It was so good to be back among my choir friends!
The holidays were excellent, but that was almost too much time to be away from singing with you.
We have a great theme this season: Here's to Song!
It's about singing songs together (why we sing) and about the songs that we share (what we sing) with a focus on the songs. Songs about Canada and other things that we feel compelled to sing about, like love, equality, joy. We are trying to sing mostly songs by Canadians, but Canadians are diverse peoples, with diverse influences, so we will not restrict ourselves to only Canadian things.
Think about this theme, and the music in your binder, and see if there are songs you might like to sing in a small group or as a solo or duet. We'll set up those in the next few weeks, so please let me know soon. At the bottom of the post, I've copied the lyrics of Here's to Song, which you don't have in your binder yet. It has been ordered, and we'll get it soon.
We warmed up with a song from a fitness video I like to do. The song is called Shine, by Jaslyn Edgar, and the lyrics speak to me when I'm trying to follow the moves of the instructor and can't quite get them. It's important to remember when we're learning things to just go ahead and shine.
Who cares if you might mess it up; You're stronger than the others think; Go ahead and shine, darling, go ahead and shine. You should know that you're perfect with those flaws. You better step into the light; just give it a try. Go ahead and shine, darling. Go ahead and shine, my dear.
1. Canon of Joy: We sang this recently, and I love the message and I love the two classical pieces that it's based on. "Though our hearts be tried and troubled, still our song none can destroy. Far and wide the universe resounding with a song of joy."
2. One Voice: This is another one we've done not too long ago and have sung many times. The message here is that we are not alone, and singing together helps us to face darkness, the unknown, and the things on our mind together. When one voice bravely starts to sing, soon everyone will sing.
3. Hymn to Freedom: This is a big one. We sang this first with the Police Male Chorus, in 2011, accompanied by our very own Donna. You'll find a picture on the website under "Time Capsule" of the whole mass choir and the directors and accompanists sitting in front. We have recordings of the accompaniment and all the parts, and separate recordings of the jazzy ahs! We started learning this song. We started at bar 59 on page 10, and sang to the end. We found little errors in the sheet music. (so good to see that others are also not perfect) In bar 66 on page 11, the first sopranos don't have a word. You can pencil in the word "free". The second sopranos in that same bar only have we'll free, so you need to add "be". We'll be free. When everyone joins in our song and together sings in harmony, that's when we'll be free.
4. Song for Canada: Big! And, there are ahs and French and a flute part! You might have a ton of pencil marking on your copy. We've sung this before in different ways. This time, we'll have everyone (tutti) sing the first verse. It ends at the bottom of page 3. Notice that bars 41-44 are applicable, because we sang this as tutti. Now, at 45, we'll have a small group of sopranos and altos sing the French part on the top (Voices 2/tutti) line. Everyone else (SATB) sings ah. This second verse ends at the top of page 77. The third verse, we'll sing together (tutti) on the top line, ignoring the SATB ahs. On page 9, we move down a line, because the top line goes to a flute (Solo instrument in C, not Sop voices, no lyrics because I want the main lyrics to be clear) Ignore the SATB ah part, and ignore the SATB parts when there are words too (to-row-row!) until bar 112. At bar 112 on page 13, we will use the SATB parts to sing "Your time has come ah-ah-ah-ah!" If you have messy pencil marks here, you might want to erase them with a good eraser that doesn't smear. We will take notes out of that, but we won't divide into 9 parts! Your notes are TBD. "Rich harmonies of races and creeds join in the chorus with... whales...wind... all our voice come together singing Land of tomorrow, your time has come."
5. Thank You for the Music: This is a good one! Obviously, we are grateful for music, thankful for all the songs people write for us to sing. Not just so we can be in a choir, but in our daily lives, and through all our seasons, the music that we have as our personal soundtracks is important to us. There is some flipping of pages that happens here. And, one tricky one is from the bottom of page 7 back to page 4. We talked about this and you might have notes in your music. We'll figure out what's best to get us to the chorus together here. Last time, we all sang "So I say" at the bottom of 7. Let's try it as written, but we'll be prepared to change it if necessary.
6. Hallelujah: Love this! We sang it from memory one year, because we had sung it so often. Don't worry, I won't do that this year. We have a bunch of new people. There are potential solos. Let me know if you feel compelled to sing one (T/B or S/A). Here, we have a holy and a broken Hallelujah, and "it all went wrong, I'll stand before the Lord of Song with nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah". More imperfection but courageous blazes of light in every word. We sing. And, it is good. Even imperfect. Even when we don't really understand the words, but love the music. Canadian content, too.
7. Why We Sing: It really fits so perfectly. I think we can do this again, even though we've sung it so often lately. Maybe we'll bring back solos at the beginning? And, I'm thinking of having the descant done by flute here too. What do you think?
Next week: Tuesday, January 20th
We're going to have a coffee/tea and social time at break with treats. Plan to cross over to the other side to meet people in the other sections.
- O Canada
- Hallelujah
- Hymn to Freedom
- One Voice
- Song for Canada
Here’s to Song, by Allister MacGillivray
The candle flickers towards its last,
Our time together’s ended;
The evening spent so swiftly passed,
No richer way to spend it.
Before we head our separate ways,
I’d like in truthfulness to say:
You’ve made this day a special day,
With songs and kindness splendid.
Here’s to song, here’s to time;
Here’s to both with friends of mine;
Here’s to friends who raise their voices high.
Kings have riches widely lain,
Lords have land, but then again,
We have friends and song no wealth can buy.
We each a different road must go,
To mountains, sea and city;
The hour has come to say adieus,
And all the more’s the pity.
But first unite in hand and heart,
And sing a chorus ere we part;
For every end leads to a start,
We need not break so sadly.
Here’s to song, here’s to time;
Here’s to both with friends of mine;
Here’s to friends who raise their voices high.
Kings have riches widely lain,
Lords have land, but then again,
We have friends and song no wealth can buy.
And till our paths in future cross,
May blessings kindly greet you;
Until that time, I must, alas,
Only in memory meet you.
Often I will sit and stare,
And think upon this moment rare;
The company beyond compare,
For now, farewell and thank you.
Here’s to song, here’s to time,
Here’s to both with friends of mine,
Here’s to friends who raise their voices high;
Kings have riches widely lain,
Lords have land, but then again,
We have friends and song no wealth can buy.
Kings have riches widely lain,
Lords have land, but then again,
We have friends and song no wealth can buy.
