Legacies

The King’s Singers

Programme

Celebrating 100 years since the birth of Philip Larkin

B. Chilcott (1955-)
“Days” from Even such is time

Marking 400 years since the deaths of Thomas Weelkes and William Byrd

T. Weelkes (1576-1623)
Hosanna to the Son of David

W. Byrd (c.1543-1623)
O salutaris hostia a 6

T. Weelkes (1576-1623)
Death hath deprived me

W. Byrd (c.1543-1623)
Praise our Lord, all ye gentiles

Celebrating 100 years since the birth of György Ligeti

G. Ligeti (1923-2006)
“The lobster quadrille” from Nonsense Madrigals

Celebrating 5 years of The King’s Singers Global Foundation

F. Amewudah-Rivers (1998-)
Alive

Celebrating Joe Hisaishi’s 50 years of composing

J. Hisaishi (1950-)
I was there

G. Ligeti (1923-2006)
“The cuckoo in the pear tree” from Nonsense Madrigals

Celebrating 150 years since the births of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Hugo Alfvén

R. V. Williams (1872-1958)
Over hill, over dale

H. Alfvén (1872-1960)
Uti vår hage (In our meadow)

H. Alfvén (1872-1960)
Och jungfrun hon går i ringen (And the maiden joins the ring)

G. Ligeti (1923-2006)
“A long, sad tale” from Nonsense Madrigals

Interval

Celebrating 100 Years of Disney

The Early Years

O. Wallace (1887-1963) / Arr. N. Ashby
“When I see an elephant fly” from Dumbo (1941)

F. Churchill (1901-1942) / Arr. A. L’Estrange
“Someday my prince will come” from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

The Second Golden Age

A. Menken (1949-) / Arr. J. Clements
“Prince Ali” from Aladdin (1992)

E. John (1947-) / Arr. J. Ray
“Can you feel the love tonight” from The Lion King (1994)

Disney in the 21st Century

D. Jacob (1956-) / Arr. T. Young
“Aloha e Komo Mai” from Lilo & Stitch (2002)

R. Lopez (1975-) and K. Anderson-Lopez (1972-) / Arr. N. Muhly
“Let it go” from Frozen (2013)

Some of The King’s Singers Favourites

M. Leven (1914-2007) / Arr. J. Clements
“Cruella de Vil” from 101 Dalmatians (1961)

L. Harline (1907-1969) / Arr. J. Rutter
“When you wish upon a star” from Pinocchio (1940)

R. M. Sherman (1928-) and R. B. Sherman (1925-2012) / Arr. C. Bruerton
“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins (1964)

Programme Notes

We should begin our programme notes for Legacies with a story of how this programme concept came to be. A few years ago, in the darkness of the pandemic, we were taking stock and thinking about the history and the future of The King’s Singers with our management team. Variety and versatility are the things that really help us stand out from the crowd. We are proud that in a King’s Singers concert people can hear music by (for example) Josquin and Ariana Grande in the same programme, performed with dedication to each and with artistic respect given to both. A cross fertilisation of musical tastes is something we hope our concerts in particular can create.

Finding, celebrating and ensuring this variety is something we have dedicated ourselves to in our programming. As we were designing our recital programmes for the 2022-23 season, we started (as we often do) by looking at important anniversaries that we might mark or celebrate, and fate gave us the most amazing selection. There is the 400-year anniversary of William Byrd’s death and Thomas Weelkes’ death. To balance it out? Hey presto! It turns out that the Walt Disney Corporation turns 100 too. A new treasure trove of musical possibilities opens itself up in the music of Disney. And the further we look, the more wonderful anniversaries we find: from Ralph Vaughan Williams to György Ligeti. Through a wonderful alignment of the stars, a whole programme’s worth of great music – perfect for our voices – emerged out of the anniversaries, or legacies, of composers, poets and institutions. This is how the idea of Legacies was born.

Bob Chilcott (1955-) was the tenor in our group for 12 years in the 1980s-90s. During that time, he wrote literally hundreds of arrangements and compositions for the group and also for other choirs who commissioned him. This spawned the remarkable composing career that has made Bob a central figure in the world of choral music today. The opening piece in Legacies was written while he was still a King’s Singer, and it sets a poem by the British poet Philip Larkin (1922-1985), whose centenary we marked last year. Larkin’s poetry is characterised by a bleak, cynical outlook that captured a post-war spirit in Britain. His poem, Days, comes from a collection called The Whitsun Weddings, and advises the reader not to spend too long thinking about the nature of life and time.

