signumclassics - Signum Records

POSTCARDS
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Feller from Fortune
Le Baylère
Arrirang
Pōkarekare Ana
The Oak and the Ash
Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)
Tuoll on mun kultani
Botany Bay
Pasional
Tico Tico no Fubá
Es dunkelt schon in der Heide
The Star of the County Down
My love is like a red, red rose
Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag
El Vito
Contigo Aprendí
Zai no yao yuan de di fang
Suo Gan
Egoli
Little David play on your harp
Esti Dal
Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus
Trad. Canadian arr. Bob Chilcott
Trad. French song from the Auvergne arr. Goff Richards
Trad. Korean arr. Bob Chilcott
Trad. New Zealand arr Keith Roberts
Trad. English arr. Gordon Langford
Modugno/Milliacci arr. Robert Rice
Trad. Finnish arr. Bob Chilcott
Trad. Australian arr. Robert Rice
Enrique Espin Yépez arr. Miguel Esteban
Zequinha de Abreu arr. Miguel Esteban
Trad. German arr. Gordon Langford
Trad. Irish arr. Howard Goodall
Trad. Scottish arr. Simon Carrington
Trad. Danish arr. Robert Rice
Trad. Andalusion arr. Miguel Estenban
Armando Manznero arr. Miguel Esteban
Trad. Chinese Arr. Philip Lawson
Trad. Welsh arr. Robert Rice
Stanley Glasser (words by Lewis Nkosi)
Trad. American spiritual arr. Keith Roberts
Zoltan Kodaly
Bert Reisfeld arr. Daryl Runswick
Feller from Fortune
Trad. Canadian, arr. Bob Chilcott
A traditional song from the Canadian province
of Newfoundland which tells of a young
fisherman who travels to Bonavista Bay to do
a spot of fishing. Whilst there he meets a young
lady called Sally. They smile at each other in
church, and one thing leads to another, so
that when he returns the following year, she has a
little surprise for him.
Postcards
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In our travels we have amassed a collection of
folksongs and popular songs from numerous
countries, many of which we use as encores
each time we visit. Too many of these songs
sit in our library until we return, so we
decided to put together this selection of musical
Postcards from around the world. In many
cases the choice of songs has been very difficult
to make, given the tremendous wealth of
material. The influences and sources are
extraordinarily far-ranging, and each song has
its own local characteristics. This has made
the selection process somewhat arbitrary,
but these songs represent our own personal
favourites, which we hope you will also love.
The tracks on the album will lead you on a
tour of all the main territories that we
regularly visit, from The Americas to
Australasia, via Europe, Africa and Asia.
Le Baylère
Trad. French song from the Auvergne, arr.
Goff Richards
This song comes from a set of five
arrangements of folksongs from the Auvergne
region of South-west France. In the song two
shepherds call to each other across a valley
to say that all is well, and they can sleep in
peace. Le Baylère is best known in the version by
Joseph Canteloube, from his Chants d’Auvergne.
Arrirang
Trad. Korean, arr. Bob Chilcott
A well-loved folksong which describes a journey
through a pass in the mountains of Korea. It
is unclear exactly where this pass is, but the
song has become an un-official extra national
anthem for the country.
Bon Voyage!
The King’s Singers
[71.49]
Total timings:
THE KING’S SINGERS
www.signumrecords.com
-3-
Pōkarekare Ana
Trad. New Zealand, arr Keith Roberts
This Maori love song was written just before
the First World War while soldiers were training
north of Auckland, New Zealand. It speaks of
the yearning for home that soldiers experience,
and the lyrics have remained almost completely
unchanged since then, proving its long-lasting
appeal. This lovely version by Keith Roberts
was written for our trip to New Zealand in 2012.
The Oak and the Ash
Trad. English, arr. Gordon Langford
A traditional English ballad from the seventh
century, it is said to have been printed first in
a kind of early newspaper, a broadsheet. The
text tells the story of a young girl who moved
to London from the ‘North Country’ and is
homesick for the familiarity of her life there.
This beautiful arrangement by Gordon Langford
dates back to the early days of The King’s Singers.
colourful images in his mind. Perhaps better
known as Volare, this song has been covered by
many singers, including Frank Sinatra, Louis
Armstrong and Dean Martin.
for us by Miguel for our trip to Ecuador’s beautiful
capital city Quito in 2013. The song tells of
a man’s infatuation with a beautiful woman.
Sadly his love is not reciprocated.
Tuoll on mun kultani
Trad. Finnish, arr. Bob Chilcott
‘Tuoll is my sweetheart’ is a simple Finnish
love song that tells of a man’s feelings of
yearning for his beloved. The text comes from
the extensive collection of Finnish folk poetry
called Kanteletar, which has been a great
inspiration to many composers, most notably
Jean Sibelius.
