My Musical Musings Blog | betsyleebaileymusic.com - The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey

Thinking Big, Possibly Too Big?

9/25/2023

Some hymn arrangements were definitely written for large choirs. For example, think of a piece that has the 1st Soprano section holding a note high above the Treble staff for 8 measures at the end while the orchestra does the play out big finish. Yeah, well that doesn't exactly work well for a small 12-15 voice Ward choir with only a piano for accompaniment.

And what about the arrangements that start out pretty straight forward, possibly in unison for the first verse, then suddenly split into 4-part Men or 8-part full choir. That doesn't work so well for a group with only 4 Basses, 1 Tenor, 5 altos, and 2 Sopranos.

Sometimes even with a "bigger" group, or a small group with "bigger" voices, the balance just doesn't work out right. Sure those pieces that are performed so well by the Tabernacle Choir or a fine College Choir seem fun to pull out for a Ward or Stake group. But should you? Really?

There is quite a temptation to think big when planning for a special event such as Stake Conference or Christmas. A choir director who knows there are some great voices in her ward or stake might feel that "certainly, if I choose some grand choral works I will attract those singers to come." Realistically, though, people have issues in their lives that sometimes make it impossible for them to support even the most worthy projects.

And even if some of those good singers say they will come up from the audience just for the performance (because they already know the song or they can sight-read well), they don't really contribute to helping the group be cohesive. Plus, there is merit in having those good singers at rehearsals to help the stalwart singers feel more confident.

My advice is to make sure you have the SUPPORT you need before you choose the music. Once you reasonably can judge your REHEARSAL attendance you can responsibly select music to suit your group.

As an audience member, I would much rather hear a simple hymn or arrangement sung well-blended with the spirit than hear ambitious music done poorly.

The Girl from No Where Who Went Everywhere

9/13/2023

Recently my cousin called me with an idea. She said that our grandchildren in the extended Thompson family needed something to help them learn about our famous aunt Janie Thompson and all the good things she did and stood for. She said that I should write a picture book about Janie and get it ready to give as gifts for Christmas.

So, I have been doing my best to get started. But, where do you start to tell a person's story that is larger than life? And how do you make it appealing for young children? I decided that it needed to be told from a child's perspective. Then it dawned on me that I was that child. Janie had me singing on her shows from the tender age of 4. I just happened to be around to observe many of the important events of her life. I even lived with her through my college years and got to hear her stories over and over. But which stories do I include?

For such a glamorous lady, her beginnings were quite humble. Jane Thompson, "Janie," as she was later called, was born into a musical family sent to settle in a remote part of southern Idaho. These were people with no farming or ranching experience, but heeded the call to settle the far corners of the West. Janie's parents had a ranch, but found that their abilities were better suited to running the local Post Office. Grandma Lora was a celebrated operatic soprano who had entertained VIP's from all over the world and was a soloist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Grandpa J. Henry was a basso profundo. Together they passed on their love of music and created an artistic haven amidst the tumbleweeds of Malta, Idaho.

Janie loved playing the piano and singing and dancing. Grandma Lora used Janie's natural gifts to help her direct shows with the children in town. Grandma had the vision, and young Janie provided the model for the children to follow. Janie grew up knowing that she had God-given talents. Her parents made sure she knew that "where much is given, much is expected." She lived her life by that motto and always said that the best way to show gratitude for God's gifts was to magnify them.

Janie went on to hone her gifts for pop singing and playing the piano and decided to audition for the USO just after WWII. She had the opportunity of touring and entertaining servicemen over-seas. Later she sang with Ike Carpenter's big band and the young Tony Bennett. He was the crooner and she was the "Red Hot Mama."

Janie would have been happy continuing on in this show business career, but she felt the need to serve a mission for the LDS Church (in Wales). Later she hoped to rejoin the Ike Carpenter Band as she was invited to do, but accepted a position at BYU instead. While at Brigham Young University, she developed the talents of the students in the Program Bureau.

She used her contacts in the US Defense Department to sponsor the BYU student show groups that toured all over the world. Her groups were the first college groups to go to the Far East and China, India, Russia, Africa, South America, and the Holy Land besides the many European and State-side destinations already open to show groups. In her time at BYU, Janie took tours to every Continent (excluding Antarctica) and nearly every country in the world. Janie's special gifts were to help others develop their talents. She influenced many people for good and even launched many careers.

