Aurora University Choral Festival Post #8 Mashed Potato Love Poem

On October 21st at Aurora University Dr. Lisa Fredenburgh will conduct an excerpt (Mashed Potato Love Poem) from my three movement set Play With Your Food, written about twelve years ago. It's one of my most popular pieces and here are the program notes I usually provide.

Play with Your Food 

(published by Walton)

This set of three pieces is my most performed work. It's not too surprising, since I found three great, truly clever texts to set. May Swenson gives us a cornucopia of delicious summer treats, with the compound words all split apart and reconnected backwards; blueberries become “berries of blue”, Brazil nuts become “nuts of Brazil” and so on. My favorites are “rooms of mush” and “puppies of hush”! You might hear a bit of the music from the overture to “Porgy and Bess” toward the end, by the way. The text for “Mashed Potato Love Poem” is by Sidney Hoddes, a very cool guy who is now an elderly doctor still practicing in Liverpool--but wayback he was a friend of the Beatles and caroused with them in Liverpool before they became famous. The final movement, “Vending Machine”, about a hungry young lad and his happy to play-along Dad, has some lively musical hints of Bernsteins' overture to Candide popping up. Yes, I do like to parody or borrow from other composers or write in their general style now and then!

TEXT

If I ever had to choose between you
you and a third helping of mashed potatoes

(whipped lightly with a fork

not whisked,
and a little pool of butter
melting in the middle...)

I think
I'd chose
the mashed potatoes

but I'd choose you next

One of my favorite memories from when I led the choral program at the North Carolina Governor's School was surprising the cafeteria staff with a mini-concert each summer with this song featured. We would make the staff stop working and sing to them. You should have seen all the smiles!

Here's a nice performance of the piece (with a bonus track of Vending Machine and an interesting touch they added to that tune) by Oran, a wonderful Canadian youth choir which is part of the Kokopelli Choir organization.

Here We Go: The 2014 ACDA Central Conference in Cincinnati

I am in Cincinnati (well actually I'm staying in my fave spot in Newport, KY across the river- the Newport Landing area full of restaurants, book stores and such) for the Central Divison ACDA conference. It is danged cold out- but what else is new this year in the middle of our country?

Tonight (Wednesday) there is going to be a ton of sacred music sung at one of the churches here. Looks like a gonzo event, especially for sacred musicians. I'm not up on who is doing the concert but I am pretty sure Howard Helvey and Tom Merrill are involved.

Tomorrow (Thursday) the whirlwind starts off bright and early. I'll be attending as much as I can as well as meeting old and new folks. It looks like a great conference. FYI, my new book of carols for women's voices will be on sale at the Musical Resources booth. Dennis Blubaugh will be running a $2 discount on the book. I hope those of you with women's choirs (appropriate for HS and up, as well as advanced children's choirs) will take a look at it at the booth or over the internet. Those choirs who used it this past December really felt that they enriched their programs with the carols they choose from the book.

http://paulcarey.net/carols.html

Thursday AM Pearl Shangkuan has included Summer Bounty ( the uptempo first movment of my three movement piece "Play with your Food"- one of my bestsellers) in the Intercollegiate Reading Session. This is a great event  (two different sessions)- a large, very talented pool of central division university singers performing music that Pearl has chosen to be featured.

Pearl Shangkuan

 The singers get their packet about an hour before the session- so for them they are on the spot! Summer's Bounty will challenge their skills since there is a whole lot of mixed meter going on. They'll also have to not get distracted by how crazy-witty the words are! Here's the text:

Summer’s Bounty by May Swenson 
 

berries of Straw apples of Crab beans of Lima

berries of Goose apples of May beans of Jelly

berries of Huckle apples of Pine beans of Green

berries of Dew apples of Love beans of Soy

berries of Boisen nuts of Pea melons of Water

berries of Black nuts of Wal melons of Musk

berries of Rasp nuts of Hazel cherries of Pie

berries of Blue nuts of Chest cherries of Choke

berries of Mul nuts of Brazil glories of Morning

berries of Cran nuts of Monkey rooms of Mush

berries of Elder nuts of Pecan days of Dog

berries of Haw nuts of Grape puppies of Hush 

You can learn more about the piece and hear Steve Zielke's excellent choir sing it here:
http://www.paulcarey.net/Music/Play_With_Your_Food.htm 