Tico Tico no Fubá
Zequinha de Abreu (lyrics by A. Oliveira),
arr. Miguel Esteban
This renowned Brazilian choro piece was
popularised by the performance of Carmen
Miranda in the film Copacabana in 1947. The
lyrics describe the cooing of the tico-tico bird
and the wooing of women. We loved singing
this for the audience at our concert in Rio
de Janeiro in 2013 during our debut visit to
the wonderful country of Brazil.
Botany Bay
Trad. Australian, arr. Robert Rice
This song is thought to have been written
by members of The Gaiety Theatre Company
in London and Brisbane. The song describes
the transport of British convicts across to
Australia via ship and the awful conditions
encountered. We had this song arranged for
our trip to Australia in 2012.
Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)
Modugno/Milliacci, arr. Robert Rice
This Italian song, the title means ‘In the Sky,
Painted Blue’, was written by Franco Milliacci
and Domenico Modugno and won third place
in the 1958 Eurovision. The song was written
after a vivid drunken dream by Milliacci placed
Pasional
Enrique Espin Yépez, arr. Miguel Esteban
A passionate song by the Ecuadorean composer
and violinist Enrique Espin Yépez, arranged
-4-
story of a young man who meets a pretty girl
‘the star of county down’ and imagines their
courtship and eventual marriage.
My love is like a red, red rose
Trad. Scottish, arr. Simon Carrington
The Scot poet Robert Burns devoted the last
decade of his life to preserving Scottish culture,
and this song was written as he walked the
country in 1794. The text is written in a
traditional Scottish lilt, and the melody is
simple and traditional. This is another longstanding King’s Singers favourite, in this
version written by our founding baritone Simon
Carrington.
Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag
Trad. Danish, arr. Robert Rice
This lovely Danish tune from the 1600s
was given this text in 1847 by N.F.S.Grundtvig,
which philosophised an earlier version of
the song. The poet describes the beauty of the
Danish country, and says that no song is as
sweet as one sung in Danish. Grundtvig has
been very influential in the formulation of the
modern Danish national conscience.
Es dunkelt schon in der Heide
Trad. German, arr. Gordon Langford
A traditional hunting song in the German style,
which likens the excitement and frustration of
hunting to the successes and failures of love.
This is a long-standing King’s Singers favourite
arranged by Gordon Langford.
The Star of the County Down
Trad. Irish, arr. Howard Goodall
This traditional Irish ballad is set near the
town of Banbridge in County Down. It tells the
-5-
El Vito
Trad. Andalusion, arr. Miguel Estenban
El Vito is a traditional Andalusian folksong
thought to originate from the sixteenth century.
This lively dance was one of the arrangements
written specially for this CD, and Miguel
Esteban’s wonderful arrangement captures the
excitement of this bolero-esque dance.
Suo Gan
Trad. Welsh, arr. Robert Rice
First recorded in print around 1800, Suo Gan is
a traditional Welsh lullaby. The text evokes
images of slumbering children and murmuring
waves on the shore, matched here by the
tranquil arrangement of Robert Rice.
Egoli
Stanley Glasser (words by Lewis Nkosi)
Egoli is the Zulu name for the South African
city Johannesburg, and translates as “city of
gold”. The song describes life in the city, with
both its joys and hardships. Egoli is one of
six songs from a set entitled Lalela Zulu.
Contigo Aprendí
Armando Manzanero, arr. Miguel Esteban
The musician Armando Manzanero Canché is
considered to be Mexico’s foremost romantic
post-war composer. This popular love song
is typical of his huge output of songs, which
have been performed by singers around the
world, and particularly throughout North and
South America.
TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
prays to God for shelter and safe-keeping
through the night.
1 Feller from Fortune
Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus
Bert Reisfeld, arr. Daryl Runswick
‘My little green cactus’ is a comedic song first
performed by The Comedian Harmonists, the
great German harmony group of the 1920s
and 1930s. This has often ended our concerts
in German speaking countries, and we are
delighted to include it here to round off our
collection of Postcards from around the world.
Oh, there’s lots of fish in Bonavist’ harbour,
Lots of fish right in around here’
Boys and girls are fishin’ together’
Forty-five from Carbonear.
Chorus:
Oh, catch-a-hold this one, catch-a-hold that one
Swing around this one, swing around she;
Dance around this one, dance around that one
Diddle-dum this one, diddle-dum dee.
Oh, Sally is the pride of Cat Harbour,
Ain’t been swung since last year,
Drinkin’ rum and wine and cassis
What the boys brought home from St Pierre.
Little David play on your harp
Trad. American spiritual, arr. Keith Roberts
The wonderful tradition of the American
spiritual is loved the world over, and we certainly
get a great reaction when we sing Keith Roberts’
fantastic arrangement of this lively spiritual.
