
Alexander Kopylov
Ca' the Yowes
R. V. Williams
Frobisher Bay
Arr. James Gordon
Alle meine Herz
10 Gedanken
Johannes Brahms
Western Songs
Arr. Roger Wagner
11
PEPPER # TIME
COUNTRY SOLOS, INSTR.
5
Contemp
Ireland
6
Xmas
England
1479930
8
Xmas
England
3224847
2
Hymn
Russia
Walton Music
4006797
4
Octavo
Norway
SATB
E. C. Schirmer
4799581
3
Folk
England
SATB
earthsongs
10187418
3
Folk
Indonesia
SATB
G. Schirmer, Inc.
1995950
3
Folk
England
SSA
Music Plus Corp/Kelman Hall
3243474
3
Folk
Canada
SATB
Carus Verlag
3
Art Song
Germany
TTBB
Alfred Music Publishers
1799055
5
Cowboy
USA
CM 497
10068723
STYLE
CA.4020750
12 Precious Lord
Arr. Arnold Sevier
SATB
Theodore Presser
3091394
3
Gospel
USA
13 Country Dances
Arr. Ward Swingle
SATB
Swingle Music
1668359
4
Folk
USA
14 Quien Fuera Como El Jazmin
Carlos Guastavino
SATB
Kjos
3287554
3
Art Song
Argentina
15 America
Arr. Robert Hunter
SATB
Carl Fischer
1223809
3
Patriotic
USA
8912
TOTAL TIME
58
bodhran, whirlies
Tenor
Baritone
1. “‘Til Time and Times are Done”
Ron Kean (b. 1951)
Poetry by William Butler Yeats
• Number three in a set of five poems entitled,
“Yeats in Love.”
1. “‘Til Time and Times are Done”
(continued)
• Commissioned by the Santiago High School
Madrigals, Karen Garrett, conductor.
• I composed a melody in an Irish folk idiom and
superimposed it over the Irish “slip jig,” “Drops
of Brandy.”
• “Slip jig” is an abbreviation of “slipper jig,”
which is a jig in 9/8 meter that is traditionally
danced by a woman.
1. “‘Til Time and Times are Done”
(continued)
• Accompanied by bodhran (Irish frame drum) and
“harmonic whirlies” that can be ordered from
composer Sara Hopkins from Australia at
“harmonicwhirlies.com.”
• “Yeats in Love” Choral Cycle
“Brown Penny”
“Only My Dreams”
“’Til Time and Times are Done”
“The Lake Isle of Innesfree”
“The White Birds”
2. “A Soalin” arr. Ron Staheli (b. 1947)
BYU Professor Emeritus
• A “soul cake” is a small round cake traditionally made for All Saints Day to
commemorate the dead in the Christian tradition.
•
The cakes, often simply referred to as souls, are given out to “soulers”
(mainly consisting of children and the poor) who go from door to door
singing and saying prayers for the souls of the givers and their friends.
“A Soalin” arr. Ron Staheli,
(Continued)
• The practice in England dates to medieval times and was
continued until the 1930s by both Protestant and Catholic
Christians. Note the similarities of the opening 4 pitches to
the “Dies Irae” chant.
• I performed this arrangement using upright bass and
hammered dulcimer to evoke an antique sound.
3. “Three Carols”
by Philip Heseltine (1894–1930),
(Peter Warlock)
• The Warlock name, which reflects Heseltine's
interest in occult practices, was used for all his
published musical works.
3. “Three Carols”
(Continued)
• He is best known as a composer of songs and other vocal music; he also
achieved notoriety in his lifetime through his unconventional and often
scandalous lifestyle. It is scored for full orchestra and this piano
reduction.
• The Warlock name, which reflects Heseltine's interest in occult practices,
was used for all his published musical works.
• He is best known as a composer of songs and other vocal music; he also
achieved notoriety in his lifetime through his unconventional and often
scandalous lifestyle. It is scored for full orchestra and this piano
reduction.
• Your sopranos will line up to audition for the gorgeous “Balulalow” solo.
4. “Heavenly Light” by Alexandrovich Kopylov
(1854–1911)
• Kopylov was a Russian composer and
violinist. He studied for many years as a
chorister and violinist in the Imperial Court
Choir, where he would later teach for much
of his life.
4. “Heavenly Light”
(continued)
• (The Court Choir was modeled after the more
famous one in Vienna, known today as the
Vienna Boys Choir).
• Your low basses will love to sing this.
5. “Antiphona de Morte”
by Bjarne Sløgedal (b. 1927)
• Sløgedal is one of Norway's most highly respected church musicians
as organist, conductor, and composer.
• This “gem” was at the forefront of contemporary music in the
1970’s.
• The translation is at the back of the publication.
6. “The Lover’s Ghost”
arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
• This is the fourth of the five songs that comprise the 1913 set of
“Five English Folk Songs” that concludes with the famous “Wassail
Song.”
• It is also known as “The Suffolk Miracle.”
6. “The Lover’s Ghost”
(continued)
• A young maiden of noble birth comes to love a young
commoner, so her father sends her away. While in exile, the
maid wakes one night to find her lover at her window
mounted upon a fine horse.
• They go out riding together until the man complains he has
a headache; the maid tends to him and ties her
handkerchief around his head.
