The Santa Cruz Peace Chorale’s Concert Repertoire 2003-2011
2003-2004---"Singing Our Hope for Peace & Justice”
Siyahamba—South Africa
Circle Round for Freedom—Linda Hirschhorn
Yonder Come Day—traditional song from the Gullah people of the Georgia Sea Islands
I’ve Got Peace Like a River—from the African American spiritual tradition
Zabalaza!—from the South African women of the COSETU workers’ rights movement in the 1980’s
Song of Peace—Sibelius/Lloyd Stone
Wade in the Water Trilogy-a 3-part partner song of African American freedom songs from the 19th Century
Don’t Give Up-Joanne Hammil
Rolling Home—John Tams
Freedom is Coming! South Africa
Dauna Nayeesh-Ted Warmbrand/Samir Badhri
By Love Alone—Helen Greenspan
2004-2005---“Circle of Light”
Honoring the work of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr
Yonder Come Day
Give Light-Ella Baker/Greg Artzner
Zabalaza!
Sim Shalom-Linda Hirschhorn
Wade in the Water Trilogy-trad/Melanie deMore
I Just Want to Sing Your Name---Terry Leonino/Greg Artzner
Let Justice Roll Down—Aileen Vance
A Personal View of War-Takashi Yogi
Letter to Eve-Pete Seeger
Circle Chant/Peace, Salaam, Shalom Medley---L. Hirschhorn/Emma's Revolution
One Family-Joanne Hammil
Siyahamba
Rolling Home
2005-2006-“Till Peace Replaces Fire”
Four Principles-Aileen Vance
Step by Step—trad/public domain
I Take This Vow-Ruth Pelham
Dona Nobis Pacem medley—canon by Bach/round by Praetorius
By Love Alone-Helen Greenspan
Youth- a poem by Avery Friend
Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World—Harburg/Arlen- Thiele/Weiss
Hava Nashira-trad Israel
There’s a Light—Beth Neilson Chapman
Lamb & Lion—Lorraine Lee Hammond
Thula—trad South African lullaby
Gentle Arms of Eden-Dave Carter
2006-2007—“Alive & Singing!”
Honor, Heal, End-Aileen Vance
Break Em on Down-Harmony Grisman
Whole Wide World Around-JS Bach/Tom Glazer/A.Vance
Million Nightingales-Linda Hirschhorn
In My Name—Mal Finch
Colossus-Emma Lazarus
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor—I. Berlin
Who’s the Criminal?—Ted Warmbrand
Alive and Singing!-A.Vance
The Strangest Dream--Ed McCurdy-arr Robert de Cormier
The Pledge-Aileen Vance
Paz & Libertad—José Luis Orozco/arr Joanne Hammil
2007-2008--“Where Have all the Flowers Gone?
A Choral Tribute to Pete Seeger
1. THE WATER IS WIDE—trad.
2. ALL MIXED UP-“It is not best that we should all think alike; it is a difference of opinion that makes horse races.”—Mark Twain
“This world will survive when we learn how to coexist. Okay, we disagree. You like to eat this way, and I like to eat this way. You like to dance that way; I like to dance this way. You think of this word meaning such and such. I use the same word, but I’m thinking of something different. But if we learn the lesson of the rainbow, we will be here a hundred years from now.”
3. WE WILL LOVE OR WE WILL PERISH—Pete set Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” for his banjo & the Clearwater Walkabout Chorus. A banjo can’t manage the “B part” (which modulates) of Bach’s original score, but with Pete’s permission, Aileen re-arranged this as an acapella piece to include that beautiful second part with his original lyrics.
4.WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE --inspired by a line from “And Quiet Flows the Don” by Mikail Sholokhov which was in turn taken from a Ukrainian folk song “Kaloda Duda.” Arr. by Robert deCormier
“Realize that little things lead to bigger things. And this wonderful parable in the New Testament: the sower scatters seeds. Some seeds fall in the pathway and get stomped on and they don’t grow. Some fall on the rocks and they don’t grow. But some seeds fall on fallow ground and they grow and multiply a thousand fold. Who knows where some good little thing that you’ve done may bring results years later that you‘ve never dreamed of.”
5.HYMN FOR ALL NATIONS-music Ludwig von Beethoven/words by Don West & Pete Seeger, loosely re-arranged by Aileen Vance after Paul Halley (now THAT’S Folk Process!)
“Participation. That’s what gonna save the human race.”
6. MBUBE— Also known as “Wimoweh,” this song was written in the 1930’s by the superb South African singer Solomon Linda. It has been colonized beyond belief, including by the Weavers, who learned it from Pete, who tried to learn it phonetically from a record. We try to sing it as close to its original as we can, but recently found out that the “wimoweh” line is actually “uyumbube." “Mbube” is “lion” in Zulu. We reckon this lion represented the vigilant power of the Zulu people to rise up against their oppressors. George David Weiss (who copyrighted “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” recorded by The Tokens) insisted that he wrote this song, and refused to send royalties to the Linda family. Thanks to Rian Malan & Ladysmith Black Mambazo for guidance.
“Songs won’t save the planet, but then neither will books or speeches. Songs are sneaky things; they can slip across borders.”
