Laurier Choirs: Program Notes, Lyrics, and Translations

Feb. 4, 2026

*indicates Canadian composer

i carry your heart

by Laura Farnell

Laura Farnell’s setting of e.e. cummings’ 1952 poem captures the essence of inseparable love through serene, lyrical vocal lines. With a flowing piano accompaniment that mimics a steady heartbeat, the work translates cummings’ intimate text into a lush and deeply expressive choral experience.

Ta Tikee Tei from Soundchants

by Sid Robinovich*

From the composer: “Soundchants was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for Podium’94 on behalf of the University of Manitoba Singers. The title encapsulates two major features of this work: the pieces utilize sounds, not words taken from any real language; and they have a chant-like quality akin to music found in some folk cultures. “Ta Tikee Tei” owes its inspiration specifically to a vocal practice associated with East Indian music.”

Verleih uns Frieden

by Felix Mendelssohn, with text by Martin Luther

Composed in 1831, Verleih uns Frieden is a masterful "chorale cantata" based on Martin Luther’s prayer for peace. Despite its brevity, the work is celebrated for its exquisite craftsmanship; Robert Schumann once compared its perfection to a Raphael Madonna.

The piece is built on a single, elegant melody that unfolds with prayerful simplicity. It begins with the lower voices in a hushed unison and gradually blossoms into a rich, four-part choral texture. Through its flowing accompaniment and gentle harmonic shifts, Mendelssohn captures a sense of profound serenity and timeless hope.

Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich,
Herr Gott, zu unsern Zeiten.
Es ist doch ja kein andrer nicht,
der für uns könnte streiten,
denn du, unser Gott, alleine.

Graciously grant us peace,
Lord God, in our time.
There is no one else,
who could fight for us,
than You, our God, alone.

Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11

by Gabriel Fauré

Composed in 1865 when Fauré was only nineteen, Cantique de Jean Racine won him the first prize in composition at the École Niedermeyer. Though written as a student work, it already contains the hallmarks of his mature style: elegant melodic lines, sophisticated harmonies, and a sense of understated "French" refinement. The text is a 17th-century paraphrase by playwright Jean Racine of the Latin hymn Consors paterni luminis. Fauré sets this prayerful text over a shimmering, triplet-driven accompaniment. The work begins with a low, supportive bass line that builds into a rich, four-part texture, ultimately resolving in a tranquil, luminous finish.

Verbe égal au Très-Haut, notre unique espérance,
Jour éternel de la terre et des cieux;
De la paisible nuit nous rompons le silence,
Divin Sauveur, jette sur nous les yeux!
Répands sur nous le feu de ta grâce puissante,
Que tout l'enfer fuie au son de ta voix;
Dissipe le sommeil d'une âme languissante,
Qui la conduit à l'oubli de tes lois!
O Christ, sois favorable à ce peuple fidèle
Pour te bénir maintenant rassemblé.
Reçois les chants qu'il offre à ta gloire éternelle,
Et de tes dons qu'il retourne comblé!

Word, equal to the Most High, our only hope,
Eternal day of the earth and the heavens;
We break the silence of the peaceful night,
Divine Savior, cast Your eyes upon us!
Pour out upon us the fire of Your mighty grace,
Let all hell flee at the sound of Your voice;
Dispel the slumber of a languishing soul,
Which leads it to forget Your laws!
O Christ, be favorable to this faithful people
Now gathered to bless You.
Receive the songs they offer to Your eternal glory,
And may they return laden with Your gifts!

Heart of Earth

by Shruti Rajasekar

From the composer: “Heart of Earth sets excerpts of poetry by Laura Purdie Salas, who lives in my home state, Minnesota. The localness was immediately appealing: her farmers’ market is my farmers’ market, after all. But I believe the beautiful imagery evoked here extends beyond my home to places that are special to all of you on this earth. To capture this sonically, I turned to the clapping games from my childhood (and perhaps yours, too). Like children, our earth is resilient, generous, and content when it is in equilibrium. There might seem, to quote Laura, like ‘natural talents’, but we adults would do well to learn these lessons from the earth and from our children.”

We Have A Secret

by Yolanda Lichty* (World Premiere, WLU Student Composer)

From the composer: “We Have a Secret is a poem by an unknown author, likely an early American. I enjoyed teaching it to my first-grade students and watching their faces as they unravelled the poem's clues. When I set it to music, I wanted to embrace the intergenerational nature of the poetry, so I gave it a catchy melody and repeatable chorus. I imagine an adult pushing a child on the swing and singing it with them. The melody travels through the three voices just as there are three in the poem who know the secret. I layered in body percussion and a few harmonies to make this a choral work, while still maintaining the folky freeness of a strong melody. I hope as people hear and sing this that they would turn to each other and smile at the truly lovely secret.”

