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Rain in the Country

Autumn Leaves Frame by Yzzzly at pngitem.com

A message from Artistic Director Lydia Adams

Dear EIS Friends –

Thanksgiving 2021 is here and everywhere we look, the world is wrapping itself in the glorious reds and golds of Autumn.

To mark this time of gratitude, the Elmer Iseler Singers wish to send you a special gift of music, recorded by the EIS sopranos and altos for a CD, From Sea to Sea, by the brilliant composer and arranger, Aaron Jensen. For this CD, Aaron has chosen to celebrate the work of poets from across Canada. The piece the EIS sopranos and altos sing here, Rain in the Country, is on a poem by PEI/Ontario poet, Lucy Maud Montgomery. Rain in the Country, written for choir and percussion, is in two parts: a Maritime Song (built on the poem) and Dance (some Maritime-style mouth-music) to finish off in rousing style!

We wanted to let you all, each and every one, know how much we truly appreciate that you are such an important part of our community, and we thank you for your support.

We are excited also to let you know that we have begun rehearsing again, and had our first ‘in person’ sessions all together with all safety protocols in place.

Watch for announcements shortly on our upcoming season!

For now – please enjoy the choir as we revel in the sounds and sights of Canadian Autumn and the music of Aaron Jensen, as we prepare to sing for you once again in person with fabulous choral sounds!

On behalf of the Elmer Iseler Singers, General Manager Jessie Iseler and the Board of Directors, I wish you a most Happy Thanksgiving!

With sincere best wishes,

Lydia Adams
Conductor/Artistic Director
Elmer Iseler Singers

Rain in the Country: A Maritime Song and Dance. Aaron Jensen, composer and Lucy Maud Montgomery, poet; Lydia Adams, conductor; performed by the Sopranos and Altos of the Elmer Iseler Singers; Steáfán Hannigan and Aaron Jensen, percussion. From the album From Sea to Sea (Centrediscs, 2015 – Distributed by NAXOS).

Rain in the Country by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Here in the country the cool sweet rain
Falls on the daisies and growing grain,
Shadows the pond with widening rings,
Kisses the lips of the lowland springs,
Plays with the pines on the hilltop dim
And fills the valley with mist abrim.

It flashes in shadowy forest nooks,
Dimples the faces of woodland brooks,
Whispers with leaves in untrodden ways,
Wraps the distance in sober grays,
Dances o’er meadows of lushest green
And scatters the petals where roses lean.

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R. Murray Schafer CC (July 18, 1933 – August 14, 2021)

R Murray Schafer in the studio (Facebook post from June 2020)

The Elmer Iseler Singers, Lydia Adams Conductor, wish to join together with thousands of music lovers worldwide in expressing our condolences in the passing of R. Murray Schafer.

We are all enriched through his groundbreaking creativity, inspiration and passion.

‘Hear The Sounds Go Round’ by R. Murray Schafer (World Premiere) performed by Elmer Iseler Singers, Pro Coro Canada, Vancouver Chamber Choir and Kaspars Putniņš (conductor).

R. Murray Schafer’s biography and list of works are available at THE LIVING COMPOSERS PROJECT.

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Sheep May Safely Graze

Daffodils and clover by MLARANDA from Pixabay

A note from the Elmer Iseler Singers:

Dear EIS Friends!

With the coming of Passover, Ramadan and Easter 2021, we now see the signs of renewal in the earth. 

We are watching the sprouting of the daffodils in the garden and have seen our first red-winged blackbirds of the season in the nearby marsh. Now, we are listening and waiting for the sound of the frogs in the nearby pond, a welcome choral cacophony after the melting of the snow.

To celebrate the coming of Spring, the Elmer Iseler Singers send you this musical gift from a wonderful CD the Singers recorded with the Canadian Brass, our long-time friends and colleagues. For our musical gift today, we would like to send you ‘Sheep May Safely Graze’ from the ‘Birthday’ Cantata (BWV 208) by J.S. Bach. This is an arrangement of a well-known soprano solo from this cantata, a birthday present for the 31st birthday of Duke Christian of Saxe-Weissenfels, and this arrangement for choir and brass quintet was made by Canadian Brass trombonist Eugene Watts.

Please enjoy! 

Lydia Adams, Artistic Director
Jessie Iseler, General Manager
EIS Board of Directors, James T. Chestnutt, Chair
the Singers and staff of the Elmer Iseler Singers

Sheep May Safely Graze

Sheep May Safely Graze

J.S. Bach, composer with text by Salomon Franck. Lydia Adams, conductor; performed by the Elmer Iseler Singers with Canadian Brass: Charles Lazarus, Stuart Laughton, trumpets; Bernhard Scully, horn; Eugene Watts, trombone; and Charles Daellenbach, tuba. From the album People of Faith (Opening Day Records, 2006).

Sheep May Safely Graze by J.S. Bach and text by Salomon Franck
Text in English (translation from original German)

Sheep may safely graze and pasture
In a watchful Shepherd’s sight.

Those who rule with wisdom guiding
Bring to hearts a peace abiding
Bless a land with joy made bright.

Happy Spring to you all!

Daffodils and clover by MLARANDA from Pixabay

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It’s a Long Way to Tipperary

Clover by Irish Fireside (flickr)
Clover ornament from Vecteezy

A note from Artistic Director Lydia Adams:

Top of the Morning to you all!

