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

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