Zai na yao yuan de di fang
Trad. Chinese, Arr. Philip Lawson
Wang Luobin, an ethnomusicologist, wrote this
melody after becoming inspired when he heard
a Kazakh folk tune in 1938. This song, which
speaks of the separation of a young couple, is
one of the most well-known Chinese folksongs.
Oh, Sally goes to church every Sunday
Not for to sing nor for to hear,
But to see the feller from Fortune
What was down here fishin’ the year .
Esti Dal
Zoltan Kodaly
Esti Dal translates as ‘Evening Song’ and is
Kodaly’s most famous choral work. A young
soldier fighting for the Austro-Hungarian Empire
-6-
Oh, Sally’s got a bouncin’ new baby,
Father said that he didn’t care,
’Cause she got that from the feller from Fortune
What was down here fishin’ the year.
-7-
Oh, Uncle George got up in the mornin’,
He got up in an ’ell of a tear
And he ripped the arse right out of his britches
Now he’s got ne’er pair to wear.
“Shepherd, across the water,
You’re not having a good time?
Sing ‘baylèro, lèro
Lèro, lèro, lèro, lèro, baylèro lô.”
Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo...
Crossing over the Arirang Pass.
The lover who leaves me can’t walk far
Before his feet begin to hurt.
Oh, there’s lots of fish in Bonavist’ Harbour,
Lots of fishermen in around here;
Swing your partner, Jimmy Joe Jacobs,
I’II be home in the spring of the year.
I’m not really having a good time,
And you sing “baylèro, lèro
Lèro, lèro, lèro, lèro, baylèro lô”
4 Pōkarekare Ana
“Shepherd, what’s happening over there,
Over the big stream?
Sing ‘baylèro, lèro
Lèro, lèro, lèro, lèro, baylèro lô.”
2 Le Baylère
“Pâtre, par delà l’eau
Tu n’as guère de bon temps.
Dis, le baylèro, lèro
Lèro, lèro, lèro, lèro, baylèro lô ?”
“Wait for me, and I will fetch you.
Sing ‘baylèro, lèro
Lèro, lèro, lèro, lèro, baylèro lô.”
“Je n’en ai guère,
et toi, dis Baylèro, lèro!
Lèro, lèro, lèro, lèro, baylèrolô ?”
3 Arrirang
“Pâtre, comment passer ?
Là-bas y a le grand ruisseau.”
Dis, le baylèro, lèro
Lèro, lèro, lèro, lèro, baylèro lô ?”
Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo...
Arirang gogaero neomeoganda.
Nareul beorigo gasineun nimeun
Simnido motgaseo balbbyeongnanda.
“Attends-moi, je viens te chercher.
Baylèro, lèro!
Lèro, lèro, lèro, lèro, baylèrolô ?”
-8-
Mākūkū tonu i
aku roimata e
Stormy are the waters
Of restless Waiapu
If you cross them, girl
They will be calmed
Pōkarekare ana
ngā wai o Waiapu,
Whiti atu koe hine
marino ana e.
Oh girl
Come back to me
I could die
Of love for you
E hine e
hoki mai ra.
Ka mate ahau
I te aroha e.
I write you my letter
I send you my ring
So your people can see
How troubled I am
Tuhituhi taku reta
tuku atu taku rīngi,
Kia kite tō iwi
raru raru ana e.
Oh girl
Come back to me
I could die
Of love for you
Whati whati taku pene
ka pau aku pepa,
Ko taku aroha
mau tonu ana e.
5 The Oak and the Ash
A North Country maid up to London had strayed,
Although with her nature it did not agree.
She wept and she sighed, and so bitterly she cried,
“How I wish once again in the North I could be!
E kore te aroha
e maroke i te rā,
-9-
Oh the oak and the ash, and the bonny ivy tree,
They flourish at home in my own country.”
Volare ho ho
cantare ho ho hoho,
nel blu dipinto di blu,
felice di stare lassù,
e volavo volavo
felice più in alto del sole
ed ancora più sù,
mentre il mondo
pian piano spariva laggiù,
una musica dolce suonava
soltanto per me.
“While sadly I roam I regret my dear home,
Where lads and young lasses are making the hay.
The merry bells ring and the birds sweetly sing,
The meadows are pleasant and maidens are gay.
Oh the oak and the ash, and the bonny ivy tree,
They flourish at home in my own country.”
“No doubt, did I please, I could marry with ease,
For where maidens are fair many lovers will come,
But the one whom I wed must be
North Country bred,
And tarry with me in my North Country home.
Oh the oak and the ash, and the bonny ivy tree,
They flourish at home in my own country.”
Ma tutti i sogni
nell’alba svaniscon perchè,
quando tramonta la luna
li porta con se,
ma io continuo a sognare
negl’occhi tuoi belli,
che sono blu come il un cielo
trapunto di stelle.