Another pair of peculiar characters who have left their mark on the British cultural landscape are the two renaissance composers we are celebrating in 2023: Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623) and William Byrd (c.1543-1623). Both of these men died 400 years ago this year, having contributed extraordinarily and inventively to the canon of English choral music during their lives. They are often celebrated for their beautiful church music, of which Byrd’s Praise our Lord, all ye gentiles, or Weelkes’ Hosanna to the Son of David are perfect examples: thrilling, inventive and perfect for their liturgical occasions. But we wish to celebrate these two composers not just as mystical masters of church music, but also as human characters whose music tells us something about the men themselves. William Byrd’s O salutaris hostia gives us an idea of Byrd’s artistic bravery and adventure. It is built around a canon in three of the voice parts, whose overlapping melodies create extraordinary dissonances which seem to belong to an entirely different genre of music. Likely written when Byrd was a young composer studying with Thomas Tallis, it shows a willingness by Byrd to take existing traditions and push them as far as reasonably possible. Both Byrd and Weelkes were also deeply dedicated to their friendships, as we can hear in Weelkes’ Death hath deprived me. It is a loving tribute to Thomas Morley, a friend and mentor to Weelkes. We hope that the repertoire in this programme will help to paint a picture of two imaginative, inventive, but also deeply flawed men whose music illustrates two lives well-lived.

If he were still alive, the Hungarian-Austrian avant-garde composer György Ligeti (1923-2006) would have turned 100 this year. We are extremely proud to have our own set of works – Nonsense Madrigals – which were written for The King’s Singers by Ligeti between 1988-1993. These six movements have texts by Lewis Carroll, William Brighty Rands, Heinrich Hoffmann and, in the case of the third movement, simply the letters of the English alphabet, one after the other. Inspired and driven by the often-bizarre stories and concepts in the texts, Ligeti’s music is infused with humour, eccentricity, character and also many hidden melodies and language games which give underlying structure to the seemingly wild music. This programme includes three of the Madrigals: The lobster quadrille, The cuckoo in the pear tree and A long, sad tale. Whereas much of Ligeti’s music is relatively intense and inaccessible to the average listener, we are so proud that his legacy to our group was a work of great humour, lightness and fun; feelings that we hope transfer to the audience with every performance.

Ralph Vaughan Williams was a composer whose thorough and self-conscious Englishness is one of the hallmarks of his music. Influenced by composers of the Tudor period – particularly Thomas Tallis – he also dedicated much of his life to collecting and arranging folk songs from the English countryside. We started celebrating Vaughan Williams’s 150th birth anniversary last year, and we are still happily honouring his legacy, with a few pieces that we have found which perfectly capture this pastoral atmosphere in his choral works too. Over hill, over dale is the final movement from his Three Shakespeare songs of 1951. Last year was also the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Hugo Alfvén, the Swedish composer whose music also captures the spirit, landscape, and folk melodies of his country. Alfvén was a conductor, violinist and also painter during his life, but it is his expansive orchestral symphonies and folksong arrangements for which he is now best known. We are including two of his folk arrangements in our programme: the pastoral, hymn-like Uti vår hage, meaning “In our meadow”, and Och jungfrun hon går i ringen (And the maiden joins the ring) which is a comic but also slightly sinister folksong, in which Alfvén brings to life the sounds of gunfire as the story’s romance goes wrong.

For anyone born between 1880 and today, which is – let’s face it – everyone, the music of Disney films has probably touched your life in some way. A magical mixture of incredible popularity for the films and the great craftsmanship in the music means that whether it’s Someday my prince will come (1937) or Let it go (2013) the songs of Disney have made a deep mark on so many generations. In 2023, we mark 100 years since the founding of Disney Brothers Studio, which later became Walt Disney Productions, and now The Walt Disney Company. Its animated films have brought countless children and adults great joy, underpinned by soundtracks of great invention and imagination. Whether it’s the songs of the Sherman Brothers, or Alan Menken, they have found their way into popular consciousness through every decade of Disney’s existence. To mark the anniversary, along with the record label Warner Classics we commissioned around 30 brand new arrangements of some of the greatest Disney hit songs. The arrangements have come from some of the finest composers and arrangers in our network: John Rutter, Nico Muhly, Alexander L’Estrange, Jim Clements, Toby Young and Jamey Ray, as well as a handful from within the group. We will hand-select a few of these arrangements to fit the mood, the audience and the venue. But true to Disney itself, there is bound to be something for everybody.