Songs from Silence

by Elaine Hagenberg

Songs from Silence was composed in the summer of 2020 and offered as a gift to the choral community. It is intentionally designed to be repetitive, accessible, and adaptable to meet the needs of a variety of ensembles.

Alma Redemptoris

by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli
Porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,
Surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,
Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem.
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore
Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving Mother of the Redeemer,
who remains the gate
by which we mortals enter heaven,
and star of the sea,
help your fallen people who strive to rise:
You who gave birth, amazing nature,
to your sacred Creator:
Virgin prior and following,
taking from the mouth of Gabriel that Hail!
have mercy on our sins.

Song for Winter's Night

by Gordon Lightfoot*, arr. Michael Hanawalt and Justine Sasanfar

First released in 1967, Song for a Winter’s Night is a poignant masterpiece by the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. Unlike traditional holiday carols that focus on celebration, this song captures the quiet, contemplative solitude of a snowy evening. Lightfoot famously wrote the lyrics during a humid summer in Cleveland, Ohio, while feeling a deep sense of homesickness and longing for his loved ones in Canada.

I Am The Wind

by Elaine Hagenberg

From the composer: “In this piece, poet Zöe Atkins compares her uncertainty to the wavering winds and shifting shadows, contrasting with the unchanging stars and secure land. This poetic tension is mirrored musically through rhythmic contrast and dissonant choral harmonies which highlight the power of women’s voices—joining together, offering strength and, ultimately, soaring as one.”

Heavy Coat

by Isaac Wilton

From the composer: "Everybody processes grief differently. As with any emotion, grief is unpredictable, and sometimes cruel. This piece, Heavy Coat, is one attempt to set the experience to music. It is my belief that grief is what's left behind when something that's loved has gone, and all the grief we feel is the love we had but could not give. The sensation is something I've equated to wearing a heavy coat, being completely surrounded by its 'embrace,' but not being able to take it off.

As grief is unpredictable, so too is this piece to some extent. There is never any definitive key or tonality to ground yourself in, nor are there any two voices singing together for too long, indicating the instability and inner dialogues one has while grieving. The song begins with a solemn acceptance of our emotional state, moves into a happier-sounding reminiscent phrase before slowly spiraling down into the most dreadful moment of the piece. Afterwards, a warmth emerges into a larger flourish that wants to accept what has been lost. However, as grief is something that never goes away, the final harmony of this piece is left unresolved, waiting for something that isn't coming."

Butterfly

by Nancy Telfer*

From the composer: “Butterfly begins with an introduction which should be quiet and still but very much alive with the anticipation that something is about to happen. (Later), the music has a sense of exploration and wonder... stretched out in suspense, just before the butterfly takes off into freedom in the quick tempo. The music includes a feeling of soaring on the longer notes, a playfulness in the flittering sections, and a general sense of breathlessness and quick, random movement. At the end, the butterfly disappears into the distance leaving a soft humming sound.”

Lullaby

by Matthew Emery*

Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Music’s Dr. Matthew Emery set Thomas Dekker’s poem “Cradle Song” to music by employing warm, lush, harmonic language along with a lovely, lyrical treatment of the familiar bedtime poem. The SATB version of this piece was premiered at the vancouver Chamber Choir’s semi-annual Youth and music concert in 2015.

To Sit and Dream

by Rosephanye Powell, words from “To You” by Langston Hughes

From the composer: “In To Sit and Dream, I sought to musically paint Hughes’ poignant poetry with jazz harmonic colors, rhythmic syncopation, and improvised speech. The song begins with a piano introduction comprised of a simple “quiet” motive which depicts Hughes’ placidity as he sits alone disheartened while reading the newspaper headlines. I chose to set “unfettered, free. Help me, help me” in an improvisatory sung-speech style to imitate the free-style speech heard in jazz poetry. In the last section, Hughes, still in a dream-like trance, finds himself on the streets of Harlem reaching out his hand to any who will join him in making “our world anew.” As each person joins Hughes, reaching out their hands to others, a growing crowd of people come together to create a new world characterized by love, peace, equality, and justice for all. At the end, Hughes awakesn, the newspaper headlines still before him, and resolves that he may never see such a day –excepts as he sits and dreams.”

Singkap Siaga

by Tracy Wong*

From the composer: “I drew inspiration from the almost-extinct Malay tradition of shadow puppet theatre and its music – Wayang Kulit Kelantan. I remember learning how to make these puppets in school in Malaysia. This artform reminded me how light and shadow are equal in beauty, thus shifting my perspective of “shadow” and “darkness” having negative connotations. Throughout my research on this tradition, I have been drawn to a scene in the show where the Dewa Panah (two Arrow Gods, one good and one evil) descend from the sky and battle each other. Neither wins. Life goes on in a balance.