6 Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)
Penso che sogno così
non ritorni mai più,
mi dipingevo le mani
e la faccia di blu,
poi d’improvviso venivo
dal vento rapito,
e incominciavo a volare
nel cielo infinito.
Volare ho ho
cantare ho ho hoho,
nel blu degl’occhi tuoi blu,
felice di stare qua giù,
e continuo a volare
felice più in alto del sole
ed ancora più su,
mentre il mondo
- 10 -
pian piano scompare
negl’occhi tuoi blu,
la tua voce
è una musica dolce
che suona per me.
To fly, oh oh...
To sing, ohohoho...
Blue, painted in blue
Happy to stay up here
But all dreams vanish at dawn because
The moon takes them with it when it goes down
But I keep dreaming in your beautiful eyes
That are as blue as a sky full of stars
Volare ho ho cantare
ho ho hoho
nel blu degl’occhi tuoi blu,
felice di stare qua giù,
nel blu degl’occhi tuoi blu,
felice di stare qua giù con te..
To fly, oh oh...
To sing, ohohoho...
In the blue of your blue eyes
Happy to stay down here
I believe that such a dream will never return
I painted my hands and my face blue
Then I was suddenly taken by the wind
And I started to fly into the infinite sky
And I was flying, flying happily
Higher up there than the sun and even higher
While the world was gradually fading
In your blue eyes
Your voice is a sweet music that is singing for me
To fly, oh oh...
To sing, ohohoho...
Blue, painted in blue
Happy to stay up here
To fly, oh oh...
To sing, ohohoho...
In the blue of your blue eyes
Happy to stay down here
In the blue of your blue eyes
Happy to stay down here with you
And I was flying, flying happily
Higher up there than the sun and even higher
While the world was gradually fading far down
A sweet music was playing for me alone
- 11 -
7 Tuoll on mun kultani
Tuoll’ on mun kultani, ain’ yhä tuolla,
kuninkahan kultaisen kartanon puolla.
Voi minun kultani, voi minun lintuni,
kun et tule jo!
8 Botany Bay
Farewell to old England forever,
Farewell to my old pals as well,
Farewell to the well–known Old Bailey
Where once I used to look such a swell.
Linnut ne laulavat sorealla suulla,
soreampi kultani ääni on kuulla.
Voi minun kultani, voi minun lintuni,
kun et tule jo!
Chorus:
Singing too-ral li-ooral li-addity,
Singing too-ral li-ooral li-ay,
Singing too-ral li-ooral li-addity,
And we’re bound for Botany Bay.
Tule, tule, kultani, tule kotipuoleen,
taikka jo menehdynki ikävään ja huoleen.
Voi minun kultani, voi minun lintuni,
kun et tule jo!
There’s the captain as is our commander,
There’s the bo’sun and all the ship’s crew,
There’s the first– and the second–class passengers,
Knows what we poor convicts go through.
There is my lover, lingering
long at the golden court of the king.
Ah my lovebird, ah my darling:
now you do not come!
‘Taint leaving old England we cares about,
‘Taint cos we mis-spells what we knows,
But because all we light–fingered gentry
Hops around with a log on our toes.
The birds they sing from a lovely throat
but lovelier is my darling’s note.
Ah my lovebird, ah my darling:
now you do not come!
These seven long years I’ve been serving now
And seven long more have to stay,
All for bashing a bloke down our alley
And taking his ticker away.
Come, come, my darling, homeward, and hurry
or I shall die of longing and worry.
Ah my lovebird, ah my darling:
now you do not come!
- 12 -
Oh had I the wings of a turtle–dove,
I’d soar on my pinions so high,
Slap bang to the arms of my Polly love,
And in her sweet presence I’d die.
Soñar que nos quisimos
es sólo recordar una quimera.
¿Por qué siempre, etc…
To love without hope
and to give away your heart and soul.
Why do I always have to love you
without having understood ourselves?
How sad it is to live
hoping for a dream
that will never come to me.
Now all my young Dookies and Dutchesses,
Take warning from what I’ve to say:
Mind all is your own as you toucheses
Or you’ll find us in Botany Bay.
9 Pasional
Amar sin esperanza
y dar el corazón con toda el alma.
¿Por qué siempre yo he de amarte
sin habernos comprendido?
Qué triste es el vivir
soñando una ilusión
que nunca a mí vendrá.
I loved you crazily
and gave you my tenderness,
but you mocked my life
without mercy.
But never forget
that I have loved you
and although you have hurt me
I always remember you
without feeling spite.
To dream that we loved each other
is only to remember a delusion.
Why do I always, etc...
Yo te amé con locura
y te di mi ternura,
mas burlaste mi vida
sin tener compasión.
Mas nunca olvides
que te he querido
y aunque me hayas herido
siempre te recuerdo
sin sentir rencor.
- 13 -
But please take this animal off my granary,
because it will end up eating all the cornmeal
Throw that tico out of here,
from the top of the cornmeal,
it has so much fruit to eat from.
