“How Can I Keep from Singing”Taylor Davis

General Information Style period: contemporary arrangement of folksong

o Hymn from Quaker community Same family of hymns as “Simple Gifts” Congregational singing allowed after the American Civil War

Group worship, prayer through music Taken over by Pete Seeger, sparked folk revival in the 1960s

Covered by variety of artists: John McCutcheon, Arlo Guthrie, Enya, Bruce Springsteen

Taylor Davis (b. 1980)o Current director of music and worship for First United Methodist

Church in Fulshear, Texas BM in Sacred Music from Centenary College of Louisiana

o Has been composing since the age of seven Main instrument is piano Has been singing in choirs since early childhood- father Sid

Davis is director of music and fine arts at Saint Luke United Methodist Church (Houston, Texas)

o Works with jazz trio when not directing sacred music Paul Eason Band

Wrote this piece in 2010 for the Luther College Music Serieso Series “designed to provide quality literature in areas that are

important to the ongoing mission of Luther College” (Dr. Craig Arnold, Director of Choral Activities)

o Performed by many all-state choirs, graduation ceremoniesText

Poem titled “Always Rejoicing” by “Pauline T.”- credited to Robert Lowry in this edition

o Published in 1868, The New York Observer “My life flows on in endless

song above earth’s lamentations. I hear the real, though far off hymn

that hails a new creation. Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear its music ringing. It sounds an echo in my soul;

how can I keep from singing?”o Rhyme scheme: ABCB, DEFE, GHIH, etc.

End of the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhymeo Returning line: “How can I keep from singing?”

Second part (“when tyrants tremble…”) added in 1950 by Doris Plenn

o Referencing the “witch hunts” of the House Un-American Activities Committee

o Substitutes from original poem: “While though the tempest loudly roars, I hear the truth, it liveth” is second verse

More descriptive, captivating texto Included in most arrangements post-1950

Form Strophic, adding more harmony each verse

o Key change continues strophic feel in different key- same intervals/rhythms with different pitches

Oboe/violin/piano introduction returns as coda Rhythm

Melody:

eighth | eighth eighth dotted quarter eighth | eighth eighth dotted quarter

Eighth notes prominent in piano accompaniment Later homophonic sections are embellished with moving eighth notes in

lower voicesMelody

Starts with unison women, repeated by unison men; sopranos in four part homophony

Pentatonico D r m s l

Mostly skips Text stresses more on beat two, unique for 3/4 meter (usually on beat one)

Harmony Diatonic

o Only altered tone is fi (E natural)- tenors mm 60 Tension created by suspensions or secundal harmony between voices Majority homophonic

Timbre Overall mellow, smooth lines

o Contrasted by fuller moments at louder dynamics Darker timbre because of relatively low tessitura

o As pitches rise, the timbre becomes brighter Addition of oboe and violin emphasizes timbral shifts through their

range/tessitura settingo Ex) as the lines ascend, the timbre becomes bright and full

Texture Clear, thin texture for first two verses

o Unison voices with minimal accompaniment Slightly more dense as harmony is added, especially homophonic passages at

higher dynamicso Moving eighth note lines fill in beats under melody

Expression Phrasing is the key to this piece!

o Long phrases with few/no unison breaths Text stresses most often on beat two

o Unusual for 3/4o ID the text on beat two- is it descriptive? Would that be stressed in

normal speech?Additional Considerations

Long sustainso Staggered breathing exerciseo Gradual decrescendos

Extreme dynamicso Fortissimo in mm 60-64 needs control and support from the lower

voices English vowel uniformity

o Diphthongso Sustained bright vowels (“ringing”, “singing”, “keep”)

Adding oboe and violin soloistso Can choose similar timbres in different instruments

Teaching the Piece Solfege in the air to learn melody

o Trace melody through the piece Sideways tornado through dashed slurs (“no breath” marking)

o Staggered breathing can be defined to sneak in breaths in other places Text stresses

o Sustained pitches (dotted quarter or longer) usually get the stress Happens to fall most often on beat two

Vowel uniformity in Englisho Subdivide diphthongs to make precise vowels

Or choose to use one pure vowelo IPA/define pronunciation of “tumult”

Rope trick once pitches are learned and text is mostly memorized Balance with instruments and choir

Outcomes Skill #1- The learner will sing long phrases with spin through sustains.

o Sideways tornado to track breath on longer noteso When piece is learned, use rope trick to keep pull through long

phrases. Skill #2- The learner will sing in 3/4 while maintaining tempo.

o Sing melody on reiterated solfege.o Tap eighth note pulse on chest/arm/leg while singing counts (and one

and two and three and…) Knowledge #1- The learner will compose pentatonic melodies.

o Define pentatonic scale and identify in the piece

o Give pentatonic scale (d r m s l) in a key and have students improvise four beats using those pitches.

Knowledge #2- The learner will identify the key change and discuss the affect of modulation.

o ID where the key changes and determine the relationship between the original key and the modulation.

o Teacher plays different modulations (transposed, major and minor) and students Think-Pair-Share the affect of different keys.

Affective #1- The learner will discuss the importance of music in religions.o Discuss the Quakers and their shift to congregational singingo Research and share findings on music in world religions, including

Buddhism, Islam, different facets of Christianity, and traditional African religions.

Affective #2- The learner will reflect on and share their positive experiences with musical performances.

o Think Pair Share- When did listening to music or making music make you happy or excited?

o Quick Write- What can music remind you of in your life? Examples would be family, places, events, friends, or even other media like movies or books.

Heart Statement The heart of this piece is folk music written in a new setting while preserving

the feelings of joy in making music. Music about singing or performing music can be paradoxical thinking, but it is meant to celebrate the expressive power of making music as a community.