THE COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENTS OF ALICE PARKER AND ...
THE COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENTS OF ALICE PARKER AND ... THE COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENTS OF ALICE PARKER AND ...
What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor? 1961, TTBB, Tune source: English shanty, Text source: English shanty, LG51053 This sea shanty for men’s voices, “What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?” has an entirely different character. 48 This piece remains a favorite, and was performed recently by the High School Men’s Honor Choir at the March 2011 national convention of the American Choral Directors Association. The excerpt here begins with the refrain, the ending of which is interrupted with metric alterations at m. 82ff. In this passage we see: #9 A wide variety of dynamics and articulation, often with sudden contrasts The entire passage ranges from dynamic levels of ff to pp. #10 Arrangements melody-oriented rather than harmony-oriented The bass part from m. 69 to 84 is highly melodic and memorable, with its sequential patterns, rhythmic variety, and changes in tessitura. #11 Counter-melodies and background harmony lines largely taken from melodic motives The melody, which is in the second voice part from the bottom, is characterized by chordal arpeggiations that are present in the other parts. #12 Harmonies not complex; “resultant harmony” frequent The basic chords for the piece are D minor and C major, but the resultant harmony at mm. 74-75 shows functional obscurity. One senses that m. 74 is a tonic minor, and that m. 75 is in essence a major chord based on the flat seven of the scale, but the various melodic lines create diatonic note collections that are far from these actual chords. The piano reduction does not reflect the melodic activity of the different vocal lines, which cross over one another. 49 #13 Rarely pure homorhythm in four-part harmony 48 Pages from Parker’s original manuscript are found in Appendix VI. 49 Parker, interview with author, 11 Mar. 2011. Dr. Parker said that her least favorite activity of the enterprise was creating the piano reductions. 38
In mm. 69-81, homorhythm is broken up slightly by the quarter note rest in the basses, a small diversion, but enough to vary the texture. #14 Great rhythmic drive or interest in rhythmically-based pieces Certainly the rhythm is driving in the rhythmic sections, mm. 69-81 and 104ff. #15 Frequent use of imitation This is most clearly seen in this passage in m. 104ff. #16 Frequent use of pedal points and ostinatos Ostinatos are found in the “poop-poop” figures in mm. 88-103, and the bass ostinato that begins at m. 108. This bass ostinato becomes a pedal point that continues after this passage. #17 A preference for modality over tonality “Drunken Sailor” is in the Dorian mode. #19 Tendency to favor men’s voices over women’s The fact that several albums—and the sea shanties were among them—were written for men’s voices alone highlights this characteristic. Many of the Parker-Shaw arrangements exude a quality of humor and wit, which was noted by Shaw many years later. 50 The portrayal of the drunken soldier by means of the staggering 5/8 meter, slurred glissandi, and the silly “poop-poop” ostinato bring a smile to the audience as well as to the singers. 50 Baxter, “Interview with Robert Shaw,” 9, 10. 39
- Page 1 and 2: THE COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENTS OF A
- Page 3 and 4: ABSTRACT This document is a compreh
- Page 5 and 6: DEDICATION This Document is dedicat
- Page 7 and 8: CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................
- Page 9 and 10: LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS Table 1:
- Page 11 and 12: CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Alice Parker
- Page 13 and 14: Chapter 5 discusses the legacy of t
- Page 15 and 16: standard classical choral repertoir
- Page 17 and 18: Biography of Robert Shaw CHAPTER 3
- Page 19 and 20: Theodore Thomas Award in recognitio
- Page 21 and 22: melodies and texts in the public do
- Page 23 and 24: was popular in radio and television
- Page 25 and 26: Shaw’s perspective on the legacy
- Page 27 and 28: CHAPTER 4 THE NATURE OF THE PARKER-
- Page 29 and 30: he did…made the difference betwee
- Page 31 and 32: opposition to choral music that is
- Page 33 and 34: also from the fact that with men’
- Page 37 and 38: Death Shall Not Destroy 1960, Tune
- Page 39 and 40: progression is found in rock ‘n
- Page 42 and 43: Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier Chora
- Page 44: Excerpt 3: What Shall We Do with th
- Page 54 and 55: Seeing Nellie Home 1954, TTBB, Tune
- Page 56: Excerpt 5: I’m Goin’ to Sing 46
- Page 60 and 61: #17 A preference for modality over
- Page 63 and 64: Broad Is the Road 1960, Tune source
- Page 65 and 66: Recorded on album: Sing to the Lord
- Page 67 and 68: v.4 v.5 v.6 Phrases 3 & 4 T sings h
- Page 69 and 70: destination. Dr. Ann Howard Jones,
- Page 71 and 72: there is not one instance in the en
- Page 73 and 74: touches of imitation, etc. to lend
- Page 75 and 76: CHAPTER 5 LEGACY The Parker-Shaw wo
- Page 77 and 78: Though theirs were not arrangements
- Page 79 and 80: from gapped scales and modes, and t
- Page 81 and 82: BIBLIOGRAPHY Baxter, Jeffrey W. “
- Page 83 and 84: APPENDIX I PARKER-SHAW WORKS CATALO
- Page 85 and 86: 16) Carol of the Birds, HL50304960
- Page 87 and 88: 87) Darling Nellie Gray, LG969 88)
- Page 89 and 90: 150) I Will Arise, LG905 151) Morni
- Page 91 and 92: UNRECORDED PARKER-SHAW ARRANGEMENTS
- Page 93 and 94: 6) Angels We Have Heard on High, Ch
What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?<br />
1961, TTBB, Tune source: English shanty, Text source: English shanty, LG51053<br />
This sea shanty for men’s voices, “What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?” has an<br />
entirely different character. 48 This piece remains a favorite, and was performed recently by the<br />
High School Men’s Honor Choir at the March 2011 national convention of the American Choral<br />
Directors Association. The excerpt here begins with the refrain, the ending of which is<br />
interrupted with metric alterations at m. 82ff. In this passage we see:<br />
#9 A wide variety of dynamics and articulation, often with sudden contrasts<br />
The entire passage ranges from dynamic levels of ff to pp.<br />
#10 Arrangements melody-oriented rather than harmony-oriented<br />
The bass part from m. 69 to 84 is highly melodic and memorable, with its sequential<br />
patterns, rhythmic variety, and changes in tessitura.<br />
#11 Counter-melodies and background harmony lines largely taken from melodic motives<br />
The melody, which is in the second voice part from the bottom, is characterized by<br />
chordal arpeggiations that are present in the other parts.<br />
#12 Harmonies not complex; “resultant harmony” frequent<br />
The basic chords for the piece are D minor and C major, but the resultant harmony at<br />
mm. 74-75 shows functional obscurity. One senses that m. 74 is a tonic minor, and that m. 75 is<br />
in essence a major chord based on the flat seven of the scale, but the various melodic lines create<br />
diatonic note collections that are far from these actual chords. The piano reduction does not<br />
reflect the melodic activity of the different vocal lines, which cross over one another. 49<br />
#13 Rarely pure homorhythm in four-part harmony<br />
48 Pages from Parker’s original manuscript are found in Appendix VI.<br />
49 Parker, interview with author, 11 Mar. 2011. Dr. Parker said that her least favorite activity of the enterprise was<br />
creating the piano reductions.<br />
38
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