A British Tar (Gilbert & Sullivan)

Scoring: TTBB barbershop quartet

Date: 2024

"A British Tar" is one of the most popular songs from Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta "HMS Pinafore", and it deserves to be sung more widely. Here it is arranged for unaccompanied barbershop quartet from the original trio plus orchestra/piano. In the operetta the song is supposedly composed by Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty, "to encourage independence of thought and action in the lower branches of the service [the Navy], and to teach the principle that a British sailor is any man's equal." It should be sung with as much mock pomp as can be mustered, and I suggest that in bars 10 to 16 and again bars 42 to 48 the first bass singer(s) should (especially when singing to a foreign audience) clearly indicate which part of the sailor's body is being referred to!

Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Men of Harlech

Scoring: TTBB choir a cappella

Date:  2024

"March of the Men of Harlech" is the Welsh National Hymn. Here it is arranged by John Hyatt Brewer (1856-1931) and adapted by me for a cappella TTBB choir (plus "solo".) It is admittedly a thoroughly violent, anti-Saxon (yes, that ancient!) marching song, but it deserves to be sung as the melody is so well-loved and it is so full of drama and excitement. Extra sound effects are introduced by the "solo" part imitating trumpets and drums, and by all the singers with loud (on the spot?) bootsteps! Brewer's harmonisation also keeps the interest up through both verses. Pace Welshmen, perhaps this could be "hammed up" a little?

Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Words:
1. Men of Harlech honour calls us,

No proud Saxon e'er appalls us!

On we march, whate'er befall us,

Never shall we fly!

Forward, lightly bounding,

To the trumpets sounding,

Forward ever, backward never,

The proud foe astounding;

Fight for father, sister, mother,

Each is bound to each as brother,

And with faith in one another

We will win or die.

2. Tho' our mothers may be weeping,

Tho' our sisters may be keeping

Watch for some, who now are sleeping

On the battle field,

Still the trumpets' braying,

Sounds on, ever saying,

Let each bowman pierce a foeman,

And ne'er stop the slaying,

Till invaders learn to fear us,

And no Saxon linger near us;

Men of Wales! our God doth hear us,

Never will we yield!

Early One Morning

Scoring: TTBB choir a cappella
Date: 2017/revised 2024
"Early One Morning" is a simple arrangement for TTBB barbershop chorus of the well known folk song. Although its subject is sad and full of melancholy, it should not be sung too slowly, but with simplicity and compassion.
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Words:
1.
Early one morning, just as the sun was rising,
I heard a young maid sing in the valley below.
Oh, don't deceive me, oh, never leave me.
How could you use a poor maiden so?

2.
Remember the vows that you made to your Mary.
Remember the bow'r where you vowed to be true.
Oh, don't deceive me, oh, never leave me.
How could you use a poor maiden so?

3.
Oh, gay is the garland and fresh are the roses
I've culled from the garden to place upon thy brow.
Oh, don't deceive me, oh, never leave me.
How could you use a poor maiden so?

4.
Thus sang the poor maiden, her sorrows bewailing.
Thus sang the poor maid in the valley below.
Oh, don't deceive me, oh, never leave me.
How could you use a poor maiden so?

Salley Gardens

Scoring: TTBB quartet a cappella

Date: 2017 - updated 2022

This arrangement for TTBB quartet or choir of "Salley Gardens" (or "Sally Gardens") presents the traditional folksong very simply, but it is to be sung as a quietly emotional song about lost love, expressing both dreamy regret and, at times, fierce intensity.

Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Words:
1.
Down by the Salley Gardens my love and I did meet.
She passed the Salley Gardens with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree.
But I, being young and foolish, with her did not agree.

2.
In a field down by the river my love and I did stand.
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand.
She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs.
But I was young and foolish and now am full of tears.

3.
Down by the Salley Gardens my love and I did meet.
She passed the Salley Gardens with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree.
But I, being young and foolish, with her did not agree.

The Teddy Bears' Picnic (J Bratton) - 2 versions

Scoring: TTBB barbershop quartet

Date: 2021

I used to enjoy playing "The Teddy Bears' Picnic" as a piano solo when I was young, and of course the added lyrics of Jimmy Kennedy made it an unforgettable children's song. It is now, I notice, also a set piece for ABRSM grade 4 bassoon, and it occurred to me to arrange it for bassoon duet, dedicated to my colleague in the Maidstone Symphony Orchestra, Marcia Brittain. See below. 

It also seemed to be begging to become a barbershop piece, thinking particularly of our annual "Le Croisic" barbershop quartet (this year heading to Cornwall, rather than France, due to pandemic restrictions.) This has to be once of the silliest arrangements I have ever done, but I hope it might go down well in the right context. To be sung with humour!

Links: pdf (score) - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

Scoring: two bassoons

Date: 2021

Links: pdf (score) - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6

(Video to come)

Skye Boat Song

Scoring: TTBB quartet a cappella
Date: 2017
The Skye Boat Song is a romantic and political song about the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie from the English across the "ocean" (little more than a mile or two!) after the battle of Culloden in 1746. This a new arrangement of the traditional Scottish folksong for 4-part male voice barbershop choir by Philip Le Bas is intended to be reasonably straightforward to sing, but with plenty of dramatic intensity. There is sense of tragedy in the song, but notice the final dark threat that "Charlie will come again..."
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Words:
Chorus: 
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

1.
Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
Thunderclaps rend the air;
Baffled, our foes stand by the shore,
Follow they will not dare.

