Choral TTBB choir, piano
SKU: CF.CM9635
Composed by Victor
Johnson. Fold.
Performance Score. 12
pages. Duration 3
minutes, 19 seconds. Carl
Fischer Music #CM9635.
Published by Carl Fischer
Music (CF.CM9635).
ISBN 9781491157077.
UPC: 680160915637. 6.875
x 10.5 inches. Key: E
major. English, English.
Abram Joseph Ryan
(1838-1886).
Victor
Johnson captures the
mystery and nuance of the
bittersweet poem, Wake Me
a Song, by American poet,
Abram Joseph Ryan.
Nuance, text, and
Johnson's rich harmonies
paired with intertwining
textures make this a
noteworthy addition to
any program. Also
available for SATB Voices
(CM9561).
About the
Author Abram Joseph Ryan
was born Matthew Abraham
Ryan on February 5, 1838
in Hagerstown, Maryland.
As a young man, Ryan and
his family moved west St.
Louis, Missouri, where he
was educated at the
Christian Brothers
School. He studied for
the priesthood at Niagra
University in New York
State and was ordained a
priest in the Vincentian
order on November 1,
1856. He taught theology,
first at Niagra
university and then at
the diocesan seminary in
Cape Girardeau, Missouri,
until the beginning of
the war between the
states. Father Ryan
enlisted in the army on
September 1, 1862, and
served as a chaplain
throughout the conflict,
carrying the wounded to
safety and performing
last rites on the
battlefield. His first
piece of poetry was
inspired by the death of
a younger brother while
serving in the army.
After the war, he
established a weekly
literary magazine in
which most of his poetry
was published. He also
put out several volumes
of poetry, including
Father Ryan's Poems and A
Crown for Our Queen.
Father Ryan died on April
22, 1886 at a Franciscan
monastery in Louisville,
Kentucky. About the Song
Wake Me A Song is an
inspired and sensitive
setting of the
19th-century poem by
Abram Joseph Ryan. It
features sweeping melodic
lines, rich harmonies,
and a flowingly beautiful
accompaniment. To master
a performance of this
selection, singers must
perform very
expressively, paying
close attention to such
musical aspects as phrase
shaping, the rise and
fall of the melodic line,
blending and proper
intonation between
sections. One strategy
that could be used to
ensure proper phrasing is
the idea of Painting the
Phrase. The singer should
make a motion as if they
have a paintbrush in
their hand and paint the
melodic line and phrase
shape as if they are
painting with a nice,
flowing brush stroke. One
could think about
painting a rainbow or an
arch to show the rise and
fall of the line and/or
phrase. The director can
also show this gesture
while conducting to
reinforce this
concept.
About the
AuthorAbram Joseph Ryan
was born Matthew Abraham
Ryan on February 5, 1838
in Hagerstown, Maryland.
As a young man, Ryan and
his family moved west St.
Louis, Missouri, where he
was educated at the
Christian Brothers
School. He studied for
the priesthood at Niagra
University in New York
State and was ordained a
priest in the Vincentian
order on November 1,
1856. He taught theology,
first at Niagra
university and then at
the diocesan seminary in
Cape Girardeau, Missouri,
until the beginning of
the war between the
states.Father Ryan
enlisted in the army on
September 1, 1862, and
served as a chaplain
throughout the conflict,
carrying the wounded to
safety and performing
last rites on the
battlefield. His first
piece of poetry was
inspired by the death of
a younger brother while
serving in the army.
After the war, he
established a weekly
literary magazine in
which most of his poetry
was published. He also
put out several volumes
of poetry, including
Father Ryan's Poems and A
Crown for Our Queen.
Father Ryan died on April
22, 1886 at a Franciscan
monastery in Louisville,
Kentucky.About the
SongWake Me A Song is an
inspired and sensitive
setting of the
19th-century poem by
Abram Joseph Ryan. It
features sweeping melodic
lines, rich harmonies,
and a flowingly beautiful
accompaniment.To master a
performance of this
selection, singers must
perform very
expressively, paying
close attention to such
musical aspects as phrase
shaping, the rise and
fall of the melodic line,
blending and proper
intonation between
sections.One strategy
that could be used to
ensure proper phrasing is
the idea of
“Painting the
Phrase.†The singer
should make a motion as
if they have a paintbrush
in their hand and
“paint†the
melodic line and phrase
shape as if they are
painting with a nice,
flowing brush stroke. One
could think about
painting a rainbow or an
arch to show the rise and
fall of the line and/or
phrase. The director can
also show this gesture
while conducting to
reinforce this
concept.
