If you scroll forward to 30:25 in this recent Proms performance by The King's Singers, you can hear the final piece in the concert I was so privileged to attend last night: "La Guerre" by French composer Clement Janequin (ca. 1485-1558). It was one of the finest concerts I've ever attended, and I hope this amazing group of singers comes back to Boston soon.
Music that is new to me: "Horizons," by Netherlands-born composer Peter Louis van Dijk, who emigrated to South Africa with his family at age nine. This piece was originally written for The King's Singers, and has since been arranged for choir by the composer (SATTBB, published by Hal Leonard Coporation). I didn't expect to like this song, but I absolutely love it. It is the best kind of chamber music--its parts fit together like the interlocking pieces of a puzzle, and it creates a vivid picture of the San of South Africa by implementing non-sung vocal sounds and body percussion (snaps, claps, etc.) throughout the song.
This is just a small snip of the piece as sung by the King's Singers on their CD Street Songs, which recording is absolutely pristine. I highly recommend this version of the song.
From the inside cover of the sheet music:
In a cave, somewhere in the Western Cape region, is a well documented San (Bushman) painting of a Dutch (or, perhaps English) ship, resplendent with flags and sails, rounding the Cape. The painting dates back to the early 1700s and serves as a poignant reminder of the incredible powers of observation of these now virtually extinct people.
Sadly, the very people the San saw as gods, certainly in terms of stature and relative opulence, were to become their executioners (with the help of other black tribes). Physically small, the San described their larger neighbours as animals without hooves and were often mistakenly regarded as cowardly due to their non-confrontational approach to conflict with friend and foe alike.
The eland (a large antelope) represented more than just food and took on an almost supernatural significance, while the rain was seen, supernaturally, to be either male or female (either rain-cow or bull), depending on its intensity.
“Horizons” was written at the request of the King’s Singers for their 1995 South African tour, and commissioned for them by the Foundation for the Creative Arts (South Africa).
Lyrics, in part (written by the composer):
Sleep, my spring-bok baby, Sleep for me, my spring-bok child, When morning comes I'll go out hunting, for you are hungry and thirsty, thirsty and hungry (repeated several times)
Small moon, Hai! Young moon, When the sun rises you must speak to the Rain, Charm her with herbs and honeycomb, O speak to her, that I may drink, this little thing, that I may drink, that I may drink, that I may drink.
She will come across the dark sky: mighty Rain-cow sing your song for me that I may find you on the far horizon, far horizon, horizon.
I will love you more than me and more than yesterday if you can but prove to me you are the new day.
Send the sun in time for dawn, let the birds all hail the morning. Love of life will urge me say, you are the new day.
When I lay me down at night knowing we must pay, thoughts occur that this night might stay yesterday.
Thoughts that we as humans small could slow worlds and end it all lie around me where they fall before the new day.
One more day when time is running out for ev'ryone, like a breath I knew would come I reach for a new day
Hope is my philosophy, just needs days in which to be, love of life means hope for me, born on a new day.
Well, I don't know if it stands alone enough as a poem, but Welsh songwriter John David's song is very moving, especially as sung by The King's Singers (try to ignore Barney and the Teletubbies--I do):
The local community chorus with which I sing is singing an SATB arrangement (by former King's Singers member Peter Knight) of this song in our upcoming spring concert, along with some other lovely choices.
Poetry Friday is being hosted today by children's book author Julie Larios over at The Drift Record.
It's been fun to reflect on some old favorites, remember some forgotten ones, and discover new music to love this past December. I'll take a leaf out of Melissa Wiley's book and alert you to the fact that, while I used Amazon links via the Amazon associate program to post music (and books) here, I don't even have the program set up to pay me (which notice appears every time I go to create yet another mini widget for a carol or book). It was just the easiest way for me get the music out there. Personally, I use iTunes for almost all my music purchases these days, but they don't pay me to say that.☺
Two of my new favorites that I discovered thanks to the December issue of BBC Music Magazine are "Born on a New Day," by Welsh composer John David and with Christmas text by King's Singers member Philip Lawson, and an Ave Maria by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, called "Bogoroditse Dyévo." I only wish this latter song was longer--it is that lovely. I plan to explore other music by Arvo Pärt soon!
Having heard from several parents present on Mondays at our homeschooling co-op that they had loved singing madrigals in college, and how much they would love to sing them again, I opened up my big mouth and offered to run a group sing after lunch for whomever would like to come join in on the fun.
This being my fourth music group of the day (9:oo a.m.: assisting with Revels, in residence at the co-op this fall; 2. 11:15 a.m.: co-directing the co-op's Sing Along Chorus; 3. 12:45 p.m.: Madrigal Club and 4. 7:30 p.m.: one of the highlights of my week, the local Festival chorus I get to go and attend as a grown-up without children attached to some part of me), I hearby declare Monday to be "Music Monday," from now until whenever it stops being so. And in honor of the first ever (on this blog, anyway) Music Monday, I give you a madrigal from the late great John Dowland (1563-c.1626), as sung by those quintessential vocalists of all vocalists, The King's Singers. Enjoy!
