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I do like to be beside the seaside – November 18, 1988 | St. George's Hall, Toronto
Songs by the sea

date: November 18, 1988

This programme was requested by the St. George’s Society of Toronto.  We took songs sung by those on the sea (sailors, passengers, pirates, mermaids and others) and also by those viewing the sea from on shore  –  on the French coast, in an Italian bar, on the Hebridean islands.  At the suggestion of the Society, the first half ended with a taste of “end of the pier” entertainment:  songs from some of the most popular English and American shows of the early 20th century.  Some suitable poetic extracts separated the musical numbers.  A shortened preview of the concert was presented the previous day at the North York Central Library.

Song Artist Composer Poet
Sea Fever Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Ireland, John Masefield, John
The Mermaid’s Song Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Haydn, Franz Joseph Hunter, Anne
Oh, better far to live and die (The Pirates of Penzance) Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Sullivan, Sir Arthur Gilbert, Sir William Schwenck
Sabbath Morning at Sea, Op.37/3 (Sea Pictures) Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano Elgar, Sir Edward Elgar Browning, Elizabeth Barrett
Vaisseaux, nous vous aurons aimés, Op.118/4 (L’Horizon chimérique) Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Fauré, Gabriel La Ville de Mirmont, Jean de
La Cathédrale engloutie (Préludes I) Ralls, Stephen, piano Debussy, Claude n/a
De grève (Proses lyriques) Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Debussy, Claude Debussy, Claude
A bar on the Piccola Marina Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Coward, Sir Noël Coward, Sir Noël
The Dream Melody – Intermezzo (Naughty Marietta) Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Herbert, Victor n/a
Only a rose (The Vagabond King) Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Friml, Rudolf Hooker, Brian
On the road to Mandalay Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Speaks, Oley Kipling, Rudyard
Let’s do it (Paris) Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Porter, Cole Porter, Cole
Ah! sweet mystery of life (Naughty Marietta) Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Herbert, Victor Young, Rida Johnson
INTERMISSION
Overture: Die Hebriden (Fingalshöhle), Op.26 Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix n/a
An Eriskay Love-Lilt (Songs of the Hebrides) Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Hebridean folksong, arr. Kennedy-Fraser, Marjory anon.
The Floral Dance Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Moss, Katie Moss, Katie
Sail on, sail on Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Irish folksong, arr. Britten, Benjamin Moore, Thomas
Drake’s Drum, Op.91/1 (Songs of the Sea) Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Stanford, Sir Charles Villiers Newbolt, Sir Henry
Matelot (Sigh No More) Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano Coward, Sir Noël Coward, Sir Noël
The Mermaid Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano English folksong, arr. Vignoles, Roger anon.
I do like to be beside the seaside – ENCORE Burgess, Norine, mezzo; Wilson, Mark, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Glover-Kind, John A. Glover-Kind, John A.