The Nouveaux Singers

Quality vocal music from classics to contemporary

                    The Rites of Spring
                      Sunday August 22 2010 4 pm
VERY SUCCESSFUL CONCERT.  MORE PERFORMANCES UNDER DISCUSSION

      An enjoyable mini history of the sociology of Spring
                                     with accompanist Robyn Egan

     INTRO – BACKGROUND MUSIC . . Vivaldi: (1723) "Spring" from 4 Seasons

                         The Streams in the Mountains   Anon (complete with fa la la)
  MEDLEY:     Now We Are Met let's merry merry be (Simon Ives) ~1630 recorder and drum
                         Now that the Spring has filled our veins . . . ( Hilton) ~1630
  A complete "lonely shepherd" story:
                         Fair Phyllis (John Farmer)~1580
 
The innuendo of the fa la la:
             Springtime Mantleth Every Bough (and bowers make for shepherd's sport . . )
                                                                              (Morley) ~1585
             Now is the Month of Maying (when merry lads are playing, each with his bonny 
                                              lass on  the greeny grass . . .) (Morley) ~1585   with recorder
             So ben mi ch’a bon tempo(I know who comes and goes, but I'm not telling . .)
                                                                                                                 (Horatio Vecchi) ~1570

          Dolcissimo Usignolo (Monteverdi) ~1610  with harpsichord
. . Sweet nightingale, you are so blessed singing to your mate, and I am so wretched:
  Then, another romanticised shepherd
  The sweet taste of genuine love, neither bawdy nor miserable:
          Twilight Blessing (Dvorak) 1878 (these songs are sung for him alone . . ):
  On that uplifting note we turn to Bella Bartok,
. . Hungarian folk music collector, pianist and composer:
          Four Slovak Folk Songs 1924 accompanied piano
  1. Wedding Song from Poniky              2. Song of the Hay Harvesters
  3. Dancing song from Malzibrod          4. Dancing Song from Poniky
  and
     Six Romanian Folk Songs (Bartok) PIANO 1918, performed by Bruce McNicol

 Modern treatment of the insidious fa la la:
          When Daisies Pied (John Rutter) 1995  with piano
     

         INTERVAL - BACKGROUND MUSIC: Astor Piazolla - The Seasons (SPRING)

 Humourous Attention getter:
          Spring has Sprung, the grass is ris (Anon/McNicol) 2010
  Other mouth music: Hey nonni no!
           It was a lover and his lass (Morley/P.D.Q. Bach) 1981  with piano
  Behold the pleasant spring: from Carmina Burana:
          Ecce Gratum (Carl Orff) 1936  with piano and other “orchestral” keyboards, tabourine and cymbal
 
a capella Spring and sun and love:
          Spring (John Fitzgerald) 1981(we are flying to summer, the wild birds and I . . . )
          When I fall in Love (Hayman/ Young) 1952
       
  Let’s celebrate with a spring swing thing:
          It don’t mean a thing if it aint got that swing (Duke Ellington) 1932 with piano
 
ENCORE:
  If you follow this advice, everyone will love you, and you’ll have a great spring:
          Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin) 1988

      OUTRO MUSIC: Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring (selections)
                   
                    Nibbles and drinks will be served at about 5. 30