Dear Star Harmony Singers,
Mary Alice, Mary Cay and I had such a wonderful time singing with you at Star Harmony last weekend.
Here are further notes on the songs Mary Alice and I led:
Amazing Grace – by Alison Burns
Alison Burns website for licensing: aliburns.co.uk/
We learned this from Ali Burns at Wiston Harmony Week (outside of Glasgow, Scotland) last August. Mary Alice and I were teaching there with Ali, Kate Howard and Kathy Bullock.
Ben’s Parting Song by Roger Bryant
Alistair Brown sang this at the Country Dance & Song Society week “Harmony of Song & Dance“, where Mary Alice and I were on staff last summer.
Crompton – words by William Cowper, music by Peter Amidon
I don’t have a recording of this, but here is a Finale music software writing program playback:
In Dangerous Times by Alison Burns
Alison Burns website for licensing: aliburns.co.uk/
We learned this from Ali Burns at Wiston Harmony Week (outside of Glasgow, Scotland) last August. Mary Alice and I were teaching there with Ali, Kate Howard and Kathy Bullock.
Lullaby for the Girls by Mary Alice Amidon
This is in our “Song in My Heart” book/CD collection. Here is Mary Alice singing it:
Milton Falls by Tony Tenenbaum
tobiastenenbaum@gmail.com for permission
We mentioned, I think, the Tony Tenenbaum’s extraordinary sonatas in the style of Scarlatti.
Out on the Rolling Sea – I think this is traditional. I transcribed it from the singing of our Amidon Family (Peter, Mary Alice, Sam, Stefan) and the women of the Armstrong/Park family (Georgia Rose Park soloist, Suzannah Park, their mother Jennifer Armstrong). Note that our photogapher is the former husband to Jennifer and father to Susannah and Georgia Rose) Here is the recording I transcribed/arranged it from:
So Far From Home words by Tom Mousin, music by Peter Amidon
I did two settings of this poem. You can hear them both and get more information on the song at (Scroll down to find both versions of “So Far From Home):
https://amidonchoralmusic.com/product-category/downloads/
Three Jolly Fishermen – traditional, arranged by Lisa Preston
contact John Roberts at anglo@nycap.rr.com
John Roberts taught this at the Country Dance & Song Society week “Harmony of Song & Dance“, where Mary Alice and I were on staff last summer, and I will be leading a community dance class at Harmony of Song and Dance next summer.
Try to Remember – words by Tom Jones, music by Harvey Schmidt; arr. Peter Amidon
I am still working on permission for this. I have continued to work on revising this since our Star Harmony weekend; here is the current version:
https://amidonmusic.com/images/TryToRemember.pdf
and here is a Finale playback of the current version:
Still There is Love – words by Edith Newlin Chase, music by Mary Alice Amidon, arr. Peter Amidon
You can hear the Starry Mountain Singers sing this and get more information about the song at
https://amidonchoralmusic.com/product/still-there-is-love/
Weeping Mary – original from John G. McCurry’s “Social Harp”. Peter’s arrangement based on Sam Amidon’s harmonization.
Here is John G. McCurry’s original “Weeping Mary”,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayMmGHROeY0
here is Sam Amidon’s version of Weeping Mary,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxpnVx55PIQ
and here is a Finale playback of my arrangement of Sam’s harmonization of John G. McCurry’s Weeping Mary
Woyaya – words by Annie Masembe from Uganda, music by Sol Amarino (Osibisa) – arr. Peter Amidon
Here are pages with more information and several versions of Woyaya:
https://amidonchoralmusic.com/product/woyaya/
https://amidonchoralmusic.com/product/woyaya-treble-voices/
Star System – by Clive James – the poem I recited at our Saturday evening sharing
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/03/16/star-system
Joy, Health, Love & Peace to All,
Peter & Mary Alice
www.amidonmusic.com
amidonpeter@gmail.com • maryaliceamidon@gmail.com