Stephen Foster was America's Schubert - the lyric laureate of the 19th Century South. With Foster sentiment was a virtue, expressed in sweet harmonies and haunting tunes. The underlying emotion of these songs is nostalgia - a pervasive longing for things lost which seems to permeate the very intervals of the melodies. When Foster - like Schubert - died young and poor, it seemed as though he was fulfilling the prophecies of his own melancholy songs. Jon Washburn's medly of favorite Stephen Foster songs was composed in 1985 for the Vancouver Chamber Choir and premiered on a concert called the music of the Great Songwriters. Gregg Smith edits/arranges 'Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming,' which was elected by the National Endowment for the Arts as an one of the "American Masterpieces" of choral music. Halloran's arrangement of camptown races is very fun to sing, great opportunity for a soloist along with some excellent vocal accompaniment. Halloran's arrangement of Nelly Bly is equally fun with an energizing chorus, and the men get the melody in the verses! |
