Gathering Roses in Winter - Madison Youth Choirs

Winter’s Night (Vinternatt)Frode FjellheimAndrew Telsmann, saxophoneThis jazz-inflected piece comes from the set Norwegian Sámi Songs, all based on orinspired by the traditional Sámi “yoik.” Yoik is a very old vocal tradition among theSámi people of Scandinavia. Typical of this tradition is the use of short melodicphrases that repeat endlessly with small variations. The Sámis themselves say that theYoik has no beginning or end. It often describes a specific person, emotion, or elementof nature with very few words. This piece describes the stillness and darkness of anorthern winter.Two Britten SongsThe Bonnie Earl of MorayTraditional Scottish TuneArranged by Benjamin BrittenBritten’s fondness for folk melodies resulted in his setting of dozens of them in artsong arrangements with imaginative piano accompaniments. For this one, a lamenton the death of the Earl of Moray, he created a funeral march with bagpipe effects.The story that inspired the song is a true one. On February 7, 1592, during the reign ofJames VI of Scotland, the Earl of Huntly was given a commission from the king to huntdown his rival James Stewart, the Earl of Moray. He tracked him down to his house inFife, but Moray would not surrender. The house was set on fire and entire householdmurdered, but Moray escaped, only to be pursued, captured, and killed by Huntlyhimself. The popular Moray’s untimely death was much lamented in painting, poem,and song. The Morays were hereditary keepers of the Castle Doune.Begone, Dull Care! Benjamin Britten (1917-1976)Britten’s collection of songs for boys, Friday Afternoons, was written between 1933-35for his brother Robert who directed the boychoir at Clive House School, Prestatyn,which rehearsed on Fridays. This sassy trifle of piece—less than a minute long—bothacknowledges the mind’s power to worry and fret, and then thumbs its nose at it.