CANTARE
All the Way Home
Quartel
Developing from a unison into three distinct voice lines, Sarah Quartel’s All the Way Home speaks how we are brought back to safe confines through song.
Sing to me comfort, sing to me home,
sing to me friendships I have known.
Sing me a place where I belong, joyful, with harmonies sing me
all the way home with a song in my heart.
All the way home brighten my path and carry me on,
all the way home.
There’s a beautiful pow’r in what we bring, there’s strength in the glorious song we sing.
Easing all troubles, calming all fears, joyful, with harmonies sing me
all the way home with a song in my heart.
All the way home brighten my path and carry me on,
all the way home.
Evening brings a shining star, her ancient anthems from a far.
Silence below, her song in the sky.
Joyful, with harmonies sing me
all the way home with a song in my heart.
All the way home brighten my path and carry me on,
all the way home.
Inanay
traditional, Aboriginal
A clever song in the Yorta Yorta dialect from the Australian continent about a lizard type animal. The “choo” sound is a directive – it’s time to leave. As we near the end of the great Cricket infestation of 2024, we relate well to our neighbors from Australia.
Inanay gupu wana
Ay ay ay oola
Oola ay yippy yay, yippy yay
Goo wana, goo wana, goo wana, goo wana, goo wa, choo.
BELLATOR
Shine on Me
arr. Dilworth
Dilworth sets this standard Gospel tune into three distinct parts, featuring a full sounding unison opening, followed by two partner counter melodies in the bass and tenor sections.
Shine on me, shine on me.
I wonder if the lighthouse will shine on me.
Is a light shinin’ above? Is it shinin’ above in the heavens for me?
I’m wonderin’, wonderin’, wonderin’, if there’s a light that is shinin’ above in the heavens for me?
Will it shine on me?
The River
LaBarr
The River is one of the audition pieces used in this year’s TMEA All-State Choir audition process. The poem, set by Bill Cairns, provides a almost cinematic concept that is set to an undulating, building musical setting by Susan LaBarr. Several elements of bluegrass/folk music are evident in the choices of supporting instrumentation and the arpeggiated concepts. Prior to the reuinification of all four voice parts, each part takes their branch of the text, creating the concept that the river is in full running mode.
I grew from boy to man along the river.
My roots grew tangled with the willow tree.
The rocks and sand and mud were my foundation.
I thought the water flowed only for me.
The old men always warned, “Don’t fight the river.
If you just give her time, she’ll bring you in.”
But times where you’re adrift you get real anxious.
And there’s a chance you won’t get home again.
The river holds the secrets of a lifetime.
It’s depths and shallows swirl with mystery.
Through flood or drought, the water follows one law:
“Flow on” to the everlasting sea.
Part of that river still pumps deep inside of me.
But I need more to make my spirit whole.
Baptize me once again in river water.
Let river mud anoint my prodigal soles.
I grew from boy to man along the river.
My roots grew tangled with the willow tree.
The rocks and sand and mud were my foundation.
I thought the water flowed only for me.
I grew from boy to man…
I will get home again.
INNOVA
You are My Song
Zook
Innova developed a core memory recently, working with the composer of You are My Song, Michael Zook. Zook developed this work over a number of years, and debuted as a wedding gift to his husband, Daniel, during their ceremony. The work requires keen understanding of the shifting metrical influences, employing three unique figures.
You are, you are my song.
You are the only melody.
There is no song without you.
You are, you are my song.
Oh my love’s like a red rose
New, that’s newly sprung in June
Oh my love’s like a melody
Sweetly played in tune
This I promise you my love
To fill your world with joy
For love, love is love is love.
So fair thou art, so deep in love am I.
And I, I will love thee until the seas gang dry.
My love, there is no song without you.
You are, you are my song.
How Can I Keep from Singing?
Walker
Utilized as a TMEA All-State Treble Choir audition piece on multiple occasions, Gwyneth Walker’s setting of this traditional text embraces several rhythmic intricacies and shifts of the melody to various voice parts.
My life flows on in endless song above Earth’s lamentation.
I hear the real, though distant song that hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing.
It sounds an echo in my soul, how can I keep from singing?
What though the tempest loudly roars, I hear the truth, it’s living.
What though the darkness round me close songs in the night it’s giving.
No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since I believe that love abides, how can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble when they hear the bells of freedom ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near, how can I keep from singing?
In prison cell, in dungeon dark, our thoughts to them are winging.
When friends hold courage in their heart, how can I keep from singing?
CHAMBER
Placido è il mar, from the opera, Idomeneo
Mozart
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CORO ELLETRA
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CHORUS The sea is calm; let us go; everything is reassuring; we shall have good fortune; come, let us leave at once!ELECTRA Blow, gentle breezes only; calm the anger of the icy north wind; be generous with your pleasing breath which spreads love everywhere. |
Abendlied
Rheinberger
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Bleib’ bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, |
Bide with us, for evening shadows darken, |