7. SOMOS EL BARCO---Lorre Wyatt wrote this song. Pete taught it to many people worldwide. Chorus arr by Joanne Hammil;
8. TO MY OLD BROWN EARTH—Arr by Paul Halley
“Once upon a time, wasn’t singing a part of everyday life, as much as talking, and physical exercise and religion? Our distant ancestors, wherever they were in this world, sang while pounding grain, paddling canoes, or walking long journeys. Can we begin to make our lives once more all of a piece? Finding the right songs, and singing them over and over is a way to start. And when one person taps out a beat, while another person leads into the melody or when 3 people discover a harmony they never knew existed, or a crowd joins in on a chorus as though to raise the ceiling a few feet higher, then they also know there is hope for the world.”
9. IF I HAD A HAMMER—by Pete Seeger & Lee Hays/arr by Robert deCormier.
“A song is like a child: once it gets out on its own, it sometimes surprises the parent.”
10. WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY—Arr by Aileen, with help from “The Big Muddy Ensemble:” Takashi, Bob, Joe, & Jeffrey.
“I really love this country but if somebody says, ‘But you were against the Viet Nam war; you’re anti-American, I say ‘Was Lincoln against America when he voted against the Mexican War? Was Mark Twain against America when he made speeches against the Spanish-American War in 1898? No, if you love your country, you’ll find ways to somehow speak out and to do what you think is right.”
11. SWIMMING TO THE OTHER SIDE—w & m by Pat Humphries/Arr by Emma’s Revolution & Aileen Vance. Descant by Lui Collins. This is another song that Pete didn’t write, but one he made sure to let the world know about.
“{Music isn’t} just an attempt to make life livable. It’s true, to a certain extent, that is one of the purposes of music, to help you survive your troubles. BUT, some music helps you understand your troubles. And some music can help you do something about your troubles.”
12. GUANATANAMERA-- Like “Wimoweh,” this is a song that Pete learned & taught to the world, singing it over the many years in the face of a U.S. embargo on all things Cuban. Cuban singer extraordinaire Joseito Fernandez wrote this song to include much improvisation and playfulness in the lyrics, which are often—but not always---made from verses by Cuban poet, José Martí. This unusual arrangement is by Mathias Becker of Germany .
“Definition of a left extremist: someone who stands up to defend the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Sixth Commandment (Thou shalt not kill).”
13. BRING ‘EM HOME—the original first verse said, “If you love your Uncle Sam/Support our boys in Viet Nam: bring em home.” Pete updated it in 2005.
Amy Goodman: “Final words, Pete Seeger, {on} the role of music, culture and politics.”
Pete: “They’re all tangled up. Hooray for tangling!”
2008-2009—“Many Voices, One Land; Songs of Peace & Justice in the American Tradition”
1. Sing Me a Song with Social Significance (1937)
From the musical “Pins & Needles” by Harold Rome
2. Northfield lyrics: Isaac Watts (1701); music: Jeremiah Ingalls (1804); Shape note hymn adapted by Seattle Peace Chorus.
3. Slave Song Trilogy (1820-1850) African-American slave code songs arr. by Melanie DeMore.
4. Tenting Tonight (1864) Walter Kittredge arr. by Aileen Vance
5. How Can I Keep From Singing? (1850-1870) Robert Lowery/Ira Sankey/Doris Plenn arr. by Aileen Vance
6. Kaulana Na Pua (Famous Are the Flowers) (1893) Ellen K. Prendergast & David Kalauokalani, Sr
Solo by Takashi Yogi
7. He Mele Lahui Hawai’i (Hawaiian National Anthem) (1866) Queen Liliuokalani
8. The Cradle Will Rock (1937) Marc Blitzstein
9. Mayn Rue Plats (My Quiet Place) (early1900’s) Morris Rosenfeld.
arr Aileen Vance. Thanks to Mark Levy, Mark Zuckerman, & Ethel Raim for the inspiration.
10. Calypso Freedom (1960s) SNCC Singers/Bernice Johnson Reagon/Sweet Honey in the Rock
tune based on “Banana Boat song” trad., Jamaican
11. “1000 Grandmothers” (1995) Holly Near vocal arr: Glenn Merbach; piano arr by Colin Hannon
12. Si Somos Americanos (If We are Americans) (1965—1970) Rolando Alarcón arr. By Alejandro Pino G.
13. Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream (1949) Ed McCurdy arr by Robert De Cormier
14. Why Shouldn’t We? (2007) Mary Chapin Carpenter
15. Indanee/Indian Prayer (1974) Victorio Roland Mousaa & Tom Pacheco
16. This Land is Your Land (1940) Woody Guthrie arr. By Robert DeCormier
2009/2010 "Building Bridges, a Concert for Peace & Justice"
PROGRAM NOTES
1. BRIDGES by Bill Staines. “And if someone should ask us where we’re off and bound today, we will tell them building bridges and be off and on our way.”
2. BAMBELELA (“Hold On”) Zulu song arising out of the AIDS crisis in Africa, which has devastated families.
3. NO MAS VIOLENCIA by Pete Seeger. Pete gave this to us two years ago, but we didn’t do it in our big Pete S. choral tribute. We are honored to include it in this year’s repertoire.