• She returns to her father, who gives her the news that her
young lover has in fact died of grief, whereupon he goes to
his grave and digs up the bones, finding that her
handkerchief is tied round his skull.
7. “Siksik Si Batu Manikkam”
arr. Pontas Purba
• There are excellent notes at the back of this
publication.
7. “Siksik Si Batu Manikkam”
(Continued)
• I first heard this charming folk song while judging the
Bali International Choral Festival in 2014.
• The Maranatha Christian University Choir from
Bandung, Indonesia, performed this folk song at the
2016 ACDA Western Division Convention, although it
was by a different arranger.
• YouTube of Incheon Chorale, Conductor Hak won Yoon
8. Ca' the Yowes”
arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
8. Ca' the Yowes”
(Continued)
• There are a number of
versions of this song by
Scotsman, Robert Burns. He
composed it on an evening
stroll in September, 1794.
• He was born in the town of
Ayre, the same location as
the British Open Golf
Tournament a few weeks
ago.
Translations:






Yowes = ewes
Knowes = knolls, hills
Burnie = small stream
Rowes = rolls along
Mavis = song thrush bird
"Clouden" is a tributary of the river
Nith
 A-faulding = put in a sheep fold
 Gang = go
9. "Frobisher Bay” by James Gordon
• This a song about a Canadian shipwreck.
• Directly north of Newfoundland and Labrador lies Frobisher Bay,
which is part of the Davis Strait area of Canada.
• Whaling began in this region in the 17th century, and did not stop
until the 20th century. It was a dangerous occupation for many
reasons, one of which was the threat of being caught in the ice of
the frozen sea over the winter.
10. “Alle meine Herzgedanken”
Opus 62. No. 5, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
10. “Alle meine Herzgedanken”
(Continued)
All’ meine Herzgedanken sind immerdar bei dir;
das ist das stille Kranken, das innen zehrt an mir.
Da du mich einst umfangen hast,
ist mir gewichen Ruh’ und Rast.
Der Maßlieb und der Rosen begehr’ ich fürder nicht,
wie kann ich Lust erlosen, wenn Liebe mir gebricht!
Seit du von mir geschieden bist,
hab’ ich gelacht zu keiner Frist.
Gott wolle die vereinen, die füreinander sind!
Von Grämen und von Weinen wird sonst das Auge
blind.
Treuliebe steht in Himmelshut,
es wird noch alles, alles gut.
All the thoughts of my heart are forever with you;
That is the silent illness that consumes me on the
inside. Since you once embraced me, peace and rest
have left me. All the thoughts of my heart are forever
with you.
For chrysanthemum and roses I no longer yearn,
How can I win joy when I am lacking love?
Since you parted from me,
I have not laughed for a single moment;
May God unite those who are meant for one another!
Otherwise the eyes shall become blind
From sorrowing and weeping.
True love is in Heaven's keeping;
Everything, everything shall still come out right.
11. “Western Songs”
arr. Roger Wagner (1914-1992)
•
These four “Western” songs were arranged for the Roger Wagner Chorale likely with input from
their amazing pianist, Robert Hunter and from their award winning arranger, Salli Terri.
•
“Green Grow the Lilacs” was a favorite song in what is now Texas. Some believe that Mexicans
heard so many Americans sing this song that they called the Americans “gringo” because it sounded
like “green grow.”
•
The Loyola Men’s Chorus YouTube
12. “Precious Lord” by Thomas A. Dorsey (18991993), arr. Arnold Sevier
(1929-2004)
• A few days after hearing the devastating news that his wife
and child died during childbirth, Dorsey writes, “I sat down
at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys.
Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as
though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself
playing a melody that just seemed to fall into place.
12. “Precious Lord” by Thomas A. Dorsey
(Continued)
…As the Lord gave me these words and melody, He
also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in
our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God,
this is when He is closest, and when we are most
open to His restoring power.
And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully,
until that day comes when He will take me and gently
lead me home.”
Dorsey’s “Precious Lord” is credited with being the
first African/American gospel song.
13. “Country Dances,” arr. Ward Swingle (19271915)
13. “Country Dances,” arr. Ward Swingle
(Continued)
• Robert Oliveira preceded Dean Semple who preceded me at
Bakersfield College. Robert moved to Paris to study with Nadia
Boulanger. Here he befriended Ward Swingle.
• I was a 7th grader living in Paris during this tumultuous time.
Charles De Gaulle “kicked” the U.S. military out of France, and
because the school knew that I would leave in the middle of the
semester, they placed me in choir.
• I LOVED singing in choir, my only choral experience until college.
When speaking with Robert Oliveira about Ward Swingle during my
first year at Bakersfield College, I discovered that Robert was my 7th
grade choir teacher!
14. “Quién fuera como el jazmín”
No. 2 from “Indianas”
by Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)
• There are excellent notes at the beginning of the publication
including a translation.
• This is a wonderful piece to teach Spanish, great vocalism, phrasing,
rubato, and sensitivity. Each section has a solo!
15. “America” (“My Country, 'Tis of Thee”)
arr. Robert Hunter (1929-2001)
• Text by Rev. Samuel F. Smith – 1832
• The melody is “God Save the Queen/King) which is the national anthem of
the United Kingdom and many of its commonwealth realms.
• This stirring arrangement makes a wonderful closer to a patriotic program.