Many of you may know "Play with your Food"- it is published by Walton and contains the middle movement "Mashed Potato Love Poem" (hey, would you choose to be with your lover or a third helping of mashed potaties?) and "Vending Machine", about a boy and his Dad buying some peanut butter crackers at a vending machine. All the texts are witty- not just generically humorous. I balk when people sometimes call these "novelty" pieces- they are more than that thanks to the quality of the texts. Btw, there is also now an SSA/piano version of Mashed Potato Love Poem (it is also selling very well).

I'll update as the conference goes- time allowing. I am on a whirlwind tour of conferences, residencies,and concerts featuring my music. Over 5-6 weeks I will be in Cincy, Madison WI, Richmond VA, Jacksonville FL, Little Rock AK, and New Orleans. I am totally looking forward to visiting those warm weather cities! 

Give your Valentine some Mashed Potatoes

For all you incurable romantics, here is Kokopelli from Canada singing movements 2 (Mashed Potato Love Song) and 3 (Vending Machine)  from my "Play with your Food", published by Walton. Enjoy!

The text for Mashed Potatoes is by British doctor Sydney Hoddes, who in his rabble-rousing youth hung out with the Beatles in their early days! All of Sydney's poems are about sex, food, or both. Dude has his priorities.

Lightly whipped, with a little pool of butter

Xavier University Concert Choir Winter Tour

Happy New Year!

Sherri, Aidan, and I had a great trip right after Christmas and on through yesterday down to the Buffalo River area of Missouri/Arkansas. We hiked Lost Valley near Ponca- an incredible area with caves and waterfalls. Also near Ponca we saw a herd of wild elk (these are western elk restored where the eastern elk disappeared from years ago). We also saw eight bald eagles soaring above the dam on Table Rock Lake, thousands of young trout at the fish hatchery, owls out during daylight, and much more. Aidan also spent a ton of time in the very large pool at the motel working on his swimming (and splashing) skills. All in all we had a great time.

Just a quick heads up if you are in any of the following areas (see below)- Tom Merrill's Xavier University Concert Choir from Cincinnati is touring the Midwest now and the repertoire includes my “Play with your Food”. The other repertoire (which I can't seem to find right now) is pretty classy stuff. Catch them if you can!

(Tom Merrill)

Winter Tour Venues 2012

Tuesday, January 3
Concert Venue:
St, Francis Xavier Church (SLU campus)
3628 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108

Wednesday, January 4
Concert: (7:30 pm)
Holy Cross Church
405 West Clark St.
Champaign, IL 61820

Thursday, January 5
Concert: (7:30 pm)
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
209 South Street
Wauanakee, WI 53597

Saturday, January 7
Concert: (7:30 pm).
St. Matthew Cathedral
1701 Miami St.
South Bend, IN 46613

Sunday, January 8
10 am Mass at Basilica of Notre Dame
Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Food Glorious Food!

I'm happy to see more and more choirs discovering two of my pieces which have the most fun, most creative texts-- "My Friend Elijah" (Walton Cat # HL08501621) and "Play with your Food" (Walton cat. # HL08501682)

The whole three part set and excerpted movements of "Play with your Food" have been featured this season by a number of choirs, including two separate performances at the NW ACDA conference a few weeks ago in Seattle. And now coming up, Bemidji State University is singing the whole set on their spring tour (see tour info below). Many thanks to Dr. Bradley Logan and the choir!

I get a kick out of some comments here and there from some people who know my music- they have noticed I have written a whole bunch of food-based tunes. Well. we all get hungry, don't we? And I keep finding really great texts about food, I just can't resist them. Beside all the food references in "Play with your Food", "My Friend Elijah" talks about Oreo cookies a bit, on its way to discovering miracles and a vision of God- gosh, that Elijah fellow gets around.

