PROGRAMME NOTES
DANIEL JAZZ
This Cantata, consisting of Vachell Lindsay’s Poem set to music by Herbert Chappel [Chappell], was especially written for 10-13 year old children.
The Story:
King Darius was a bad-tempered monarch with nasty habits – such as feeding Christians to his cage of pet Lions. Daniel, on the other hand – assisted in this version by a wide selection of Biblical characters – was a pleasant lad, always eager to please and ready to lend a helping hand around the palace. “He works hard enough”, said the King, “but he talks too much religion for my liking.” And before you could say “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednege [Abednego]” the lad was given the sack and thrown in amongst the lions. Prowling and growling around him, the beasts licked their lips, and as they chanted “We want Daniel, Daniel, Daniel”, the lions got hungrier and hungrier and hungrier.
Daniel, strange as it may seem, was not at all worried by the situation, but kept looking up at the sky confident that the situation was not as desperate as it seemed. “Grrrrrrrrr”, growled the lions as they moved in on him. Closer and closer they came, and all this time Daniel’s girlfriend was praying and praying as hard as she could. “Bite him, bite him” roared the lions. “Lord save him”, cried Daniel’s mother. And just in time their prayers were answered. Who should appear but the Angel Gabriel, and in a flash the lions were chained down and Daniel stepped out of the cage unharmed. (The King was so impressed by it all that he gave Daniel back his job – which in the circumstances was quite regal of him.)
Herbert Chappell
SUMMERTIME
From Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin – a well known lullaby, sung by Clara lulling her child to sleep.
MAN OF LA MANCHA
Based on the story of Don Quixote. Don Quixote and his servant, Sancho, sing this duet as they ride their horses.
JONATHON LIVINGSTON SEAGULL
Words and music by Neil Diamond from the Original Motion Picture Sound Track – the film by Hall Bartlett. This film is based on the story of Jonathon Livingston Seagull written by Richard Bach.
THE DRINKING SONG
Violetta, a courtesan, is receiving guests in her drawing room. Alfred is introduced and they sing this duet with the guests who have gathered.
THE PILGRIMS CHORUS
One of ‘THE’ famous Opera choruses sung by the pilgrims returning home from their pilgrimage to Rome.
CHILDREN ARE CHILDREN
After much discussion and reading on the top of ‘Save The Children’ this song was composed by a small group of Form 1 and 2 children last year. It became a popular singing number with the remainder of the School and it was decided that it was appropriate to close our ‘Save The Children Festival 1974’ again with this song.
CHILDREN ARE CHILDREN
Chorus
Children are children no matter their race
And children are children no matter the place,
Learning to live with one another
Treating your enemies as your brother.
Verse 1.
Scorched remains cover the land,
Once rich soil is now burnt sand
Hit by tidal wave, famine and war,
Destroying their homeland, happy no more.
Verse 2
At Vietnam they fight with greed,
They kill without care for age or creed,
Deprived of all the good things in life,
Forced to live with war and strife.
Verse 3
And yet we live from day to day
Well fed not hungry we make our way
But we should think of those without
and peace and friendship stand throughout.
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