4. THE AWAKENING AGE by Allan Bullard/Ben Okri. One movement from the cantata called “Prime Meridian,” celebrating the African and European countries through which the Greenwich Meridian passes. Written for OXFAM’s “On the Line” project to promote better understanding and dialogue between rich and poor nations.
5. SIZOHAMBA NAYE from Swaziland: “We will walk with truth, we will go forward together rejoicing.”
6. ON JUSTICE, TRUTH, AND PEACE by Amy F. Bernon. This piece intertwines three texts, the first two from ancient rabbis: “Where justice is done, peace is made.” and “On these three things the whole world stands: justice, truth and peace.” The final text in Hebrew comes from Psalm 133:” Oh, how good it is for people to dwell together in peace.”
7. RISE UP & SING! Music by J.S. Bach, lyrics by Aileen Vance. A “de-rangement” of a Bach chorale in honor of the Peace Chorale’s 8th season. We are very angry this year by how long the U.S. occupations of Iraq & Afghanistan have lasted. We will continue to sing and work for peace together.
8. SAKURA The classic & very peaceful traditional Japanese spring song celebrating the return of the cherry blossoms:
“Cherry blossoms gently floating in the air
Is it a mist?
Is it a cloud?
The fragrance is everywhere.
Come, come.
Let us go and see.”
Jeffrey Smedberg, alto recorder; Takashi Yogi, wind chime & cymbals; Louise Loots, Hand Drum
9. SAMO NEK BUDE MIR (“Can there just be peace?”) A song in Serbo-Croatian from the devastating civil war of the early 1990’s in the former Yugoslavia.
10. NOT IN MY NAME by John McCutcheon. The Peace Chorale formed in 2002 to sing out against what was then an impending war in Iraq. Eight and a half years later, we are still saying “Not in our name!” Soloist: Mary Graydon Fontana
11. WE SHALL NOT GIVE UP THE FIGHT South African anti-apartheid anthem from 1980’s, which still rings true in our many struggles for peace & justice.
12. BUILDING BRIDGES Nick Page’s arrangement of a round from the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp of the 1980’s. You are part of the chorus on this one; see program cover for the music.
13. THINK OF ME, FORGET ME NOT A traditional parting song from South Africa, learned from the Diamond Singers. This song now is being sung all over the world. Let’s keep spreading it around; sing it with us!
2010/2011 -"LIVES IN THE BALANCE"
Bring Us Peace (Da Pacem Domine) A new English arrangement by Linda Spevacek of a classic late-Renaissance Latin piece from Melchior Franck (1573-1639).
Bonse Aba A traditional welcome song from Zambia, arr. by Victor C. Johnson. The text in chiBemba translates loosely for us as “All who sing with spirit have the right to come on in!”
What is Peace? A poetry collage from a writing exercise led by Sylvia Patience at our annual retreat, August 2010. A prompt was given “What is peace? What are your first memories of being aware of peace & justice?” This collage was made from the result.
Ose Shalom/Al Yadil Yadil Yadi Two folk songs. The first, arranged by Michael Larson, is a Hebrew prayer for “ the One who makes peace in the heavens “ to come down and “make peace for us and all Israel.” The second is a tradition Palestinian children’s song arranged by John Higgins, which says “Come, let us play & celebrate together, climb the mountains and run free into the valley.”
Emma Goldman by Jolie Rickman/arr. by Bev Grant & The Dissident Daughters. In this song, the activist thinks she is alone, invisible, done, finished; then a friend convinces her otherwise. We are all each other’s angels and super-heroes. We walk in the footsteps of the amazing ordinary people who have gone before us.
Lives in the Balance by Jackson Browne/arr. by Aileen Vance. Although this song was first popular in the 1980s and references the horrible war in El Salvador and the brutal U.S.-backed dictatorship in Chile, the words still ring so powerfully true in today’s world that we simply had to include it in this year’s repertoire.
Earthsongs A composition in three movements by David L. Brunner; we are doing the first 2 movements tonight:
I. “The World is Full of Poetry” text by James Gates Percival, 19th century geologist.
II. “In Safety and Bliss” text from Buddhist writing in the Sutta Nipata.
Oboe soloist: Lorna Kohler
We Were There by Bev Grant, arr. by Janet Stecher. In this 100th anniversary year of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, we honor the working women who were there to make all our lives a little better and who are such important—often-unsung—American heroes.
War! Medley (“War!” by A. Cole & C. Barrett/”No More Troubles” by Bob Marley). We were inspired by the wonderful work of “Playing for Change” to make our own version of this brilliant coupling of Bob Marley songs. PFG has done an incredible job bringing together people from all over the world and giving them the opportunity to sing together across all boundaries of class, ideology, and race.
Open the Window by Elise Witt. Inspired by the traditional Georgia Sea Islands song “Heist the Window, Noah.” Soloists: Mary Graydon-Fontana, Skye Leona
Pachebel's Peace Meditation music J. Pachebel/text Denis Donnelly
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