Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023 • 3 p.m.
First Community Church North
3777 Dublin Rd.
Columbus, OH 43221
OHIO STATE CHORALE
Robert Bode, director
Lee D. Thompson, pianist
Ariel Alvarado, student conductor
VOICE FACULTY
Helen Allen, soprano
C. Andrew Blosser, tenor
Lara Brooks, soprano
Laura Portune, soprano
Katherine Rohrer, mezzo-soprano
Eric Gibson, collaborative pianist
PROGRAM
I. Faculty Voices
Dawn’s Awakening
Florence B. Price (1887–1953)
Katherine Rohrer, mezzo-soprano
Lee D. Thompson, piano
I stood on a hill at daybreak and watched the rising sun.
I saw the night in its passing and the day that had just begun.
I stood on a hill at morning-tide and watched the break of day.
I saw the stars in the heavens, as they faded slowly away.
I saw the sun in its splendor rise over the hazy mists,
I felt the warmth of its shining rays, as the earth it fondly kissed.
I saw the sheep and the shepherd rise from a night of repose.
I saw all the beauties of nature and the dew shine like pearls on the rose.
I saw the fields and the forest, I saw the river below,
I saw the ships in the harbor, and wondered whither they’d go.
I saw in the distance a city where slumbered the wicked and just,
Close by on the hill side a graveyard where soon must mingle their dust.
I saw the church in the valley where worshipped the old and the young.
And I heard the bells in its tow’r as a heav’nly anthem sang.
I listened again for the voices that rang in praise of our Lord,
The hilltops echoed the music with hosannas in sweetest accord.
— James Joseph Burke (1836–1928)
An April Day
Florence B. Price
Laura Portune, soprano
Eric Gibson, piano
On such a day as this I think,
On such a day as this
When earth and sky and nature’s world
are clad in April’s bliss;
And balmy zephyrs gently waft
upon your cheek a kiss,
Sufficient is it just to live,
Sufficient is it just to live.
On such a day as this.
On such a day, on such a day.
— Joseph Seamon Cotter, Sr. (1861–1949)
Sunset
Florence B. Price
Lara Brooks, soprano
Eric Gibson, piano
When the golden West reflects her beauty,
comes to me a happy duty;
And I must write of that golden town
that beckons me when the sun goes down.
‘Tis a story from the golden sky
as the clouds go sailing by.
I sit and watch for that golden town
that beckons me when the sun goes down.
I’ll seek this home in the golden West
that lures me on in my joyful quest,
And find new life in that golden town
that beckons me when the sun goes down.
— Odessa P. Elder
A White Rose
Florence B. Price
Helen Allen, soprano
Lee D. Thompson, piano
The red rose whispers of passion
and the white rose breathes of love
The red rose is a falcon
and the white rose is a dove,
But I send you a cream white rosebud
with a flush on its petal tips
For the love that is sweetest
has a kiss of desire on the lips.
— John Boyle O’Reilley (1844–1890)
Cassandra’s Lullaby
Mark Fax (1911–1974)
Laura Portune, soprano
Eric Gibson, piano
I’m a-going to fetch a star or two.
And bring them winking down on you.
Little baby, precious baby
sleeping right here in my arms.
Ain’t no harm going to creep while you sleep,
Baby Brother.
You are smiling mighty nice,
Must be dreaming ‘bout little Christ.
When you wake there’ll be milk to drink,
And the star to see.
I’m a-going to fetch a star or two.
And bring them winkin’ down on you.
Little baby, precious baby,
sleeping right here in my arms.
— Owen Dodson (1914–1983)
Bewilderment
Florence B. Price
C. Andrew Blosser, tenor
Lee D. Thompson, piano
I ask you this:
Which way to go.
I ask you this:
Which sin to bear.
I ask you this:
Which crown to put upon my hair.
I do not know.
Lord God, I do not know.
— Langston Hughes (1901–1967)
Sympathy
Florence B. Price
Helen Allen, soprano
Lee D. Thompson, piano
I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals
I know what the caged bird feels.
I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till the blood is red on the cruel bars
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And the pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting.
I know why he beats his wing.
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,
When he beats his bars and he would be free.
It is not a carol of joy or glee
But a pray’r that he sends from his heart’s deep core
But a plea that upward to Heaven he flings.
I know why the caged bird sings!
— Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906)
Grief
William Grant Still (1895–1978)
C. Andrew Blosser, tenor
Lee D. Thompson, piano
Weeping angel with pinions trailing
And head bowed low in your hands.
Mourning angel with heart-strings wailing
For one who in death’s hall stands.
Mourning angel silence your wailing
And raise your head from your hands.
