Song of the Day - 9th June

Today's Song of the Day is the second live recording I have had back from one of my lovely partner Beta Choirs.

Appropriately summer-themed, the song is called Invocation to Summer and is sung for you here by the Thames Vale Singers. As a composer, it is difficult to properly imagine one's music how it should sound. Playing it on the piano or even a computer-generated recording is not the same as hearing it sung by real choirs. I am indebted and truly grateful to all my Beta Choirs for helping me to hear my music as it should be performed. And I can only apologise for those long high notes!

Scroll to the end of the blog entry to see their very kind feedback!

The first green shoots of Thames Vale Singers appeared in the late forties as a choir formed by Mary Richards from Women’s Institute members.

By 1953 the WI were meeting in the newly built Purley Memorial Hall and as time went by Mary decided she would like to expand the choir’s repertoire by getting some men involved. In 1958 the first men were recruited and the choir was given a name, Thames Vale Singers.

The poem Invocation to Summer was written by the fun-to-say W. M. MacKeracher (try it!). William Mackay MacKeracher (1871-1913) was a Canadian poet. He composed his first poem at the age of twelve, was valedictorian of his college class at McGill University, and was a founding editor of that school's literary publication. His Canadian-ness is evident in the lines of this poem, particularly the first verse "Come, Summer, come, nor in the south delay; / We do thee honour with a longer day; / We prize thee more, we better know thy worth; / We hold thee dearer in the truer north."

Invocation To Summer

By W. M. MacKeracher

Come, Summer, come, nor in the south delay;

We do thee honour with a longer day;

We prize thee more, we better know thy worth;

We hold thee dearer in the truer north:

    Come, Summer, come.

Come, Summer, come, and in the early dawn

Find sparkling dewdrops on the fragrant lawn;

Hush all before thy majesty at noon,

And hallow the long evening hours; come soon,

    Come, Summer, come.

Come, Summer, come, make meadow grasses long;

Make all the groves exuberant with song,

The pasture corners canopy with shades,

And thickly roof the silent forest glades:

    Come, Summer, come.

Come, Summer, come, and with thy magic breath

Make consummation of the death of death;

Complete the work of thy sweet sister, Spring;

Life more abundantly give everything:

    Come, Summer, come.

---

“The key change towards the end was cheesy but very effective, and the altos especially enjoyed that moment!”

“I really enjoyed singing this. I love the tune!!”

“Thoroughly enjoyed singing this catchy song.”

“Lovely piece. Beautiful tune.”

“Grew to like it.”

“The more we did it the better I enjoyed it”

“Pleasant tune.”

“Liked the song very much.”

“Melodic and ‘warm’ piece of music.”

“Nice musical arrangement.”

“Pleasant harmonies.”