The piece is 5% text (Singkap Siaga) and 95% vocables, based on the pre-existing vocal equivalent of the stylings and tone of the traditional gamelan instruments used in the Wayang Kulit Kelantan shadow puppet theatre practice – gong, dak, ding, dong, tsak, tsng. The rhythmic elements and patterns are also inspired by the music accompanying the Dewa Panah scene.”

Norwegian Trilogy

Norwegian folksongs, arr. Margaret King*

From the composer: “Norway is a country rich in folk tradition. In addition to beautiful melodies, elements of folk dance and instrumental music can be heard throughout this work. The Cantilon Chamber Choir learned the tunes of Norwegian Trilogy from a trio of folk musicians (a singer, fiddler, and tabla player) over the course of three intense and exciting days. New melodies, language and cow calls were all learned in true folk music fashion – by ear. This experience enriched the lives of all involved and has created a love of Norwegian folk music that will last a life time.”

I. God morgen Ola Reppom
God morgen Ola Reppom,
god morgen te deg,
tak au deg slein skreppa,
tak på deg rein skjarte,
kem og legg deg med meg.

Good morning, Ola Reppom
good morning to you,
take off your stone pack,
put on your clean shirt,
come and lie down with me.

II. Ned i vester soli glader
Ned i vester soli glader.
Takk for dagen, Gud of Fader,
giv oss trygd til natti no!
Takk for mat og, takk for klede,
takk for arbeidskraft og glede,
giv oss hjartefred og ro,
giv oss hjartefred og ro!

Down in the west, happy sun.
thanks for the day, God and Father.
Give us protection during the night now.
Thanks for food and thanks for clothing
thanks for the strength to work and the joy.
Give us peace in heart and rest,
Give us peace in heart and rest!

III. Ekorn gjekk på volln og slo
Ekorn gjekk på volln og slo
og ekorn ljåen forte.
Skjora lesste kråka drog
og vessle pusekatten kjørte.

The squirrel mowed the hay on the field
and the squirrel worked the scythe.
The magpie loaded, the crow pulled
and the little car was driving.

Laudate Dominum (Psalm 117)

by Dan Davison

From the composer: “Laudate Dominum was written because of an unsuccessful trip to the music store. I went to a very good sheet music store in hopes of finding a two-part classical piece for my young male choir. Perhaps something by Mozart of Haydn, I wanted a piece with an appealing classical beat, and I wanted the ranged to be perfect for my tenors and basses. When I didn’t find that piece, I decided I would write my own using the above mentioned criteria. The constant eighth notes in the left hand of the piano are designed to imitate the sound of a cello in a string quartet. The (vocal) parts have been written so as to be equal in importance, meaning that the parts take turns in the musical spotlight.”

Latin King James version
Laudate Dominum omnes gentes
Laudate eum, omnes populi
Quoniam confirmata est
super nos misericordia eius
Et veritas Domini manet in aeternum
Alleluia.

O praise the Lord, all ye nations:
Praise Him, all ye people.
For His merciful kindness is great toward us:
And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.
Praise ye the Lord.

Water from Elements

by Katerina Gimon*

From the composer's website: “Elements is a set of choral works that abstractly depict the four classical elements and explores the wide range of capabilities of the human voice - from overtone singing, to vocal percussion, to colourful vocal timbres. Elements was premiered in March 2014 by Laurier Singers under Lee Willingham.”

“Water presents powerful soaring textures and lilting melodies that grow and decay like waves in the ocean.”

United in Song

by Paul Halley

About this work, notes by Vanessa Halley, daughter of Paul Halley, for the Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir recording "Songs of the Sea" (2025):

"Nick (Halley) and I knew from the start of this CD project that 'United In Song' would be our closing track. Paul’s music and texts express the exhilarating joy and anticipation experienced by countless sailors over the centuries in that moment when the sails fill with wind and the boat heads out to the vast, open sea. So many songs of the sea relate stories of peril or sadness, and we wanted to end the album with this song’s transcendent message of hope and wonder at the beauty that surrounds us – especially the gift of the sea." (Vanessa Halley and Nick Halley are sister and brother and the founders of Capella Regalis Choirs.)

Wild Mountain Thyme

Scottish folk song, as performed by Jacob Collier, Laufey, and dodie, adapted by Will Clements*

Commonly known as "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go," Wild Mountain Thyme is one of the most beloved folk melodies of the British Isles. While its roots can be traced back to the 18th-century Scottish song "The Braes of Balquhidder" by Robert Tannahill, the version known today was popularized in the 1950s by Belfast musician Francis McPeake.

The song is a lush celebration of the Scottish Highlands, using the blooming "purple heather" and "wild mountain thyme" as symbols of budding romance and the return of spring. In a choral setting, the melody typically moves through the sections with a gentle, rolling lilt that evokes the natural beauty of the countryside. Its recurring refrain serves as a heartfelt invitation to the listener, capturing the communal spirit and timeless yearning inherent in the Celtic folk tradition.