Today, we are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, and we hope that everyone is wearing some green for the occasion! 

To celebrate, the Elmer Iseler Singers are bringing you a musical gift from our November 2018 concert with the Toronto Children’s Chorus and the Toronto Youth Choir. This is a première performance of Stuart Calvert’s arrangement of this famous WWI marching song, written in 1912  by Harry Williams and Jack Judge. The audience is joining along in this performance, and why don’t you as well, as we celebrate everything Irish.

Wear the green! Play the tin whistle! Drown the shamrock! Walk with your shillelagh! Play the Irish harp and sing along with baritone Michael Thomas, the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Toronto Children’s Chorus, the Toronto Youth Choir, instrumentalists and Elise Bradley, conductor, to brighten your day!

Spring is on the way, and we can’t wait for the time when we can all join together once again in friendship and music, surely our own ‘pot of gold’ waiting for us just around the corner!

Enjoy!

It’s a Long Way to Tipperary

It’s a Long Way to Tipperary composer: Harry Williams; text: Jack Judge; and arranger: Stuart Calvert. Conductor: Elise Bradley, MNZM, Artistic Director, Toronto Children’s Chorus. Performed by Michael Thomas, baritone; Elmer Iseler Singers, Lydia Adams, conductor; Toronto Children’s Chorus, Elise Bradley, conductor; Toronto Youth Choir, Matthew Otto, conductor; Stan Klebanoff, trumpet; Andy Morris, percussion; and Lara Dodds-Eden, pianist. Recorded November 11, 2018, at Toronto Centre for the Arts

It’s a Long Way to Tipperary by Harry Williams and text by Jack Judge (arranged by Stuart Calvert)

Up to mighty London came an Irish man one day
All the streets were paved with gold so everyone was gay!
Singing songs of Piccadilly, Strand, and Leicester Square
‘Til Paddy got excited and he shouted to them there: 

Chorus:
It’s a long way to Tipperary
It’s a long way to go.
It’s a long way to Tipperary
To the sweetest girl I know!

Goodbye Piccadilly
Farewell Leicester Square!
It’s a long long way to Tipperary
But my heart’s right there.

Paddy wrote a letter to his Irish Molly O’
Saying, “Should you not receive it, write and let me know!
If I make mistakes in spelling Molly dear”, said he
“Remember it’s the pen, that’s bad, Don’t lay the blame on me”. 

Chorus…

Molly wrote a neat reply to Irish Paddy O.
Saying. “Mike Mahoney wants to marry me, and so
Leave the Strand and Piccadilly, or you’ll be to blame
For love has fairly drove me silly, hoping you’re the same!” 

Chorus…

EIS logo - cropped

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2021!

Clover ornament from Vecteezy

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Cantate Domino

Ruth Watson Henderson, composer - Celebrating Women's Achievements, IWD2021
‘Cantate Domino’ by Ruth Watson Henderson; the women of the Elmer Iseler Singers; Lydia Adams, conductor; Claire Preston, pianist; Robert Venables and Robert DiVito, trumpeters; with soloists Kimberley Briggs, Carrie Loring, Linda Tsatsanis and Carolyn Kirby; album Sing all ye joyful: Music of Ruth Watson Henderson

A note from Artistic Director Lydia Adams:

Elmer Iseler Singers Celebrate International Women’s Day!

Dear Friends of the Elmer Iseler Singers,

Ruth Watson Henderson, composer
Ruth Watson Henderson, composer

Today, March 8th, 2021, the world marks International Women’s Day, and the Elmer Iseler Singers wish to celebrate by honouring all the incredible women composers worldwide, and especially those here in Canada.

We want to bring you a special musical gift for this occasion – the women of the Elmer Iseler Singers in a performance of Ruth Watson Henderson’s uplifting ‘Cantate Domino’.

On this recording, we hear the virtuosic, unique and unmistakeable sounds of Ruth Watson Henderson’s resplendent writing and her outstanding talent.

Our pianist for this performance is the brilliant Claire Preston; the trumpeters are the magnificent Robert Venables and Robert DiVito, and our soloists the always luminous Kimberley Briggs, Carrie Loring, Linda Tsatsanis and Carolyn Kirby, all joined by the women of the Elmer Iseler Singers.

Listening to this work of Ruth Watson Henderson’s always transports me with its exuberance and joy. We hope that you will enjoy it also.

Happy International Women’s Day 2021!

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Rise Up, My Love

Hearts as music notes by monicore via pixabay
‘Rise Up, My Love’ by Healey Willan; Elmer Iseler Singers; Lydia Adams, conductor; album: Elmer Iseler Singers Greatest Hits, Vol. 1

A note from Artistic Director Lydia Adams:

Dear Friends of the Elmer Iseler Singers – There is Love in the air and the Elmer Iseler Singers wish to bring you a Valentine’s Day musical gift to lift your spirits and to add some sunshine to your day!

We couldn’t think of anything more beautiful to share than the gorgeous setting of ‘Rise Up, My Love’ by the great Canadian composer, Healey Willan.

We hope you enjoy it – and remember – Spring is coming and is only a couple of short months away, so let’s all continue to spread kindness and love to each other. We will soon feel the warm Spring sunshine on our faces.

Happy Valentine’s Day 2021!