FOLK SQUARED
two choirs, deux langues
Traditional English and French music of Newfoundland
Musique traditionnelle de Terre-Neuve
May 11 mai 2024, Wesley United Church, St. John’s, NL
La Rose des vents
dir. Claire Wilkshire
Soundbone Folksong Choir
dir. Jean Hewson
With guest artists/Avec artistes invités:
Katie Baggs, David Chafe, Ian Foster, Étienne Gendron, Christina Smith
Soundbone Folksong Choir:
- Cow Head Concert Song Trad.
- You Left A Song Ian Foster, arr. Maddy Mouland
- Gay Gunners Peter Leonard
Christina Smith:
- Sally’s Waltz E. Benoit
- Reel du Squelette / Flying Reel E. Benoit
La Rose des vents:
- Sur les bancs Trad.
- Hymne communautaire Sabrina Roberts
La Rose des vents:
- Brave marin Trad.
- Ce soir à Nantes Trad.
- Vive la Rose Trad., arr. Stephen Hatfield
Soundbone Folksong Choir:
- St. John’s Harbour Trad.
- Towards the Sunset Pat Byrne
Soundbone Folksong Choir and La Rose des vents:
- Tri Martolod Trad.
- Mountain Train Katie Baggs
All choral arrangements by Jean Hewson unless otherwise noted
MERCI D'ÊTRE VENUS! THANK YOU FOR COMING!
Feel free to make a contribution to the tip jar on your way out if you enjoyed the concert, and to come and sing with us in the fall!
Many thanks to the volunteers and the tech team for this event and to our guest artists!
Grand merci à nos bénévoles et à l'équipe technique pour ce spectacle, et à nos artistes invités!
NOTES ON THE SONGS
Soundbone Folksong Choir Songs:
"Cow Head Concert Song": We learned this song from the singing of Stephanie and Daniel Payne. They learned it from their grandmother Gwen, who heard it at a concert in Cow Head when she was seven years old.
More info at the Musical Map of NL
"You Left a Song": This poignant song was written by singer/songwriter Ian Foster as a tribute to Ron Hynes shortly after Ron's death in 2015. It was arranged for choir by Maddy Mouland.
Ian's original recording at YouTube
"The Gay Gunners" was written by Peter Leonard, also known as Peter the Poet. Leonard wrote many songs chronicling rural life in Placentia Bay during the first half of the twentieth century. This song recounts the consequences of going hunting without being properly prepared. Learned from the singing of Anita Best and arranged for choir by Jean Hewson.
Album containing Anita's recording, at Fred's Records
"St. John's Harbour" is a sea shanty learned from the singing of Fergus O'Byrne. Arranged by Jean Hewson.
"Towards the Sunset": Written by Pat Byrne, this song was released in 1983 on an album of the same name by Pat and Joe Byrne with Baxter Wareham. Towards the Sunset is a classic Newfoundland album that influenced a generation of Newfoundland musicians. Arranged by Jean Hewson.
More info at the Musical Map of NL
La Rose des vents songs:
"Sur les Bancs de Terre Neuve": Jean Hewson learned this song from ethnomusicologist and singer Judith Cohen in 2011. Judith learned the song from legendary French traditional singer Catherine Perrier.
This is a somewhat cryptic story, partly because varying oral traditions lead to lines that sound similar but don't mean the same thing. "Mon bâtiment s'en va" ("my ship is sailing") appears elsewhere as "mon bien-aimé m'attend” ('’my beloved is waiting for me"). We know that something is happening "sur les bancs de Terre-Neuve" (on the banks of Newfoundland), but what? There are people here and there; the one I love isn't there—oh, I see him coming there. In his right hand he’s holding a white glove, in the other a silver case; my romances are in it; they will be in it more substantially between Paris and Rouen and from Rouen to Fécamp (in Normandy). In other versions there’s a white horse. Make of this what you will!
"Hymne communautaire": text and music by Sabrina Roberts, arranged by Jean Hewson. The francophone community wanted a version of the "Ode to Newfoundland" that was more inclusive, one that recognized Labrador and Indigenous communities as part of the province's makeup, so they asked Sabrina Roberts to compose a new song to celebrate the province as a community. The Ode is often sung at official events, but since 2023, the "Hymne communautaire" has offered a complementary reimagining of our historical evolution.
"Brave marin," arr. Jean Hewson, who learned it from the singing of Anita Best. While visiting Cape St. George, Anita acquired this song from a woman from St. Pierre et Miquelon.