Weeping angel on your pinions trailing
The white dove, promise, stands!
— Leroy V. Brant
A Death Song
Howard Swanson (1907–1978)
Katherine Rohrer, mezzo-soprano
Lee D. Thompson, piano
Lay me down beneath the willows in the grass,
Where the branch’ll go a-singin’ as it pass.
And when I’m lyin’ low
I can hear it as it goes singin’
“Sleep, my honey, take your rest at last.”
Lay me nigh to where it makes a little pool.
And the water stands so quiet like and cool.
Where the little birds in spring
Used to come and drink and sing,
And the children waded on their way to school.
Let me settle when my shoulders drop their load.
Nigh enough to hear the noises in the road.
For I think the last long rest
Goin’ to soothe my spirit best,
If I’m lying ‘mongst the things I’ve always knowed.
— Paul Laurence Dunbar
I will lie down in autumn
Howard Swanson
Lara Brooks, soprano
Eric Gibson, piano
I will lie down in autumn
Let birds be flying
Swept into a hollow by the wind
I’ll wait for dying
Dying
I will lie inert unseen
My hair same colored with grass and leaves
Gather me for the autumn fires
With the withered sheaves
I will sleep face down in the burnt meadow
Not hearing the sound of water over stones
Trail over me cloud and shadow
Cloud and shadow
Let snow hide the whiteness of my bones
— May Swenson (1913–1989)
II. The Ohio State Chorale
Gently, Lord, O Gently Lead Us
R. Nathaniel Dett (1882–1943)
Ariel Alvarado, student conductor
Leigha Schumaker, soprano
Gently, Lord, O gently lead us,
Pilgrims in this vale of tears,
Through the trials yet decreed us
’Til our last great change appears.
When temptation’s darts assail us,
When in devious paths we stray,
Let thy goodness never fail us —
Lead us in Thy perfect way.
In the hour of pain and anguish,
In the hour when death draws near,
Suffer not our hearts to languish,
Suffer not our souls to fear.
And when mortal life is ended,
Bid us in Thine arms to rest —
’Til, by angel bands attended,
We awake among the blest.
Amen.
— Thomas Hastings (1784–1872)
Listen to the Lambs
R. Nathaniel Dett
Ariel Alvarado, student conductor
Leigha Schumaker, soprano
Listen to the lambs, all a-crying!
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd,
And carry the young lambs in His bosom.
Ah, listen —
Listen to the lambs, all a-crying!
Amen.
— Based on a Negro spiritual
The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed
Joel Thompson (b. 1988)
Robert Bode, conductor
Lee D. Thompson, pianist
Jesse Decipeda, tenor
Texts from Black men killed while unarmed by officers of the law, United States, twenty-first century.
I. Kenneth Chamberlain
“Officers, why do you have your guns out?”
II. Trayvon Martin
“What are you following me for?”
III. Amadou Diallo
“Mom, I’m going to college.”
IV. Michael Brown
“I don’t have a gun! Stop!”
V. Oscar Grant
“You shot me!”
VI. John Crawford
“It’s not real.”
VII. Eric Garner
“I can’t breathe.”
III. Closing
Adoration
Florence B. Price
Lee D. Thompson, piano soloist
ROSTER
The Ohio State University Chorale
Robert Bode, conductor
Lee D. Thompson, pianist
SOPRANO
Lindsey Bertin
Alina Haq
Claire Haverkamp
Sophia Longo
Natalie Mahalla
Alyssa McGraw
Paige McHenry
Jordan Popovsky
Helena Radford
Anna Reichert
Samantha Sayer
Leigha Schumaker
Rachel White
ALTO
Ariel Alvarado
Caitlin Boyle Borden
Maria DiPaolo
Abby Fisk
Adelaide Kawakami
Emma Kelley
Rebecca Lisi
Mo Majekodunmi
Lauren Meadows
Kait Newcomb
Karenna Peterson
Delanie Rose Ramsey
Stephanie Ranallo
Cece Vasey
Katerina Warmer
TENOR
Ryan Armstrong
Ben Brewster
Matthew Burns
Jesse Decipeda
Wyatt Kerns
Surith Krishna
Nick Madama
Charles Ort
Nick Sanches-Zarkos
Elijah Shireman
Greg Smith
Hayden Smith
Bram Wayman
BASS
Ian Anderson
William Bertin
Luke Bornhorst
Ben Cantarelli
Nick DeNino
Shaan Desai
Bennett Emrick
Noah Friedman
Marlon Haughton
Tristan Hejl
Colin Knoth
Paul Korkora
Andrew McDaniel
Preston Myers
Luke Peart
Jason Tysl
Roman Wentzel
Jared Yoder
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