By The King’s Singers

Biographical Notes

The King’s Singers

Formed in 1968, The King’s Singers have represented the gold standard in a cappella singing on the world’s greatest stages for over fifty years. They are renowned for their unrivalled technique, versatility and skill in performance, and for their consummate musicianship, drawing both on the group’s rich heritage and its pioneering spirit to create an extraordinary wealth of original works and unique collaborations.

What has always distinguished the group is their comfort in an unprecedented range of styles and genres, pushing the boundaries of their repertoire, while at the same time honouring their origins in the British choral tradition. They appear regularly in major cities, festivals and venues across Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia.

Their extensive discography has led to numerous awards including two Grammys, an Emmy and a place in Gramophone magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame. They also lead educational workshops and residential courses across the world, working with groups and individuals on their techniques and approaches to ensemble singing. In 2018 they founded The King’s Singers Global Foundation to provide a platform for the creation of new music across multiple disciplines, coach a new generation of performers and provide musical opportunities to people of all backgrounds.

https://www.kingssingers.com/

Sung Text

B. Chilcott: “Days” from Even such is time

What are days for?
Days are where we live.
They come, they wake us
Time and time over.
They are to be happy in:
Where can we live but days?

Ah, solving that question
Brings the priest and the doctor
In their long coats
Running over the fields.

- Philip Larkin

Back to Programme

T. Weelkes: Hosanna to the Son of David

Hosanna to the Son of David.
Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, thou that sittest in the highest heavens.
Hosanna in excelsis Deo.

Back to Programme

W. Byrd: O salutaris hostia a 6

O salutaris hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia:
Da robur, fer auxilium.

O saving victim
Who opens the gate of heaven,
Hostile wars press on us:
Give strength, bring aid.

Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria,
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria.
Amen.

To the Lord, three in one,
Be everlasting glory,
For life without end
He gives us in (his) Kingdom.
Amen.

Back to Programme

T. Weelkes Death hath deprived me

Death hath deprived me of my dearest friend,
My dearest friend is dead and laid in grave,
In grave he rests until the world shall end
As end must all things have.
All things must have an end that Nature wrought,
Must unto dust be brought.

Back to Programme

W. Byrd: Praise our Lord, all ye gentiles

Praise our Lord all ye Gentiles, praise him all ye people,
Because his mercy is confirmed upon us, and his truth remaineth forever. Amen.

Back to Programme

G. Ligeti: “The lobster quadrille” from Nonsense Madrigals

“Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail.
“There's a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle – will you come and join the dance?

Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the dance?

“You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!”
But the snail replied “Too far, too far!” and gave a look askance –
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance.

Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance.

“What matters it how far we go?” his scaly friend replied.
“There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.
The further off from England the nearer is to France –
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.

Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won't you join the dance?”

Back to Programme

F. Amewudah-Rivers: Alive

I see fields
I see flowers
In my mind
When I step outside

I hear dreams
I hear voices
In my mind
When I close my eyes
And they say

This life
That you’re living
Is it everything you hoped and dreamed it’d be?
This life
We’ve been given
Is it everything and more?

Hold on
Be strong
Don’t let the fire that inspires you to go higher
Be gone
You’re here
Don’t fear
Breathe in the air and say a prayer and don’t despair
‘Cause you’re alive

I hear streams
I hear whispers
From the past
That lie
Deep inside
And they say

This life
That you’re living
Is it everything you hoped and dreamed it’d be?
This life
We’ve been given
Is it everything and more?

Hold on
Be strong
Don’t let the fire that inspires you to go higher
Be gone
You’re here
Don’t fear
Breathe in the air and say a prayer and don’t despair
‘Cause you’re alive

Do you know how it feels to be alive?

Back to Programme

J. Hisaishi: I was there

I was there
And I am now
I think I was there
I was there that day
I’ll be there
I will be there one day
I should be there!
I was there

Back to Programme

G. Ligeti: “The Cuckoo in the Pear Tree” from Nonsense Madrigals

The cuckoo sat in the old pear tree,
Raining or snowing naught cared he,
The cuckoo flew over the house-top high.
“Dear, are you at home, for here am I?”
“I dare not open the door to you,
Perhaps you are not the right cuckoo?”
“I am the right cuckoo, the proper one,
For I am my father’s only son, his only son.”
“If you are your father's only son,
The bobbin pull tightly,
Come through the door lightly!
If you are your father’s only son,
It must be you, the only cuckoo, my own cuckoo!”