Btw, here are the poems from "Play with your Food" (an interesting side note- Sidney Hoddes, the author of Mashed Potato/Love Poem used to hang out with the Beatles in Liverpool before they became famous):


I. Summer’s Bounty by May Swenson

berries of Straw apples of Crab beans of Lima
berries of Goose apples of May beans of Jelly
berries of Huckle apples of Pine beans of Green
berries of Dew apples of Love beans of Soy

berries of Boisen nuts of Pea melons of Water
berries of Black nuts of Wal melons of Musk
berries of Rasp nuts of Hazel cherries of Pie
berries of Blue nuts of Chest cherries of Choke

berries of Mul nuts of Brazil glories of Morning
berries of Cran nuts of Monkey rooms of Mush
berries of Elder nuts of Pecan days of Dog
berries of Haw nuts of Grape puppies of Hush









II. Mashed Potato/Love Poem by Sidney Hoddes

If I ever had to choose between you
and a third helping of mashed potato,
(whipped lightly with a fork
not whisked,
and a little pool of butter
melting in the middle...)

I think
I’d choose
the mashed potato.

But I’d choose you next.


III. Vending Machine by Grey Held

Let me do It!, he shouts.
I take the coins from my pocket,
and he counts out the quarters—three, four:
I pick him up so he can slide
the money in. He pushes the buttons:
K—I whisper,
10— I whisper. Out falls
the package of peanut butter crackers.


He grabs it from me, yanks
the little red string that opens the wrapper
and it falls to the floor. He unglues
the top half of a sandwich,
scrapes the peanut butter off
with his teeth, his tongue, polishing
the cracker into the soggy circle
he hands to me. Your half, he says
and I take it.


And here is the info on Bemidji State's tour- maybe you can make it if you are in the Upper Midwest!

BEMIDJI, Minn. (March 30, 2010) — The Bemidji Choir and Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. P. Bradley Logan, professor of music at Bemidji State University, will open a five-day 2010 spring tour on Tuesday, April 6, in Grand Forks, N.D.

The tour begins April 6 and will include eight concerts in six cities in Minnesota and North Dakota, culminating with a Saturday, April 10, home concert in Bemidji. Tour dates include:

• Tuesday, April 6 - Grand Forks, N.D.
The Bemidji Choir features Grand Forks native Anna Smith, a senior in music/liberal arts and music/teacher certification and choir manager.
12:15 p.m. - Central High School; 115 N. 4th St.
2 p.m. - Red River High School; 2211 7th Ave. S.
7:30 p.m. - United Lutheran Church; 324 Chestnut St.
• Wednesday, April 7 - Bismarck, N.D.
The Bemidji Choir features Bismarck natives Alyssa Wagner, sophomore in elementary education and social studies education, and Alex Ferderer, freshman in music/teacher certification.
7:30 p.m. - Cathedral of the Holy Spirit; 508 Raymond St.
• Thursday, April 8 - Moorhead, Minn.
7:30 p.m. - St. Joseph’s Catholic Church; 218 10th St. S.
• Friday, April 9 - Fargo, N.D.
11:52 a.m. - Shanley High School; 5600 25th St. S.
• Friday, April 9 - Park Rapids, Minn.
The Bemidji Choir features Park Rapids native Nick Dahn, a sophomore in music/liberal arts.
7:30 p.m. - St. John’s Lutheran Church; 803 W. 1st St.
• Saturday, April 10 - Bemidji, Minn.
7:30 p.m. - Bethel Lutheran Church; 5232 Irvine Ave. NW.

The program will feature a broad array of pieces, including “O Magnum Mysterium” by Jeff Enns and a trio of pieces by Paul Carey collectively called “Play With Your Food!”

The Bemidji Choir was founded in 1937 by Carl O. Thompson and has gained an international reputation for excellence. The choir has represented the United States five times at The Europa Cantat, an international choir festival, and has performed in a number of other countries including Israel, Italy, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. The choir also has performed at numerous national and regional conventions across the United States.