0 Tico-Tico no Fubá
O tico tico tá, tá outra vez aqui,
o tico tico tá comendo o meu fubá.
Se o tico tico tem, tem que se alimentar,
Que vá comer umas minhocas no pomar.
O tico tico tá, tá outra vez aqui,
o tico tico tá comendo o meu fubá.
Eu sei que ele vem viver no meu quintal,
e vem com ares de canário e de pardal.
I have done everything to see if I could,
Threw it canary feed to see if it ate it.
Let a cat loose, and set up a trap,
but it finds cornmeal to be good nutrition.
q Es dunkelt schon in der Heide
Mas por favor tira esse bicho do celeiro,
porque ele acaba comendo o fubá inteiro.
Tira esse tico de lá, de cima do meu fubá.
Tem tanta fruta que ele pode pinicar.
Es dunkelt schon in der Heide,
Nach Hause lasst uns gehn.
Wir haben das Korn geschnitten
Mit unserm blanken Schwert.
Eu já fiz tudo para ver se conseguia.
Botei alpiste para ver se ele comia.
Botei um gato um espantalho e um alçapão,
mas ele acha que o fubá é que é boa alimentação.
The tico tico is here, it is here again,
the tico tico is eating my cornmeal.
If that tico tico has to feed itself,
it better eat a few earthworms at the orchard.
The tico tico is here, it is here again,
the tico tico is eating my cornmeal.
I know that it comes to live in my yard,
and that it puts on airs like a sparrow and a canary.
- 14 -
Ich hört die Sichelein rauschen,
Wohl rauschen durch das Korn.
Ich hörte Feinsliebchen klagen,
Sie hält ihr Lieb verlorn.
Ein Kränselein von Blumen,
ein Kränselein von Klee.
Zu Frankfurt auf der Brücke,
Da liegt ein tiefer Schnee.
Der Schnee, der ist zerschmolzen,
Das Wasser fließt dahin.
Du kommst mir wohl aus den Augen,
Doch nicht aus meinem Sinn.
Let it flow, dear, let the flow continue,
I don’t know what my fate will be.
All streams trickle on,
But never lose their way.
Laß rauschen lieb, laß rauschen,
Ich weiß nicht wie mir wird.
Die Bächlein sie alle verrauschen
Doch keines sich verirrt!
w Star of the County Down
Near to Banbridge town, in the County Down
On a morning in July,
Down a boreen green came a sweet coleen
And she smiled as she passed me by.
Oh she looked so neat from her two white feet,
To the sheen of her nut brown hair;
Such a coaxing elf, I’ve to shake myself
To make sure I was really there.
The heath is getting dark,
So let us go back home.
We have cut the grain
With our sharp, bare swords.
I heard the sickle rustling,
It rustled through the corn.
I heard a maiden’s lament,
She has lost her love.
Oh from Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay
And from Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I’ve seen like the brown coleen
That I met in the County Down.
A garland of flowers,
A garland of cloves.
At Frankfurt on the bridge,
There lies a deep snow.
As she onward sped I scratched my head
And I gazed with the feeling quair,
Then I said, says I, to a passerby
“Who’s the maid with the nut-brown hair?”
Oh he smiled at me, and with pride says he,
“That’s the gem of Ireland’s crown.
Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann,
She’s the star of the County Down.”
The snow has melted,
The water flows away.
You are away from my sight,
But are not out of my mind.
- 15 -
Oh from Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay
And from Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I’ve seen like the brown coleen
That I met in the County Down.
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till all the seas gang dry.
Den sang om alt, hvad det er lyst at høre,
allerhelst, hvad hjertet dybt kan røre,
i de dybe dale, mellem nattergale
og de andre fugle små, som tale.
Of all the songs you might hear
It is the one that will touch your heart the most,
In the deep valleys, between nightingales
And the other little birds that talk.
Da nynned jeg så småt i aftenstunden:
Flyv, Guldtop! flyv rundt i bøgelunden,
i de dybe dale, mellem nattergale
og de andre fugle små, som tale.
As I was slowly humming in the evening hours
Fly, Guldtop! Fly around the beech grove,
In the deep valleys, between nightingales
And the other little birds that talk.
På folkets modersmål, med Danmarks tunge,
syng, som ingen andre fugle sjunge,
i de dybe dale, mellem nattergale
og de andre fugle små, som tale!
In our people’s language, in the Danish tongue,
Sing as no other birds have ever sung,
In the deep valleys, between nightingales
And the other little birds that talk.
r Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag
Da gløder alt, hvad solen har bestrålet,
som det røde guld på modersmålet,
i de dybe dale, mellem nattergale
og de andre fugle små, som tale.
As the embers die and the sun sinks,
Like the red gold of the mother tongue,
in the deep valleys, between nightingales
And the other little birds that talk.
Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag at høre
fuglesang, som hjertet kunne røre,
i de dybe dale, mellem nattergale
og de andre fugle små, som tale.
I walked out one summer’s day
Hearing birdsong, which touched my heart,
In the deep valleys, between nightingales,
And the other little birds that talk.
t El Vito
Der sad en lille fugl i bøgelunden,
sødt den sang i sommer-aftenstunden,
i de grønne sale, mellem nattergale
og de andre fugle små, som tale.
There was a little bird in the beech grove
Singing a sweet song of a summer’s evening,
In the green halls, between nightingales
And the other little birds that talk.
Con el vito vito
Vito vito va.
Till all the seas gang dry, my dear
Till all the seas gang dry,
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till all the seas gang dry,
At the harvest fair she’ll be surely there,
So I’ll dress in my Sunday clothes,
And I’ll try sheep’s eyes, and delutheran lies
On the heart of a nut-brown rose.
No pipe I’ll smoke, no horse I’ll yoke,
Though my plow with rust turn brown;
Till a smiling bride by my own fireside
Sits the star of the County Down.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear
And the rocks melt with the sun,
And I will love thee still, my dear
While the sands of life shall run
And fare thee well, my only love
And fare thee well awhile,
And I will come again, my love
Tho’ twere ten thousand mile
Oh from Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay
And from Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I’ve seen like the brown coleen
That I met in the County Down.
e My love is like a red, red rose
O my love is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my love is like a melody
That’s sweetly play’d in tune
As fair art thou, my bonny lass,
So deep in love am I
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No me haga usted cosquillas
Que me pongo colora,
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Una malaguena fue
A Sevilla a verlos toros,
Y a la mitad del camino
La cautivaron los moros.
A girl form Malaga went to Seville
to watch the bullfighting,
and half-way there
she was abducted by the Moors.
No me mires a la cara
Que me pongo colora,
I don’t want you to look me in the face
Because I blush,
Con el vito vito
Vito vito va.
With ‘el vito’ comes
with ‘el vito’ goes.
Una vieja vale un real,
y una muchacha dos cuartos,
y yo, como soy tan pobre
me voy a lo más barato.
An old lady is worth a ‘real’
And a maiden two ‘cuartos’
And, because I am poor,
I go with the cheapest option.
Yo no quiero que me mires
Que me pongo colora,
I don’t want you to look me in the face
because I blush,
Con el vito vito
Vito vito va.
With ‘el vito’ comes
with ‘el vito’ goes.
Don’t tickle me
because I blush,
y Contigo Aprendí
Contigo aprendí
Que existen nuevas y mejores emociones;
Contigo aprendí
A conocer un mundo nuevo de ilusiones,
Y aprendí
With ‘el vito’ comes
with ‘el vito’ goes.
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Que la semana tiene más de siete días,
A hacer mayores mis contadas alegrías
Y a ser dichoso yo contigo lo aprendí.
I’ve learned
That a kiss could be bigger and deeper
That I may leave this world tomorrow
Because I’ve already lived the best things with you
And with you I’ve learned
That I was born the day I’ve met you
Contigo aprendí
A ver la luz del otro lado de la Luna,
Contigo aprendí
Que tu presencia no la cambio por ninguna.
u Zai na yao de di fang
Aprendí
Que puede un beso ser más dulce y más profundo
Que puedo irme mañana mismo de este mundo;
Las cosas buenas ya contigo las viví;
Y contigo aprendí
Que yo nací el día en que te conocí
With you I’ve learned
That there are new and better feelings
With you I’ve learned
To know a world full of dreams
I’ve learned
That the week has more than seven days
To make my joys even greater
And to be happy I’ve learned it with you
Zai na yao de di fang
you wei gu nian
Zhen men zuo guo le ta di jiang fang
dou yao hue to liu lian zhang wang
Ta na fen hung de hsiao lian
With you I’ve learned
To see the light behind the moon
With you I’ve learned
That I wouldn’t change you with anyone else
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hao shiang hang tai yang
Ta na huo puo dong zhen de yen jing
hao shiang wan shang ming mie de yue liang
Wo yuen pao chi liow chai chang
gun ta chu fang yang
Wo yuan ta na zhe shi shi di pi bian
Bu duan ching ching da tzai wo shen shang
Huna’n dawel, annwyl blentyn,
Huna’n fwyn ar fron dy fam.
Huna’n dawel, heno, huna,
Huna’n fwyn, y twls ei lun;
Pam yr wyt yn awr yn gwenu,
Gwenu’n dirion yn dy hun?
Ai angylion fry sy’n gwenu,
Arnat yno’n gwenu’n lion,
Titha’u’n gwenu’n ôl a huno,
Huno’n dawel ar fy mron?
