Pick Six from Star Program By:
Martha Graber
Central High School
This personal pick 6 is probably my most favorite short program. The theme was “Love and Devotion.” This is from the spring program of the first year Central Singers became an honors course, rather than just a co-curricular group selected from another choir. The music was challenging and invigorating and we loved the contrasts, the languages, and the general arc.
O Quam Gloriosum
Tomas Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)
cpdl.org
SATB
O how glorious is the kingdom in which all the saints rejoice with Christ,
Clad in robes of white, they follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
Lammaa Badaa Yatathannaa
Traditional Arabic Muwashshah,
arr. Shireen Abu-Khader
earthsongs, S-366
SATB
The muwashshah song form originated in Cabra (near Córdoba) during the Muslim rule in Spain Lammaa badaa may have originated in Egypt as late as the 19th century. In the text, a man refers to the way that his beloved is dancing and gracefully swaying from side to side. Until recently, it was improper for men to sing about their yearnings for women, therefore, the male singer decides to use the masculine pronoun “he”.
Sednalo e Djore dos
Bulgarian Folk Song
arr. Sara Shakliyan
Santa Barbara Music Publishing, 514
SATB
George is sitting. You silly George, you my silly George. Out in front of the house. He knits a motley sock. A maiden comes from down there and says to George: What are you doing here, eh? I knit a motley sock, eh. To whom are you giving it? Whomever takes (marries) me. To her I will give it. I will take you, eh.
Then I will give it to you.
El Besu
Folk Song from the region of Asturias in northwestern Spain
arr. Vicente Chavarria
Santa Barbara Music Publishing, 1039
SATB, divisi
Give me a kiss, sweet girl, with your lips of choral.
Give me it, for I am formal (well-behaved).
I asked it of her, and she gave it to me underneath the carquesias*.
I of her have no complaint.
If you wish, sweet girl, I will make you some madreñes**, so that you may come,
with your mouth, to bite my ears.
She smiled, and looked at me long: I did grace unto the young girl.
I asked it of her, and she gave it to me: I of her have no complaint.
*Charquesias are a flowering plant. The phrase is analogous to “under the mistletoe.”
**Madreñes are a kind of wooden shoe, part of some asturian folk attires.
Time After Time
Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman
arr. Philip Kern
Shawnee Press/Hal Leonard, 35028058
SSATB
Oh, What a Beautiful City
Traditional Spiritual
arr. Stacey V. Gibbs
Santa Barbara Music Publishing, 1054,
SATB divisi