The choir has also produced Bemidji State University’s world-reknowned Madrigal Dinners for each of their 41 seasons.

The 2010 Bemidji Choir features 54 singers, while the Chamber Singers is an auditioned choir of 16 members from within the Bemidji Choir.

Dr. Brad Logan, director
Logan, chair of Bemidji State’s Department of Music and director of choral activities, received his undergraduate degree from North Dakota State University, a master’s from California State University in Long Beach and a doctorate from the University of Illinois. He has served on the faculties of the University of Montevallo, Louisiana College, University of Illinois and California State University in Long Beach. He made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting René Clausen’s “a new Creation” in 2002, conducted the BSU Chamber Singers on Garrison Keillor’s “Prairie Home Companion” in 2003 and served as conductor of the Röthenberg Choral Festival in Röthenberg, Germany, in 2005. He is the executor of the Edwin R. Fissinger Musical Estate and serves as co-editor of the Edwin Fissinger Choral Series published by Meadowlark Music Publications. Dr. Logan has been an active teacher of voice for 30 years. His studio has produced numerous winners of state and division National Association of Teachers of Singing competitions and prepared students for graduate study at leading conservatories in the United States.

About Bemidji State University Bemidji State University, located in northern Minnesota's lake district, occupies a beautiful campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. The University enrolls nearly 5,000 students annually and offerings include more than 65 undergraduate majors and 13 graduate programs encompassing the liberal arts, interdisciplinary studies and applied fields. The University is a member of the Minnesota State College and Universities System and has a faculty and staff of nearly 600. University signature themes include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and global/multicultural understanding. For further information about the University, visit our web site at: http://www.bemidjistate.edu.

Round is a very cool shape, unless you want to be a supermodel

(Bob Chilcott, photo credit: Vicky Alhedeff)




I recently did a three hour clinic with an incredible HS choral ensemble at Jacobs High School in Algonquin IL. They were preparing for some invited performances in San Diego in early April and one of the pieces was my Mashed Potato/Love Poem from the three tune set Play with your Food! (published by Walton). So I was there to work with them not only on their mashed potatoes ("stirred, not whisked") but to give them some feedback on all their other music as well.

Wow, this is a great choir, directer by an amazing young director- Andrew Collins. Andrew has truly inspired these students. When he sent me some of the repertoire they are doing I remarked to myself that this looked like college material. And I really often wish that HS directors would stop overreaching what their students can really handle. But... after hearing them sing a few things I realize that they truly could sing at the college level in every way- impeccable tone, intonation, balance, phrasing, you name it (oh yeah, they also had plenty of very accomplished tenors- rare here in Chicago and most other environs as well).

We worked on a number of things- foremost being my pet project- effectively communicating text and mood to the audience and make a true connection with them. And one of the most amazing things we did was to get in a circle and sing to each other. The tune was one of their easier ones but quite gorgeous and very meaningful- Bob Chilcott's choral arrangement of U2's MLK (about Martin Luther King of course). So we sang it in the circle and since they had it memorized I had them hold hands and make that connection throughout the choir. But the most electric moment was this-- when I had Andrew stand inside the circle-- not to conduct (hey, by now I also had them singing with their eyes closed!) but to feel the energy inside the circle of these souls singing a text with heartfelt meaning. Also, keep in mind, they also had to sing "together", ie. start and finish their phrases without any visual cues from Andrew or each other. So... when they finished, the intensity of emotion in the room was such that it was many seconds before they all had opened their eyes... and many seconds more before anyone finally spoke. And then when the moment had ended, I asked Andrew to tell the choir what it felt like to stand inside the circle. Basically he told them that it made his hair stand on end at times, and that their energy and connectedness was what he had been hoping for all year. They did it! And the best thing about it was that we all connected, all focused, and I really think that more choirs should rehearse in this circle formation as much as possible- it really connects singers to each other in so many positive ways.

Andrew's school presented me with a very rewarding honorarium as I left, but the real reward for me was the honor of working with them for a very intense, but also very fun three hours. Best wishes to them all as they perform in sunny San Diego!