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Catalog: Song Information: Page 14 of 83

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"Calico Pie"

Song 2 (extractable) from set A Little Nonsense, songs to texts of Edward Lear for soprano

Music:

by Thomas, Richard Pearson (American)

premiered by Phyllis Fay Farmer

in a 20th Century Classical style

Text:

by Lear, Edward (British, 1812 - 1888)

in English

from a gender-neutral perspective

This entry contributed by G&K around 11/18/98

Editions:

treble clef, Bb3 - G5 (original key), medium high tessitura, 1 voice and 1 piano [GET IT!]

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Music Comments: Slow, sustained, very legato with delicate soft passages (4:45)

Text Comments: The words themselves don't make much sense but the setting is a wistful, yearning lullaby

This entry contributed by Richard Pearson Thomas around 11/18/98.  The contributor(s) composed the song.

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"Camphor Laurel"

Song 3 (extractable) from set Travelling Through the Dark
(Audio clip needs 28.8K connection or better and RealPlayer G2)

Music:

by Vores, Andy (Welsh, 1956 - )

premiered by Mark Evans, tenor

in a 20th Century Classical style

Text:

by Wright, Judith (Australian, 1915 - )

in English

from a gender-neutral perspective

This entry contributed by Andy Vores around 11/22/98

Editions:

treble clef, C4 - F#5 (original key), high tessitura, 1 voice and 1 piano [GET IT!]

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Music Comments: Duration 2:00 A little agitated; troubled.

This entry contributed by Andy Vores around 11/22/98.  The contributor(s) composed the song.

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"Can't Sleep"

Song 3 (extractable) from set Cabaret Songs: Volume 4

Music:

by Bolcom, William (American, 1938 - )

premiered by Joan Morris,mezzosoprano

in a 20th Century Classical style

Text:

by Weinstein, Arnold

in English

from a gender-neutral perspective

This entry contributed by G&K around 4/27/99

Editions:

treble clef, A3 - C5 (original key), medium low tessitura, 1 voice and 1 piano [GET IT!]

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Music Comments: marked "Like a lullaby". Waltz feel.

Text Comments: Can't sleep dreaming of you dreaming of me turning to you woken by me. Hush now, don't cry. All I was doing was dreaming.

This entry contributed by G&K around 4/27/99.  The contributor(s) looked over the song.

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"Cathedral"

Song 1 (extractable) from set Four Quotations

Music:

by Scearce, J. Mark (American, 1960 - )

premiered by Paul Sahuc, baritone

in a 20th Century Classical style

Text:

by Ashbery, John (American, 1927 - )

in English

from a gender-neutral perspective

This entry contributed by G&K around 3/27/99

Editions:

bass clef, D3 - D4 (original key), medium tessitura, 1 voice and violin, viola, cello [GET IT!]

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Music Comments: 3:00. based on Bach chorale #376, "Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten". quarter = 48. instrumentalists must speak certain words in time--two sets of words: "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." "the cathedral is slated for demolition."

Text Comments: Who knows when life's last hour approacheth? Time fast doth fly, death draws near: How swift on life death's call encroacheth, And sounds his summons stern and drear! Lord God, in Christ's dear name I pray, In that last hour my spirit stay! The cathedral is slated for demolition.

See Selected Poems [by John Ashbery] (Poetry)

This entry contributed by G&K around 3/27/99.  The contributor(s) looked over the song.

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"Cats and more Cats"

Song not from a cycle or set
(Audio clip needs 28.8K connection or better and RealPlayer G2)

Music:

by Stouffer, Paul M. (American, 1916 - )

premiered by Shannon Coulter, Soprano

in a 20th Century Classical style

Text:

by Brown, John Gracen

from the author's Book-A Sojourn of the Spirit

in English

from a female perspective

This entry contributed by Paul M. Stouffer around 3/13/99

Editions:

treble clef, C#4 - Eb5 (original key), medium tessitura, 1 voice and 1 piano [GET IT!]

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Music Comments: Tempo-Moderato dotted quarter=100 General Audience sophistication. Singer should have voice with "catty" qualities for best projection.

Text Comments: Humorous. Text covers all kinds of cats. Soloist dramatizes kinds of cats; accompaniment humorously underlines text.

This entry contributed by Paul M. Stouffer around 3/13/99.  The contributor(s) composed the song.