In her later years, Janie found herself in great demand once again as an entertainer. She decided to write herself special material to perform. Janie's signature song was "I've Been Everywhere, Man" (the Johnny Cash favorite) but adapted for her own use. She wrote eight additional verses that told of her travels all around the world.

My sister kindly suggested that the title of the story book should be "The Girl from No Where Who Went Everywhere" because she really had!

Being "Cringe"

9/6/2023

As an older person, I understand the definition of "cringe" to be a verb meaning to hang your head in embarrassment for a person who does something socially awkward. Apparently, being "cringe" has a new life as a noun in today's vernacular.

In the US, "cringe" is an informal verb that refers to the feeling of embarrassment, discomfort or awkwardness that someone might experience when watching or participating in something that is considered socially awkward, embarrassing or uncomfortable. It can also be used as a noun to refer to something that causes that feeling.

When music teachers complain that their students, particularly the elementary school 11-12 year old boys, call the teacher "cringe" or the music or activity "cringe," that is alarming. Understandably, the boys in that age-range have a hard time still singing in the Treble clef. They don't want to sound like girls, although most boys don't drop the octave until they are teenagers. But they should have opportunities and examples to help them work through that awkward time.

For 4th-5th grade Chorus class, I found it useful to do 2-part pieces that lean toward having a certified "Bass" part. In other words, rather than being built exclusively following 3rds under the Soprano melody, the Part 2 dances between the Tonic and Dominant with a lot of contrary motion more akin to how the lowest choral part in the Bass Clef is written. I even tell the boys that this is a Bass part. That usually secures their interest in singing it. (We sometimes take a vote as to whether we will even allow any "alto" girl voices to sing it, too.)

Once we establish that singing that part is cool, we don't have nearly the attitude issues with it being "cringe."

An example of this is "Jingle Bells" for 2-Part Children's Chorus.

Updates on the New LDS Hymnbook

8/28/2023

Many people have been wondering when the new LDS Hymnbook will be coming out. After attending some classes presented by members of the Hymnbook Committee at BYU Education Week, I have a new appreciation for how much time it has been taking. Apparently, over 17,000 hymns and Primary songs were submitted. The committee said that they have reviewed each and every one of them. However, there is no way that many new hymns can possibly be included in the new hymnbook!

They told us that each hymn or song has been quadruple-blind reviewed by at least 130 top-notched musicians. They had to narrow down the selection to roughly 500. From those, they have enlisted help from translator/poets and musicians from countries all over the world who can identify the hymns and Primary songs that could be most successfully translated into their languages. The goal is to publish the new hymnbook simultaneously all over the world in all the possible languages at the same time --- they are projecting sometime in 2026.

Those of us who attended the classes got a close-up peak at the process of TRANSCREATION --- a new term the committee coined. Because of the many differences in languages --- including lengths of syllables, cultural idioms, languages that are tonal, and some that are read right to left NOT left to right --- there are HUGE problems fitting words to music across so many languages. The translators must have the poetic gifts to create hymn lyrics that fit the tunes as well as convey a similar message as the original hymn given the musical constraints.

Suffice it to say that I have little hope for the chances of any of my submissions to be considered. However, they will very likely be listed on the new SACRED MUSIC app. Look for them there, if you are interested.

Go Forth in the Service of God - Hymn (original)
Come All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth - Hymn (new tune and SATB setting)
My Baptism Covenant - Primary Song (original)
Live By the Light of His Love - Primary Song (original)
Lord of All - Christmas - Primary Song (original)
How Far Is Heaven? - Primary Song (original) about Temples
Put On the Whole Armor of God - Primary Song (original)

Planning Choir Music

8/17/2023

One of the most difficult tasks for a choir director seems to be choosing music. It isn't so hard if the THEMES are already chosen, but that rarely happens. It doesn't even matter if the choir is a Children's Chorus for Elementary School, a Community Choral Society, or a Church Choir. The problems for the directors are the same. Picking pieces for their groups to sing is time consuming and hard.