2.
Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep,
Ocean's a royal bed.
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head.

3.
Many's the lad fought on that day,
Well the claymore could wield,
When the night came, silently lay
Dead on Culloden's field.

4.
Burned are their homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men;
Yet ere the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.

Scarborough Fair

Scoring: TTBB quartet a cappella
Date: 2017
"Scarborough Fair" has been arranged in many musical ways recently, most popularly by Simon and Garfunkel and in films such as "Lord of the Rings". It is deeply romantic and mysterious, but the lyrics should not be forgotten: the one singing is setting impossible tasks for his "true love", and there is an angry edge to the song. This arrangement for TTBB quartet or choir aims to retain that sharpness, while not losing its mystery and romance.
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Words:
1. 
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.

2. 
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt,
Parsley, sage rosemary and thyme.
Without no seams nor needle work.
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

3. 
Tell her to find me an acre of land.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Between the salt water and the sea strand.
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

4.
Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather.
Parsley, sage rosemary and thyme.
And gather it all in a bunch of heather.
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

5.
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.

Joshua fit de battle o Jericho

Scoring: TTBB choir a cappella
Date: 2017
A lively, new, and relatively easy arrangement for TTBB barbershop quartet or choir of the African-American Spiritual "Joshua fit de battle o' Jericho".
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Words:
Chorus:
Joshua fit de battle o' Jericho, Jericho, Jericho.
Joshua fit de battle o' Jericho, 
an' de walls come tumblin' down.

1. 
You may talk about de men o' Gideon.
You may talk about de men o' Saul.
But der's none like good ol' Joshua
at de battle o' Jericho.

2.
Right up to de walls o' Jericho
dey marched wi' spear in han';
"Go blow dem ram horns", Joshua cried,
"cos de battle am in my han'."

3.
Den de lamb, ram, sheep horns began to blow,
an' de trumpets began to sound.
Joshua told dem children to shout, shout, shout!
an' de walls come tumblin' down.

The Miller of Dee

Scoring: TTBB choir a cappella
Date: 2017
This traditional folksong is full of silly irony and should be sung with plenty of humour. Here it is set for TTBB barbershop quartet or choir, be-dum!
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Words:

1.
There was a jolly miller once lived on the river Dee.
He worked and sang from morn to night, no lark more blithe than he.
And this the burden of his song for ever used to be:
I care for nobody, no, not I, if nobody cares for me.

2.
I live by my mill, she is to me like parent, child, and wife.
I would not change my station for any other in life.
No lawyer, surgeon, or doctor, e'er had a groat from me.
I care for nobody, no, not I, if nobody cares for me.

3.
When spring begins its merry career, oh! how his heart grows gay.
No summer drought alarms his fears, nor winter's sad decay.
No foresight mars the miller's joy, who's wont to sing and say:
Let others toil from year to year, I live from day to day.

4
Then like the miller, bold and free, let us rejoice and sing.
The days of youth were made for glee, and time is on the wing.
The song shall pass from me to thee, and round this jovial ring.
And all in heart and voice agree to sing, "Long live the King."

Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel?

Scoring: TTBB choir a cappella
Date: 2018
A new setting of the popular traditional African-American spiritual for male barbershop quartet.
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

Words:
Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel, 
deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel?
Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel?
So why not-a every man?

He delivered Daniel from the lion’s den,
Jonah from the belly of the whale,
The Hebrew children from the fiery furnace.
So why not-a every man?

Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel?
Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel?
So why not-a every man?

The wind blows east and the wind blows west,
It blows like the judgment day.
And every man that never did pray
Is glad to pray that day.

Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel, 
deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel?
Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel?
So why not-a every man?

Deep River

Scoring: TTBB choir a cappella
Date: 2017
The old African-American Spiritual "Deep River" is here set for TTBB barbershop quartet or choir in a relatively straightforward arrangement. To be sung soulfully!
Links: pdf - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib

YouTube:
Full video score: https://youtu.be/Dm9O3IMVAD4
Practice video scores:
Tenor 1 - https://youtu.be/j1TjLvHRGHU
Tenor 2 - https://youtu.be/B97ZsUYrO2c
Bass 1 - https://youtu.be/wKHOQutgj-s
Bass 2 - https://youtu.be/llRRkE6DQ1g

Words:
1.
Deep river, my home is over Jordan.
Deep river, Lord, I want to cross over into camp ground.
Deep river, my home is over Jordan.
Deep river, Lord, I want to cross over into camp ground.

2.
Oh, don't you want to go to that gospel feast,
that promised land where all is peace?

3.
Deep river, my home is over Jordan.
Deep river, Lord, I want to cross over into camp ground.
Deep river, my home is over Jordan.
Deep river, Lord, I want to cross over into camp ground.