Saturday 19 November 2016

November 2016


We've had some beautiful weather this month. Hard to believe that winter is on its way!

This month at SingWiv we learnt three songs: a gospel song from the Georgia Sea Islands off the US coast; a gorgeous Russian orthodox chant; and a children's nonsense song from Ghana.

"Johanna the row-di" is from the singing of Bessie Jones. She was a founding member of the Georgia Sea Island Singers. Here she is singing Johanna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9bauagVqd4

“They would go out and row the boats at nights, days and nights, sometimes in the day, but most had to row at night and try to get some fish, you know, to have meat for their children. They called it meat, like the Bible. And sometimes they would row boat all night and not have fish enough the next morning and that’s the song they would be singing for Johanna to go and get the boat. She go out and row you see, and try to get a mess of fish ’cause sometime the fish swim at a certain time and perhaps she could get a mess ’cause he done rowed all night he’s tired, you see, and then he got to try to get a little bit of rest, you know, and then go to work.”

"Mnogaya leta" was composed by Dmitry Bortnianski (1752-1825). It means (Lord grant us) "Many years."

Here it is being sung in St Petersburg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V1oph-Z1Ps

"Senwa dedende" is a children's nonsense song from Ghana. It is an Akan or Twi song. This is just the chorus, adapted so it works as a round

"Vulture, vulture Your mother is calling you 

What does she want me to do? 

She wants you to come and eat. 

What kind of food is it? Fufu and abenkwan (Fufu is a doughy dish served with soup. Abenkwan is a palm nut soup)

Let the children share it."  

Here is the link to November's recordings.