There is a great girl
In that far away place;
People walking pass her tent
Will turn their heads, looking back lingeringly;
Her pink smiling face,
Just like the red sun;
Her lively, attractive eyes,
Just like the beautiful moon at night.
I am willing to give up what I have.
Go, shepherd, with her;
She will lead you,
And goad you to her will!
Paid ag ofni, dim ond deilen
Gura, gura ar y ddôr;
Paid ag ofni, ton fach unig
Sua, sua ar lan y môr;
Huna blentyn, nid oes yma
Ddim i roddi iti fraw;
Gwena’n dawel yn fy mynwes
Ar yr engyl gwynion draw.
i Suo Gan
Sleep my baby on my bosom
Cozy and warm is this;
Mother’s arms are tight around you,
Mother’s love is under my breast;
Nothing may affect your sleeping,
No-one will cross you;
Sleep quietly, dear child,
Sleep sweetly on your mother’s breast.
Hunan blentyn, ar fy mynwes
Clyd a chynnes ydyw hon;
Breichiau mam sy’n dyn amdanat,
Cariad mam sy’n dan fy mron;
Ni chaiff dim amharu’th gyntun,
Ni wna undyn a thi gam;
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Sleep quietly, tonight, sleep;
Sleep sweetly, the pretty of his picture;
Why are you now smiling,
Smiling softly in your sleep?
Are angels above smiling,
On you smiling joyfully,
You smiling back in sleeping,
Sleeping quietly on my breast?
Izwe la mapoyisa,
Nenswelaboya,
Zihamba nonondidum.
Izwe la mapoyisa,
Nenswelaboya,
Zihamba nonondidwa.
I-Goli izwe lokuse benza.
I-Goli izwe lokhuhlupheka,
Do not fear, nothing but a leaf
Knocks, knocks on the door;
Do not fear, a small lonely wave
Murmurs, murmurs on the seashore;
Sleep child, there’s nothing here
Nothing to give you a fright;
Smile quietly in my bosom,
On the angels white yonder.
Johannesburg, a city of sorrow,
Johannesburg, a city of toiling masses.
Johannesburg, a city of orphans,
Johannesburg, a city of orphans.
There are no friends there,
No real freedom
Johannesburg, a city of sorrow.
o Egoli
I-Goli izwe lokhuhlupheka,
I-Goli izwe lokuse benza.
I-Goli izwe lezintadane,
I-Goli izwe lezintadane.
The world of policemen,
Who saunter about with loose women
Johannesburg, a city of toiling masses,
Johannesburg, a city of sorrow.
Akukho mhlobo,
Akukho nkululeko
I-Goli izwe lokhuhlupheka.
- 21 -
Bátoritsa szívünk álmát,
Adjon Isten jó éjszakát,
p Little David, play on your harp
Little David play on your harp
Hallelu, hallelu
Little David play on your harp
Hallelu
Evening darkness overtook me near the woods;
I have put my coat under my head (i.e. as a pillow),
I have put my hands together
To pray to the Lord, like this:
Oh, my Lord, give me a place to sleep,
I am weary with wandering,
With walking around and hiding,
With living on foreign land.
May Lord give me a good night,
May he send me a holy angel,
May he encourage our hearts’ dreams,
May he give us a good night.
David was a shepherd boy,
He killed Goliath and he shouted for joy.
Little David play on your harp ...
Joshua was the son of Nun
He never would quit till his work was done
Little David play on your harp ...
s Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus
a Esti Dal
Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus steht
draußen am Balkon,
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
Was brauch’ ich rote Rosen,
was brauch’ ich roten Mohn,
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
Und wenn ein Bösewicht was ungezog’nes spricht,
dann hol’ ich meinen Kaktus
und der sticht, sticht, sticht.
Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus steht
draußen am Balkon,
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
Erdő mellett est vélëdtem,
Subám fejem alá tëttem,
Összetëttem két kezemet,
Úgy kértem jó Istenëmet:
Én Istenëm, adjál szállást,
Már mëguntam a járkálást,
a bujdosást,
Az idegën földön lakást.
Adjon Isten jó éjszakát,
Küldje hozzám szent angyalát,
- 22 -
Man find’t gewöhnlich die Frauen ähnlich
Den Blumen die sie gerne haben.
Doch ich sag täglich: Das ist nicht möglich,
Was soll’n die Leut’ sonst von mir sagen.
the balcony
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
Most women resemble each other in case
Of the flowers they like
But I say daily: That’s not possible
What should the people say about me then?
Heute um viere klopft’s an die Türe,
Nanu, Besuch so früh am Tage?
Es war Herr Krause vom Nachbarhause, er sagt:
“Verzeih’n Sie wenn ich frage:
Sie hab’n doch ‘nen Kaktus da draußen am Balkon,
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
Der fiel soeben runter, was halten Sie davon?