- William Brightly Rands

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R. V. Williams: Over hill, over dale

Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough briar,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough flood, thorough fire
I do wander everywhere.
Swifter than the moon’s sphere;
And I serve the fairy queen,
To dew her orbs upon the green.
The cowslips tall her pensioners be;
In their gold coats spots you see;
Those be rubies, fairy favours,
In those freckles live their savours:
I must go seek some dew-drops here,
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.

- William Shakespeare

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H. Alfvén: Uti vår hage (In our meadow)

Uti vår hage där växa blå bär.
Kom hjärtans fröjd!
Vill du mig något så träffas vi där.
Kom liljor och aquileja,
Kom rosor och saliveja!
Kom ljuva krusmynta,
Kom hjärtans fröjd!

Out in our pasture fine blueberries grow.
Come, my heart’s delight!
If you want me, we’ll meet there!
Come lilies and columbine,
come roses and sage!
Come sweet crisp-leafed mint,
come joy from the heart!

Fagra små blommor där bjuda till dans.
Kom hjärtans fröjd!
Vill du så binder jag åt dig en krans.
Kom liljor och aquileja,
Kom rosor och saliveja!
Kom ljuva krusmynta,
Kom hjärtans fröjd!

Fair little flowers will ask for a dance.
Come, my heart’s delight!
If you want, I’ll make you a crown of flowers.
Come lilies and columbine,
come roses and sage!
Come sweet crisp-leafed mint,
come joy from the heart!

Uti vår hage finns blommor och bär.
Kom hjärtans fröjd!
Men utav alla mej kärast du är.
Kom liljor och aquileja,
Kom rosor och saliveja!
Kom ljuva krusmynta,
Kom hjärtans fröjd!

Out in our pasture are flowers and berries.
Come, my heart’s delight!
Of all that I know, I love you the most.
Come lilies and columbine,
come roses and sage!
Come sweet crisp-leafed mint,
come joy from the heart!

Kom liljor och aquileja
Kom rosor och saliveja
Kom ljuva krusmynta
Kom hjärtans fröjd!

Come lilies and columbine,
come roses and sage!
Come sweet crisp-leafed mint,
come joy from the heart!

Back to Programme

H. Alfvén: Och jungfrun hon går i ringen (And the maiden joins the ring)

Och jungfrun hon går i ringen med rödan gullband.
Det binder hon om sin kärastes arm.
Men kära min lilla jungfru, knyt inte så hårdt.
Jag ämnar ej att rymma bort.
Och jungfru hon går och lossar på rödan gullband.
Så hastigt den skälmen åt skogen då sprang.
Då sköto de efter honom med femton gevär.
Och vill ni mig något, så ha ni mig hä

O maiden, she joins a ring with red, golden ribbons.
She ties them around her sweetheart’s arm.
Dear girl, dear girl, do not bind it too tight.
Do not fear that I will run away.
So the girl proceeds to loosen the gold band.
And with haste the roguish boy runs into the woods.
They hunted for him with fifteen guns.
And if you want to find me, here I am.

Back to Programme

G. Ligeti: “A long, sad tale” from Nonsense Madrigals

“Mine is a long, sad tale”

Off with her head!

“It is a long tail, certainly,
But why do you call it sad?”

Head, heal, teal, tell, tall,
tail, tall, tell, teal, heal.

Fury said to a mouse,
That he met in the house,
“Let us both go to law:
I will prosecute you.
Come, I’ll take no denial:
We must have the trial;
For really this morning I’ve nothing to do.”

Turn witch into fairy!

Witch, winch, wench, tench, tenth
tents, tints, tilts, tills, fills,
falls, fails, fairs, fairy.

Said the mouse to the cur,
“Such a trial, dear sir,
With no jury or judge,
Would be wasting our breath.”
“I’ll be judge, I'll be jury,”
Said the cunning old Fury:
“I’ll try the whole cause,
And condemn you to death.”

Furies, buries, buried, burked, barked,
barred, barrel, barred, barked, burked,
buried, buries, furies.

Quilt, guilt, guile, guide, glide,
slide, slice, spice, spine, spies,
shins, shies, shier, sheer, sheet,
sheer, shier, shies, shins, spins,
spice, slice, slide, glide, guide,
guile, guilt, guile, guide, glide,
slide.