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"Centone"

Song not from a cycle or set

Music:

by Kilstofte, Mark (American, 1958 - )

premiered by Steven Stolen

in a 20th Century Classical style

Text:

by Bible

from the author's Psalms 61, 38, 71, and 18

in English

from a gender-neutral perspective

This entry contributed by G&K around 9/14/98

Editions:

treble clef, G4 - B5 (original key), high tessitura, 1 voice and full orchestra [GET IT!]

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Music Comments: tenor (or soprano) and full orchestra; 10 minutes long. From website: The term centone (chen-tóh-neh) originally referred to an article of clothing made up of small pieces of cloth sewn together, something like a quilt. In fact, its literal meaning is "patchwork." It later came to be applied to works of prose or verse which were created by combining lines and/or phrases from existing literary works by other authors. More recently, it has been applied to liturgical chants which were constructed by combining small melodic cells to create full-blown melodies.

In Centone, the patchwork idea applies both to text and music. The text, a psalm in itself, was formed by combining various verses from other psalms. The pitch materials, based largely on the chorale tune Aus tiefer Not schrei' ich zu dir, were derived by fragmenting the melody into phrases, motives, and cells. Finally, the structure of Centone is a patchwork of six short movements in one continuous work.

This being my first orchestral composition, I chose to incorporate the voice, an instrument with which I am very familiar. The work also betrays the fact that I had been performing, conducting, and lecturing on the cantatas of J. S. Bach at the time. Here, the sequence of individual movements (prelude, aria, recitative, interlude/arioso, aria, postlude) is highly distilled, rendering a cantata in miniature.

Text Comments: The text appears below.

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (Ps. 61: 1 and 2)
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. (Ps. 38: 4 and Ps. 143: 4)
But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth. (Ps. 71: 14 and 5)
I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. (Ps. 18: 1 and Ps. 31: 3)
See http://www.furman.edu/~mkilstof/menu/compositions/orchestral/cennotes.htm

Recordings: archival; from the composer

This entry contributed by G&K around 9/14/98.  The contributor(s) looked over the song.

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"Change of Life"

Song 11 (extractable) from set Household Tales

Music:

by Vores, Andy (Welsh, 1956 - )

premiered by Andrea Ehrenreich-Berg, soprano

in a 20th Century Classical style

Text:

by Urdang, Constance

in English

from a female perspective

This entry contributed by Andy Vores around 11/21/98

Editions:

treble clef, C4 - F5 (original key), high tessitura, 1 voice and 1 piano [GET IT!]

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Music Comments: Duration 1:40 Often the vocal line centers on one pitch, the piano part becomes very busy, but quiet--the buzzing of bees.

This entry contributed by Andy Vores around 11/21/98.  The contributor(s) composed the song.

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"Chanson de la Grenouillére"

Song 3 (extractable) from set Three Métis Folk Songs from Saskatchewan

Music:

by Forsyth, Malcolm (Canadian, 1936 - )

premiered by Maureen Forrester, mezzosoprano

in a 20th Century Classical style

Text:

by Anonymous

in French

from a gender-neutral perspective

This entry contributed by CounterPoint Musical Services around 10/31/99

Editions:

treble clef, G3 - G5 (original key), medium low tessitura, 1 voice and 1 piano [GET IT!]

Know this song? Add your review!

Music Comments: With verve. 2'10" Hangs medium to low, as indicated in the tessitura.
From the comments in the score: Indigenously Canadian, this song's provenance can be traced to the evening of June 19, 1816. It expresses the Metis' pride in their victory over the English that day. Its composer was Pierre Falcon, "singer of the Plains", son of a North-West Company clerk and an Indian woman. Born in the Swan Lake district but educated in Quebec, he returned to become a clerk for the North-West Company. He had not only a gift for words, like Riel, but also for song; he was the only person of that time and place to describe everything he saw and heard in his airs and verses. These were carried to and from Montreal by Voyageurs passing through his trading post. This version was sung to Margaret Compline of Regina by the Great-grandson of Pierre Falcon, but other variants are extant. (It is also known as La Bataile des Sept Chenes -- The Battle of Seven Oaks or as Falcon's Song.)

Text Comments: (Song of the Frog Plain)
From the comments in the score: It tells of a band of Metis known as Bois-Brules, who, having previously captured three prisoners, surprise and surround a troop of English grenadiers at La Grenouillere. Although the Metis were prepared to discuss terms with the governor, he was adamant and refused to negotiate, instructing his troops to fire. In the ensuing battle, the English perished.

This entry contributed by G&K around 10/31/99.  The contributor(s) looked over the song.

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