Across
the Pond
American Music for Independence Day
Saturday 4th July 2015
The Godwine Choir was set up in early 2014 by recent graduates who wanted to
capture the atmosphere of chamber music at university and bring it to London as
part of professional life.
The choir is now made up of twenty-five young singers, who rehearse together at St.
George the Martyr in Borough. We particularly specialise in a cappella music from the
20th and 21st century, including works by a number of contemporary composers such
as Gabriel Jackson and Roderick Williams. Last year, the group was featured in the
Financial Times and recorded a charity video for War Child.
Our plans this season include performances in the Malcolm Arnold Festival and
St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. Tonight, we are very pleased to welcome you to St
George’s for our concert of 20th Century American choral music.
godwinechoir.org
PROGRAMME
The Boatmen's Dance | Aaron Copland
A Song of Creation | Stephen Caracciolo
O’ve, lass’, il bel viso? | Morten Lauridsen
With a Lily in your Hand | Eric Whitacre
Long Time Ago | Aaron Copland
I Got Rhythm | Gershwin, arr. Clapham
Sure on this Shining Night | Samuel Barber
The Battle of Jericho | Spiritual, arr. Hogan
INTERVAL
Simple Gifts | Aaron Copland
Twelfth Night | Samuel Barber
Blue Moon | Rodgers, arr. Blackwell
Let's Do It | Porter, arr. Blackwell
Over the Rainbow | Arlen, arr. Turner
America | Bernstein, arr. Stickles
And So It Goes | Joel, arr. Chilcott
The Boatmen's Dance
Aaron Copland
High row the boatmen row,
Floatin’ down the river the Ohio.
The boatmen dance, the boatmen sing,
The boatmen up to ev’rything,
And when the boatman gets on shore
He spends his cash and works for more.
Then dance the boatmen dance,
O dance the boatmen dance.
O dance all night ’til broad daylight,
And go home with the gals in the mornin’.
I went on board the other day
To see what the boatmen had to say.
There I let my passion loose
An’ they cram me in the callaboose.
Dance the boatmen dance,
O dance the boatmen dance.
O dance all night ’til broad daylight,
And go home with the gals in the mornin’.
The boatman is a thrifty man,
There’s none can do as the boatman can.
I never see a pretty gal in my life
But that she was a boatman’s wife.
Dance the boatmen dance,
O dance the boatmen dance.
O dance all night ’til broad daylight,
And go home with the gals in the mornin’
A Song of Creation
Stephen Caracciolo
Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever.
In the firmament of his pow’r, glorify the Lord,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever.
Glorify the Lord, you angels and all pow’rs of the Lord,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever.
O heav’ns and all the waters above the heav’ns,
Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever.
Glorify the Lord, ev’ry show’r of rain and fall of dew,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever,
O winds and fire of heat, O winter and summer, Glorify the Lord,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever.
Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever.
Drops of dew and flakes of snow,
frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever!
Glory be to the Father,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever.
and to the Son,
Praise him and highly exalt him forever.
and to the Holy Ghost,
Praise him in the firmament of his pow’r.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
O’vè, lass’, il bel viso?
Morten Lauridsen
Ov’è, lass’, il bel viso? ecco, ei s’asconde.
Oimè, dov’il mio sol? Lasso, che velo
S’è post’inanti Te rend’oscur’il cielo?
Oimè ch’io il chiamo et veggio;
ei non risponde, ei non risponde.
Dhe, se mai sieno a tue vele seconde
Aure, dolce mio ben, se cangi pelo
Et loco tardi, et se’l signor di Delo
Gratia et valor nel tuo bel sen’asconde,
Ascolta i miei sospiri et dà lor loco
Di volger in amor l’ingiusto sdegno,
Et vinca tua pietade il duro sempio.
Vedi qual m’arde et mi consuma fuoco;
Qual fie scusa miglior, qual maggior segno
Ch’io son di viva fede et d’amor tempio!
Where, alas, is that lovely face? Behold, it is hidden.
Alack, where is my sun? Alas, what veil
now falls before it, darkening the sky?
Alack, I call to it, I see it;
it answers not, it answers not.
Ah, should propitious breezes ever fill
your sails, my sweet love, should you grow older,
and move elsewhere, and should Apollo of Delos
conceal grace and valour in your fair breast,
hear my sighs and permit that
they turn unjust disdain into love,
and let your mercy overcome this harsh torment.
See how flames burn and consume me;
what better reason, what greater sign be there
that I am a temple of love and true fidelity!
With a Lily in your Hand
Eric Whitacre
With a lily in your hand
I leave you, o my night love!
Little widow of my single star
I find you.
Tamer of dark
butterflies!
I keep along my way.
After a thousand years are gone
you’ll see me,
o my night love!
By the blue footpath,
tamer of dark
Stars,
I’ll make my way.
Until the universe
can fit inside
my heart.
Long Time Ago
Aaron Copland
On the lake where droop’d the willow
Long time ago,
Where the rock threw back the billow
Brighter than snow.
Dwelt a maid beloved and cherish’d
By high and low,
But with autumn leaf she perished
Long time ago.
Rock and tree and flowing water
Long time ago,
Bird and bee and blossom taught her
Love’s spell to know.
While to my fond words she listen’d
Murmuring low,
Tenderly her blue eyes glisten’d
Long time ago.
I Got Rhythm
Gershwin, arr. Clapham
I got rhythm
I got music
I got my man
Who could ask for anything more?
I got daisies
In green pastures,
I got my man
Who could ask for anything more?
Old Man Trouble,
I don't mind him.