From Alice in Wonderland and Original Games and Puzzles by Lewis Carrol

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O. Wallace / Arr. N. Ashby: "When I see an elephant fly" from Dumbo (1941)

I saw a peanut stand, heard a rubber band
I saw a needle that winked its eye
But I think I will have seen everything
When I see an elephant fly

I saw a front porch swing, heard a diamond ring
I saw a polka-dot railroad tie
But I think I will have seen everything
When I see an elephant fly

I saw a clothes horse rear up and buck
They tell me that a man made a vegetable “truck”
I didn’t see that, I only heard
But just to be sociable, I'll take their word

The other day, by chance, I saw an old barn dance,
And I just laughed ‘til I thought I’d die
But I think I will have seen everything
When I see an elephant fly

I saw a garden walk, a banana stalk
I saw a pig with an awful sty
But I think I will have seen everything
When I see an elephant fly

I even heard a chocolate drop
I went into a store, saw a bicycle shop
You can't deny the things that you see
But I know there's certain things that just can't be!

I saw a peanut stand, heard a rubber band
I’ve seen a front porch swing, heard a diamond ring
I heard a fireside chat, saw a baseball bat,
And I just laughed ‘til I thought I’d die!
But I think I will have seen everything
When I see an elephant fly


Back to Programme

F. Churchill / Arr. A. L’Estrange: "Someday my prince will come" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Someday my prince will come,
Someday I’ll find my love,
And how thrilling that moment will be
When the prince of my dreams comes to me.
He’ll whisper “I love you,”
And steal a kiss or two.
Though he’s far away
I’ll find my love someday,
Someday when my dreams come true.

Somewhere waiting for me,
There is someone I’m longing to see;
Someone I simply can’t help but adore,
Someone who’ll thrill me forever.

Someday my prince will come,
Someday I will find the one,
Though he’s far away
I’ll find my love someday,
Someday when my dreams come true –

Oh, please make my dreams come true.


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A. Menken / Arr. J. Clements: "Prince Ali" from Aladdin (1992)

Make way for Prince Ali
Say hey, it’s Prince Ali

Hey! Clear the way in the old Bazaar
Hey you, let us through, it’s a brand-new star
Oh, come be the first on your block to meet his eye
Make way, here he comes
Ring bells, bang the drums
Are you gonna love this gay

Prince Ali, fabulous he, Ali Ababwa
Genuflect! Show some respect, down on one knee
Now, try your best to stay calm,
Brush up your Sunday salaam,
Then come and meet his spectacular coterie

Prince Ali, mighty is he, Ali Ababwa,
Strong as ten regular men, definitely
He’s faced the galloping hordes
A hundred bad guys with swords
Who sent those to goons to their lords?
Prince Ali

(And I have heard that)
He’s gone 75 golden camels
Purple peacocks, he’s got 53
When it comes to exotic-type mammals
Has he got a zoo? I’m telling you
It’s a world-class menagerie

Prince Ali, handsome is he, Ali Ababwa
That physique! How can I speak?
Weak at the knees
So get on out in that square
Adjust your veil and prepare
To gawk and grovel and stare at Prince Ali
(And I absolutely love the way he dresses!)

He’s got 95 white Persian monkeys
And to view them he charges no fee
(He’s generous, oh so generous)
He’s got ten thousand servants and flunkies
(Proud to work for him)
They bow to his whim, love serving him,
They’re just lousy with loyalty to Ali

Prince Ali, amorous he, Ali Ababwa
Heard your princess was a sight, lovely to see!
And that, good people, is why
He got dolled up and dropped by

With 60 elephants, llamas galore
With his bears and lions, a brass band and more
With his 40 fakirs, his cooks and bakers,
His birds that warble on key,
Make way for Prince Ali!
(Make way for him, praise the day,
And get ready for Prince Ali!)


Back to Programme

E. John / Arr. J. Ray: "Can you feel the love tonight" from The Lion King (1994)

I can see what’s happening (What?)
And they don’t have a clue (Who?)

They’ll fall in love and here’s the bottom line – our trio’s down to two. (Oh.)

The sweet caress of twilight
There’s magic everywhere
And with all this romantic atmosphere
Disaster’s in the air

Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things

So many things to tell her
But how to make her see
The truth about my past? Impossible!
She’d turn away from me

He’s holding back, he’s hiding
But what, I can’t decide
Why won’t he be the king I know he is
The king I see inside?

Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
(Mamela bonale ratowe)
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn’t look too far
Stealing through the night’s uncertainties
Love is where they are

And if he feels the love tonight
In the way I do
It’s enough for this restless warrior
Just to be with you


Back to Programme

D. Jacob / Arr. T. Young: "Aloha e komo mai" from Lilo & Stitch (2002)

I laila, O Kaua’i la no malihini ‘ohana
Welcome cousins, a’cmon by
Aloha, e komo mai

There is Kaua’i for a visiting family.
Welcome cousins, a’cmon by
Welcome and come in!

Oh, when you’re down, you’re feeling low
Got nobody by your side
It can be lonely and you want to only
Find a place, no need to hide
Just lay back, you’ll fit right in
You can make it all come true
‘Cause there’s always hope inside
And hope will see you through

Aloha

Hello

You’ll find the place where you belong
Ohana (a family to call your own)
Where you feel at home (everybody sing!)

I laila, O Kaua’i la no malihini ‘ohana
Welcome cousins, a’cmon by
Aloha, e komo mai

There is Kaua’i for a visiting family.
Welcome cousins, a’cmon by
Welcome and come in!

Now you can see, Tookie ba waba
Nothing but these clear blue skies
Love, it has found you, and when it surrounds you
It’s just like paradise
Now the door has swung wide open
Now your heart has taken wing
Feel that magic in the air
Oh, hear your spirit sing

Aloha

Hello

You’ll find the place where you belong
Ohana (a family to call your own)
Where you feel at home (everybody sing!)

I laila, O Kaua’i la
No malihini ‘ohana
Welcome cousins, a‘cmon by
Aloha, e komo mai
Aloha, e komo mai

There is Kaua’i
for a visiting family.
Welcome cousins, a‘cmon by
Welcome and come in!
Welcome and come in!

Back to Programme

R. Lopez and K. Anderson-Lopez / Arr. N. Muhly: "Let it go" from Frozen (2013)

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation
And it looks like I’m the queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn’t keep it in, heaven knows I tried

Don’t let them in, don’t let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know
Well, now they know

Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don’t care what they’re going to say
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway

It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all
It’s time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I’m free

Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You’ll never see me cry
Here I stand and here I stay
Let the storm rage on

My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiralling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallises like an icy blast
I’m never going back, the past is in the past

Let it go, let it go
And I’ll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand in the light of day
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway


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M. Leven / Arr. J. Clements: “Cruella de Vil” from 101 Dalmatians (1961)

Cruella De Vil
Cruella De Vil
If she doesn’t scare you
No evil thing will
To see her is to
Take a sudden chill
Cruella, Cruella De Vil

The curl of her lips
The ice in her stare
All innocent children
Had better beware
She’s like a spider waiting
For the kill
Look out for Cruella De Vil

At first you think
Cruella is the devil
But after time has worn
Away the shock
You come to realize
You’ve seen her kind of eyes
Watching you from underneath a rock!

This vampire bat
This inhuman beast
She ought to be locked up
And never released
The world was such
A wholesome place until
Cruella, Cruella De Vil


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L. Harline / Arr. J. Rutter: "When you wish upon a star" from Pinocchio (1940)

When a star is born, they say
That if you make a wish that day
As dreamers do
Something good will come to you

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfilment of their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
Your dreams come true


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R. M. Sherman and R. B. Sherman / Arr. C. Bruerton: "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins (1964)

It’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you’ll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad
Me father gave me nose a tweak, told me I was bad
But then one day I learned a word that saved me achin’ nose
The biggest word you ever heard and this is how it goes

Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you’ll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

He travelled all around the world and everywhere he went
He’d use his word and all would say, “There goes a clever gent!”
When dukes or Maharajas pass the time of day with me
I say me special word and then they ask me out to tea

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you’ll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

You know you can say it backwards which is
Dociousaliexpiisticfragicalirupus
But that’s going a bit too far, don’t you think?
Indubitably

So when the cat has got your tongue there’s no need for dismay (Hear, hear!)
Just summon up this word and then you’ve got a lot to say
But better use it carefully or it could change your life
One night, I said it to me girl and now me girl’s me wife!
(Oh, and a lovely thing she is, too!)

She’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you’ll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious


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Disclaimer
The views / opinions expressed in the project are those of the project / project team only and do not reflect the views of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government.