Brave Marin revient de guerre tout mal chaussé, tout mal vêtu. Brave marin, d'où reviens-tu? Brave sailor comes back from the war poorly shod, poorly dressed. Brave sailor, where have you come from?
Madame, je reviens de guerre, que l’on m’apporte du vin blanc, que le marin boit en passant. Madame, I'm back from the war, have some white wine brought to me that a sailor would drink in passing.
Brave Marin se mit à boire, se mit à rire et à chanter et la belle hôtesse à pleurer. Brave sailor sets himself to drinking, to laughing, to crying, and the pretty server starts to weep.
Qu'avez-vous donc, ma belle hôtesse, regrettez-vous votre vin blanc que le marin boit en passant? What is it, my pretty hostess, do you miss your white wine that the sailor drinks in passing?
C’est pas le vin que je regrette, mais les soucis de mon mari, et je crois bien que vous êtes lui. It's not the wine that bothers me but the troubles of my husband, and I do think you are he.
Je t’en reçu de fausses lettres que vous étiez mort, enterré, et je me suis remariée. I received false letters saying you were dead and buried, and I remarried.
Brave Marin vida son verre, mit sur la table pièces d’argent et retourna au régiment. Brave sailor emptied his glass, put coins on the table and returned to his regiment.
Anita Best and Pamela Morgan's original recording at YouTube
"Ce Soir à Nantes": Collected by Gerald Thomas from singer Willy Robin of the Port aux Port Peninsula in January 1973. Arr. Jean Hewson.
Ce soir à Nantes y’a-t’un bal à danser / Tout le monde iront, barons et cavaliers. Tonight in Nantes there's a dance, and all the gentlemen will be there.
Oh rien qu’Hélène, au bal elle n’ira pas / La rivière est haute et les ponts sont cassés. Only Hélène won't be going: the river is high and the bridges are broken
Rencontre son père qui venait de la journée / Bonsoir mon père, me laissez-vous aller? She meets her father coming home from the day: Good evening father, will you let me go?
Oh non Hélène, au bal tu n’iras pas / La rivière est haute et les ponts sont cassés. Oh no Hélène, you won't go: the river is high and the bridges are broken.
Rencontre son frère qui venait du marché / Bonsoir mon frère, me laissez-vous aller? Meets her brother coming back from the market. Good evening my brother, will you let me go?
Oh oui Hélène au bal nous irons / Mets la plus belle de tes robes. Oh yes Hélène, we'll go to the dance; put on your best dress.
La pauvre Hélène à la mer a tombé / Ah oui galant, me laiss’ras-tu noyer? Poor Hélène fell into the sea: oh yes sir, will you let me drown?
Non non Hélène, je te sauverai / Il ôte ses bottes, à la mer se jeta. No no Hélène, I’ll save you. He pulls off his boots, throws himself into the sea
Le courant est fort et le courant les noya. The current is strong and the current drowns them.
Field recording of Willie Robin at MUN Digital Archives Initiative
"Vive la Rose": This traditional song was popularized in Newfoundland by Émile Benoît; La Rose des vents commissioned this arrangement from Stephen Hatfield.
My lover is neglecting me and I don't know why. He's seeing someone else; I don't know if he'll be back. Long live the village rose.
They say she's very beautiful, more beautiful than I am; they say she's ill; perhaps she'll die. If she dies on Sunday, she'll be buried on Monday. On Tuesday he'll be back to see me, but I won't want him.
More info at the Musical Map of NL
Soundbone & La Rose des vents:
“Tri Martolod” is a traditional song from Brittany made famous in the 1970s by the great French harpist and singer Alan Stivell. Arr. Jean Hewson.
Three sailors went travelling, brought by the wind to Newfoundland. They weighed anchor near the rocks by the windmill. In the mill was a servant, and I asked her where we had met—it was in the market in Nantes, where we chose a ring.
Trois jeunes matelots s’en allant voyager jusqu'à Terre Neuve, par le vent emportés. Près des rochers du moulin, ils ont mouillé l’ancre. Dedans ce moulin était une servante, et je lui ai demandé où nous nous étions rencontrés— à Nantes c’était, au marché que nous avions choisi un anneau.
“Mountain Train” was written by singer/songwriter Katie Baggs and released on her 2012 recording Home Again, Home Again. Arr. Jean Hewson.
Lyrics for Chorus of “Toward the Sunset” - please sing along with us!
Swing her head 'round, we're heading for the west’ard,
Swing her head 'round, we're heading up the bay;
Oh, swing her head 'round, we're heading t'wards the sunset,
Towards the sunset, in search of yesterday.