First, you've got to find MUSIC THAT SUITS YOUR GROUP. That can mean that the song that you heard another group sound so good doing just may not work for your group. So your first thoughts are dashed to pieces.

You need to find songs that your ACCOMPANIST can manage. Or sometimes you have no regular accompanist, but the other options for accompaniment aren't that great, either.

Your BUDGET is tight, so you either have to use music that already exists in your library stacks or be very creative and frugal.

Seems I've spent my life doing the creative and frugal route. Many times I have searched and searched for that perfect piece for my chorus only to run out of time. So I just wrote one. Or, I didn't have an accompanist, so I just directed from the piano bench. Or I got around not having much in the budget by strategically using music from the library stacks or my own private files and only afforded that one new piece I just had to have.

In the end, PLANNING is a matter of being AWARE of upcoming needs and situations and by using your own CREATIVITY to work things out. It can be done.

This version of "Away in a Manger" came about because of some particular circumstances we had one year for our Ward Choir. I had a good choir of about 20-25 voices, a lovely young high soprano soloist, and a very inexperienced accompanist. (That year, we actually did several a cappella pieces on our Christmas program because our pianist could only handle a couple of songs. In order to fill out the program, we had to do a cappella pieces!)

Special Musical Numbers

8/6/2023

The summer months can be particularly hard for a Ward Music Coordinator to find Special Musical Numbers for Sacrament Meetings. So many musicians go out of town or have other commitments during the summer that make them unavailable.

I have heard of some pretty creative solutions, though.

A family I know volunteered to sing in their ward. They had to do something very simple, but what they came up with was quite successful.

Some wards do InstaChoirs where they ask anyone who wants to join in to just come up and sing a hymn from the hymnal.

Then I heard of a Ward that had all of the men just stand up in their places and sing "Ye Elders of Israel."

The Primary children sometimes get asked to try out one of the songs they are preparing for their Sacrament Meeting Presentation later in the year.

Sometimes, one of the youth is available to play a piano or other instrumental solo.

We've had trouble in our Ward with the speakers getting very long-winded. This summer we've had to nix the Intermediate Hymn completely more than once. I wonder what would have happened had we also prepared Special Music for those days.

I am always glad when Fall comes around again and people are more willing to prepare Special Musical numbers for Church. I especially love having the choir sing. Only a few more weeks....

In the meantime, here are a few 2-Part Mixed Hymn Arrangements that have been used successfully for a family or small group or even a duet.

"Abide with Me 'tis Eventide," "Come Follow Me," "Count Your Blessings," and "Israel, Israel God Is Calling."

Settling the Untamed Wilderness

7/29/2023

This past week we have been working with 24 children to present a Children's Summer Theater camp show "Stone Soup." The kids are doing great and learning fast despite the 102 degree temperatures. (We work on our outdoor stage as early in the day as possible before the temperatures climb too high!)

The original tale of "Stone Soup" was set in Europe, I believe, and the main characters were soldiers. In fact, I believe that they were tricksters. Well, this show is set in the American Old West, and the Traveler is a good guy.

We are all about talking up the "Code of the West" or the certain behaviors that were never written down but adhered to just the same by the people settling the West.

Our show is about COOPERATION and how cooperating can benefit everyone.

What I didn't figure on is having trouble finding costumes for this young group. Every time I do this show, I tend to have kids of new and different sizes. I have been collecting costumes for years, but silly me, I just figured the costumes I had would fit the new cast members.

The trouble has been that here in Utah summertime is also TREK time. That means more people are scrambling to find Pioneer costumes for their kids going on Trek. So, very little was available to look through in the thrift stores where I like to shop (because that's what I, and apparently everybody else, can afford).

But thankfully, I think we finally found enough costumes. Shoes have been a different story though! Hopefully, all of the young actors (5-11 years old) can find boots and shoes that will work.

Now, if only the heat will moderate!

The Days of '47

7/24/2023

The Days of '47 is a holiday in Utah celebrating the Pioneers first entry into the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. We honor those pioneers who pushed across the plains hoping to build a new community in the batten mountain lands west of the current United States. Those early Latter-day Saints had been kicked out of the USA for their religious beliefs. They were being persecuted and oppressed and by moving west hoped to find a place where they could practice their religion in peace and safety.

