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All Around the Circle | Walter Hall, Toronto
A tapestry of Canadian song

date: May 3, 1992

Three concerted works for voices and piano(s) were interspersed with solo songs by various Canadian composers, in French and in English.  The climax of the concert was the premiere of our tenth anniversary commission, Derek Holman’s Contrasts for vocal quartet and piano-duet, which utilised various Canadian poets and climaxed with an uproarious setting of Duke Rainbird’s I am a Canadian.  Music was framed by Kate Trotter’s characterful readings from the writings of various 18th and 19th century ladies in Canada.

Song Artist Composer Poet
Sigh no more, ladies (Songs from Shakespeare) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Freedman, Harry Shakespeare, William
Come away, death (Songs from Shakespeare) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Freedman, Harry Shakespeare, William
It was a lover and his lass (Songs from Shakespeare) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Freedman, Harry Shakespeare, William
Brigg Fair Houtman, Martin, tenor; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Lincolnshire folksong, arr. Willan, Healey anon.
Serenade Houtman, Martin, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano Beckwith, John Thibaudeau, Colleen
Polka (Music for Dancing) Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Beckwith, John n/a
The Trusting Heart Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano Fleming, Robert Parker, Dorothy
The Lake Isle of Innisfree Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Willan, Healey Yeats, William Butler
When the ice worms nest again (All Around the Circle) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Folksong from the Arctic, arr. Greer, John anon.
The Alberta Homestead (All Around the Circle) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Alberta folksong, arr. Greer, John anon.
Old Grandma (All Around the Circle) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Prairie folksong, arr. Greer, John anon.
Rattle on the Stovepipe (All Around the Circle) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Ontario folksong, arr. Greer, John anon.
Do you see that there bird? (All Around the Circle) Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Nova Scotia folksong, arr. Greer, John anon.
The Morning Dew (All Around the Circle) Robbin, Catherine; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Newfoundland folksong, arr. Greer, John anon.
Quodlibet (All Around the Circle) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Newfoundland folksongs, arr. Greer, John anon.
INTERMISSION
Andalouse: Boléro, Op.38 Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Lavallée, Calixa Musset, Alfred de
Mon Bouquet Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Fortier, Achille Fréchette, Louis
Impromptu Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Fortier, Achille Gill, Charles
Dear old Donegal Robbin, Catherine, mezzo Irish song anon.
Oh! can you leave your native land? – A Canadian Song (Contrasts) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Holman, Derek Moodie, Susanna
My jolly shantyboy – Ontario lumbermen’s song (Contrasts) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Holman, Derek anon.
Le Cloître noir (Contrasts) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Holman, Derek Nelligan, Emile
Autumn (Contrasts) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Holman, Derek Scott, Duncan Campbell
I am a Canadian (Contrasts) Hermiston, Nancy, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Houtman, Martin, tenor; Oland, Erik, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Holman, Derek Redbird, Duke