You won't find him
'Round my door.
I got starlight,
I got sweet dreams,
I got my man
Who could ask for anything more?
Sure on this Shining Night
Samuel Barber
Sure on this shining night
Of star made shadows round,
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.
The late year lies down the north.
All is healed, all is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night
I weep for wonder
wand'ring far alone
Of shadows on the stars.
The Battle of Jericho
Spiritual, arr. Hogan
Joshua fit the Battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbalin’ down.
Talk about your kings of Gideon,
Talk about your men of Saul,
But none like good old Joshua
At the Battle of Jericho.
Right up to the walls of Jericho,
He marched with spear in hand.
“Go blow that ram horn!” Joshua cried,
“’Cause the battle am in my hand.”
Then the lamb, ram, sheep horns begin to blow
And the trumpet begins to sound.
Joshua commanded the children to shout!
And the walls come a tumbalin’ down.
INTERVAL
Simple Gifts
Aaron Copland
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.
Twelfth Night
Samuel Barber
No night could be darker than this night,
No cold so cold,
As the blood snaps like a wire,
And the heart’s sap stills,
And the year seems defeated.
O never again, it seems, can green things run,
Or sky birds fly,
Or the grass exhale its humming breath
Powdered with pimpernels,
From this dark lung of winter.
Yet here are lessons for the final mile
Of pilgrim kings;
The mile still left when all have reached
Their tether’s end: that mile
Where the Child lies hid
For see, beneath the hand, the earth already
Warms and glows;
For men with shepherd’s eyes there are
Signs in the dark, the turning stars,
The lamb’s returning time.
Out of this utter death he’s born again,
His birth our saviour;
From terror’s equinox he climbs and grows,
Drawing his finger’s light across our blood –
The sun of heaven, and the son of god."
Blue Moon
Rodgers, arr. Blackwell
Blue moon
You saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Blue moon
You knew just what I was there for
You heard me saying a prayer for
Someone I really could care for
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will hold
I heard somebody whisper please adore me
And when I looked to the moon it turned to gold
Blue moon
Now I'm no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will ever hold
I heard somebody whisper please adore me
And when I looked the moon had turned to gold
Blue moon
Now I'm no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Let’s do It
Porter, arr. Blackwell
When the little blue bird,
Who has never said a word,
Starts to sing: “Spring, spring”;
When the little blue bell,
In the bottom of the dell,
Starts to ring: “Ding, ding”;
When the little blue clerk,
In the middle of his work,
Starts a tune to the moon up above,
It is nature, that’s all,
Simply telling us to fall in love.
And that's why birds do it, bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
In Spain, the best upper sets do it
Lithuanians and Letts do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
The Dutch in old Amsterdam do it
Not to mention the Finns
Folks in Siam do it; think of Siamese twins
Some Argentines, without means, do it
People say in Boston even beans do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Romantic sponges, they say, do it
Oysters down in Oyster Bay do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Cold Cape Cod clams, 'gainst their wish, do it
Even lazy jellyfish do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Electric eels I might add do it
Though it shocks 'em I know
Why ask if shad do it? Waiter, bring me shad roe!
In shallow shoals English soles do it
Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Over the Rainbow
Arlen, arr. Turner
When all the world is a hopeless jumble,
And raindrops tumble all around,
Heaven opens a magic lane.
When all the clouds darken up the skyway,
There’s a rainbow highway to be found,
Leading from your windowpane
To a place behind the sun,
Just a step beyond the rain:
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
Way above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
America
Bernstein, arr. Stickles
I like to be in America!
Okay by me in America!
Ev'rything free in America
For a small fee in America!
I like the city of San Juan.
I know a boat you can get on.
Hundreds of flowers in full bloom.
Hundreds of people in each room!
Automobile in America,
Chromium steel in America,
Wire-spoke wheel in America,
Very big deal in America!
I'll drive a Buick through San Juan.
If there's a road you can drive on.
I'll give my cousins a free ride.
How you get all of them inside?
Immigrant goes to America,
Many hellos in America;
Nobody knows in America
Puerto Rico's in America!
I'll bring a T.V. to San Juan.
If there a current to turn on!
I'll give them new washing machine.
What have they got there to keep clean?
I like the shores of America!
Comfort is yours in America!
Knobs on the doors in America,
Wall-to-wall floors in America!
When I will go back to San Juan.
When you will shut up and get gone?
Everyone there will give big cheer!
Everyone there will have moved here!
I like to be in America!
Okay by me in America!
Ev'rything free in America
For a small fee in America!
And So It Goes
Joel, arr. Chilcott
In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along
I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretence
And still I feel I said too much
My silence is my self defence
And every time I've held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose
But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break
And this is why my eyes are closed
It's just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows
So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows
Soprano
Hannah Bell*
Alto
Hannah Fiddy
Camilla Biggs*
Jo Hale
Sophie Hopkins
Sophie Henstridge*
Helen Hugh Jones*
Grace Howson
Emily Schofield
Helena Jaeggi*
Saoirse Walsh
Julia Nikolic
Ellen Reading
Tenor
James Corbett
Bass
Adrian Ball
Alex Davan Wetton*
Hugh Collins
Jamie Hodgson
Rob Dorey
Edward Hughes
Richard Pelmore
Tom Medley
William Robertson
Travis Winstanley
Stefan Ward-Caddle
*Soloists
Pianist: Alastair Chilvers
Conductors: Edward Hughes and Alex Davan Wetton
David Young*
OUR THANKS
We would like to thank the staff at St George the Martyr for all
their kind assistance and for allowing us to rehearse and
perform in their church.