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
Er fiel mir aufs Gesicht
Obs’ glauben oder nicht
Nun weiß ich, daß Ihr kleiner grüner Kaktus sticht.
Bewahr’n Sie Ihren Kaktus
Gefälligst anderswo,
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!”
My small green cactus stands outside on
the balcony
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
What do need red roses for, why do I need red poppy
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
And when a villain speaks something nasty
I get out my cactus and it stings, stings, stings
My small green cactus stands outside on
- 23 -
Today, at four o’clock, there’s a knock at the door
Oh, a visitor so early today?
It was Mr. Krause, the neighbour
He says: “Sorry if ask you:
Don’t you have this cactus outside on your balcony
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
It just fell down, what do you say about this?
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!
It fell on my face, if you believe it or not
Now I know that your small green cactus stings
Please keep your cactus somewhere else
Hollari, hollari, hollaro!”
THE KING’S SINGERS
arrangements of everything from jazz standards
to pop chart hits.
David Hurley Countertenor
Timothy Wayne-Wright Countertenor
Paul Phoenix Tenor
Christopher Bruerton Baritone
Christopher Gabbitas Baritone
Jonathan Howard Bass
Acclaimed for their life-affirming virtuosity and
irresistible charm, The King’s Singers are in
global demand. Their work – synonymous with
the best in vocal ensemble performance –
appeals to a vast international audience. They
perform over 120 concerts each year, touring
regularly to Europe, the United States, Asia and
Australasia. The King’s Singers are admired
for their musical excellence and recognised as
consummate entertainers – a class act with
a delightfully British sense of humour. Their
generous spirit and magical ability to move
audiences have remained constant since the
group’s foundation in 1968.
They have premiered more than 200 new works,
including landmark compositions by Luciano
Berio, György Ligeti, James MacMillan, Krzysztof
Penderecki, Toru Takemitsu, John Tavener and
Eric Whitacre, and commissioned thrilling
- 24 -
The King’s Singers are double Grammy®
award-winning artists, honoured in 2009 for
their Signum Classics release, Simple Gifts, and
again in 2012 for their contribution to Eric
Whitacre’s Light & Gold album on Decca. In
June 2013 they were chosen as one of only
two vocal ensembles to enter the Gramophone
Hall of Fame, honoured for their unique
discography of over 150 albums.
Highlights of the group’s 2014/15 season
include: two performances in the Amsterdam
Concertgebouw, a Christmas performance in
Washington National Cathedral; a visit to the
Grand Philharmonic Hall of St. Petersburg; an
invitation to perform at the American Choral
Directors Association annual conference in Salt
Lake City, where they will give the world premiere
of a new work by Jake Heggie, and their second
residential Summer School in the UK.
Visit www.kingssingers.com for the latest
news, blog entries, video blogs, Tweets and
YouTube updates.
© Benjamin Ealovega
- 25 -
The King’s Singers would like to thank:
Our fantastic managers and presenters around the world for giving us the opportunity to sing in so many
wonderful countries. Karin Taidal, Denise Pettricione, Siân Menna, Miguel Esteban, Dr Rhian Davies, Luiz
Carlos Chagas, Grace Ko, Cherie Huang and Antti Jäänvirta, amongst many others, for all their help with
repertoire and pronunciation (but blame us for any linguistic inaccuracies).
At Rio’s amazing Cristo Redentor, with a few
extra friends!
Chris after eating some Sacher Torte in Austria
In our natural habitat, waiting for a plane to the
next concert
All the fantastic arrangers of these songs.
Adrian Peacock for expertly guiding us through the recording process, as ever!
Adam Goldsmith at World of Sound for providing such excellent engineering.
Steve, Matt and everyone at Signum Records.
Claire, Rebecca and everyone at Music Productions.
Recorded in Dennington Studios, Wellingborough, UK from 25-28 March 2014
Producer – Adrian Peacock
Recording Engineer – Adam Goldsmith
Chris, Johnny, Tim and David watching PSV Hamburg
In Quito, the beautiful capital city of Ecuador
Johnny being serenaded by a Mariachi Band in
Mexico City
Cover Images – © Benjamin Ealovega (King’s Singers) & Shutterstock
Design and Artwork – Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk
P 2014 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd
© 2014 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd
Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Licences
for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd.
SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK.
+44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: info@signumrecords.com www.signumrecords.com
Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus
Paul, Chris, Tim and Johnny in Pécs - at least three responded to the request for a smile
- 26 -
The KS in Sydney
- 27 -
ALSO AVAILABLE
on signumclassics
Royal Rhymes and Rounds
The King’s Singers
Great American Songbook
The King’s Singers
SIGCD307
SIGCD341
“a notably intelligent, enjoyable Jubilee offering.”
BBC Music Magazine
“The delivery is polished and each number is delivered in a slick,
not-a-hair-out-of-place fashion.”
Musicweb International
Available through most record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000
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