We honor those early pioneers for their courage and endurance. We also honor today's pioneers who believe in God and also push forward with faith to practice their religious beliefs.

Several years ago I was asked to write a song to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the creation of the Baltimore Maryland Stake. The Stake President requested a song that would recognize the faith of the early pioneers of the Church as well as capture the strength and spirit of the new pioneers who are currently building the kingdom of God in the Baltimore area. There are many converts in the Baltimore area who are first generation members and truly new pioneers. The inspiration came in an instant. Of course, they were "Building on a Legacy of Faith" of those who went before, but they were also forging onward in new territory with new challenges and new triumphs.

"Building on a Legacy of Faith" may be sung to commemorate the efforts of the early Pioneers of the Church as well as to celebrate the many new pioneers throughout the world in our day who are bravely pressing on, ever seeking Zion.

It is a stirring Pioneer Anthem as well as a wonderful Missionary Anthem. These words exhort us to continue onward:

"Serve the Lord. Trust His word.
Make known His wondrous works in all the earth.
Learn of Him. Call upon His name.
Prepare for the day when Christ will come again."

"The time has come to stand a little taller,
To demonstrate our faith in the living God.
To do the work of His Beloved Son, our Master,
To follow in the ways that our Savior trod."

"Building on a Legacy of Faith_____
Ever moving forward; ever seeking Zion.
Servants of our God, working hand in hand,
Ever building on a legacy of faith."

Christmas in July

7/19/2023

Can't help but notice all of the "Christmas in July" action going on right now. From Hallmark movies to special sales, for good or bad, Christmas is the biggest holiday to be commercialized.

For musicians, though, they have to look ahead to get prepared for shows and concerts six months out. For schools, music teachers HAVE to prepare in July for the end of Fall semester concerts. It's just the way things work.

I have been noticing people asking for help and guidance to find new music and programming ideas for their shows. This doesn't surprise me. THERE IS SIMPLY SO MUCH STUFF OUT THERE to sift through. Teachers and Choral Directors have quite a job trying to come up with fresh material year after year.

Some schools don't have a dedicated music program, so the classroom teachers must provide their own numbers for the "Christmas Sing" Concert at the school. Most teachers just do the same songs each year. Now as a grandma of many, I cringe at going to hear the same songs year after year, concert after concert. Maybe try a five year rotation...

There is something to be said for having a few numbers on the program that are TRADITIONAL. But, if just for the sake of the long-suffering audience, it is so refreshing to have most of the program different from year to year. That said, you don't want all of the songs to be completely brand new, either. Singing at least a few old favorites helps the audience appreciate the show better.

Having a THEME to help unify the show is ultimately the best programming device the teacher or director has. Many times through the years, finding a good THEME for a concert has been the best and yet hardest part of my job as a director. I have spent days, perhaps months, scouring music stores for just the right theme songs for my shows. (That was in the olden days.) Now, having access to online sources and many chat groups for advice, the job seems so much easier.

Some of the Christmas Holiday show THEMES (songs) I have used are "Holiday Harmony," "Be a Santa," "Walking in a Winter Wonderland," "Caroling, Caroling," and "Under the Christmas Tree." Another theme song that became a fun show is "The Greatest Christmas Card in the Whole Wide World." These last two theme songs I actually wrote because I ran out of time searching.

Fortunately at my schools, we did not have to worry about being "politically correct." We just sang a wide variety of songs --- from winter fun songs to Nativity songs, even a few Jewish songs. All were appreciated.

Esperanza

7/15/2023

The Tabernacle Choir Summer Concert last night was beautiful and so joyful. My daughter's family from Pennsylvania came to see it with me. We were so happy to attend the concert.

The concert was all about HOPE or ESPERANZA in Spanish. They sang a few old favorites, or favorites repackaged to be performed in both Spanish and English. They sang some new pieces, also in Spanish or Spanish and English. Most of the music was about having HOPE in Jesus Christ. The spirit was strong.

I enjoyed hearing about the Pioneers of the Church in Mexico and Central and South America. That was very inspiring and interesting.

I especially loved the beautiful visuals that were put up on the walls behind the choir. So colorful and bright!

It was a beautiful concert! My sister Bonnie's last summer concert with the choir. (Tender feelings!)

The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey copyright 2020