Way Over in Beulah Lan' arr. Stacey Gibbs

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We gonna have a good, good time
Way over in Beulah Lan’.

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Oh, when we get way ovuh in Beulah Lan’,
Yes, way ovuh in Beulah Lan’.
Oh, we gonna have a good, good time
Oh, Lordy, way ovuh in Beulah Lan’.

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I’m singin’, way ovuh in Beulah Lan’,
Yes, way ovuh in Beulah Lan’.
Oh, we gonna have a good, good time
Oh, Lordy, way ovuh in Beulah Lan’

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Oh, we gonna walk dem golden streets way ovuh in Beulah Lan’.

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Oh, we gonna drink of de Holy wine way ovuh in Beulah Lan’.

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Singin’, way ovuh in Beula Lan’,
Yes, way ovuh in Beulah Lan’.
Oh, we gonna have a good, good time
Oh, Lordy, way ovuh in Beulah Lan’.

 

- Traditional Spiritual

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Program notes:

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Beulah is referred to in Isaiah 62:4 and in Hebrew means married. The metaphor describes the relationship between God and his people and Beulah Land projects the coming prosperity that will be enjoyed in the land of Israel. Within the context of a Spiritual, this image carries great meaning depicting an escape to the North and living in freedom.

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Take the "A" Train by Billy Strayhorn, arr. Abigail Juganaru​

This piece is a World Premiere by the Neoteric Chamber Choir

 

You must take the "A" train
To go to Sugar Hill way up in Harlem
If you miss the "A" train
You'll find you missed the quickest way to Harlem
Hurry, get on, now it's coming
Listen to those rails a-thrumming
All aboard, get on the "A" train
Soon you will be on Sugar Hill in Harlem

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- Billy Strayhorn​​​

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Death Came a Knockin' by Ruthie Foster, arr. Paul Rardin​

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You know that death come knockin' on my mother's door
Singin', "Come on, mama, ain't you ready to go?"
And my mother stooped down, buckled up her shoes
And she moved on down by the Jordan stream
And then she shout, "Hallelujah, done, done my duty
Got on my travelin' shoes"

You know that death came a knockin' on my sister's door
Singin', "Come on, sister, ain't you ready to go?"
And my sister stooped down, buckled up her shoes
And she moved on down by the Jordan stream
And then she shout, "Hallelujah, done, done my duty
Got on my travelin' shoes"

Hey, hey
Hey, hey

I know that death come knockin' on my brother's door
Singin', "Come on, brother, ain't you ready to go?"
And my brother stooped down, buckled up his shoes
And he moved on down by the Jordan stream
And then he shout, "Hallelujah, done, done my duty
Got on my travelin' shoes, "

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Death came knockin' on my preacher's door
Singin', "Come on, preacher, ain't you ready to go?"
And my preacher stooped down, buckled up his shoes
And he moved on down by the Jordan stream
And then he shout, "Hallelujah, done, done my duty
Got on my travelin' shoes"

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 And now death come a knockin' on my front door
Singin', "Come on, sister, ain't you ready to go?"
I'm gonna stoop right down, buckle up my shoes
I'm gonna move on down by the Jordan stream
And then I'll shout, "Hallelujah, done, done my duty
Got on my travelin' shoes"

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- Ruthie Foster​

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Away from House of Glass by Diederik Van Der Laag​​

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You shall glide

On a cloud of dreaming, away.

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- Emily Vierthaler

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Program Notes: 

From the poet:

"This poem is about a return to primal innocence. It was born from a night spent in a small glasshouse in nature, which felt like both a sanctuary and a passage to the unknown. In that vulnerable state between dreaming and awake, I felt absorbed into the forest and discovered a sort of homecoming —a luminous refuge of stillness, wonder, and surrender. In that space, you find yourself carried away to dreamscapes untethered by time."

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Amor, io sento l'alma from Madrigali by Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)

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Hebrew

Sapari thamo thamimo

sapari noril batheimo (wo)

sapari noril batheimo (hawey)

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Bath malochim ha'chachomo

on magomech, sapari li (wi)

on magomech, sapari li (hiwi)

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Onatho yeyno: Sa'adyo

li bafalterin aliyo

li bafalterin aliyo (hawey)

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Wa'ani toch lev oniyo

bayafi otah me'ili

bayafi otah me'ili (hiwi)

 

English

 

Tell me, O Pure and innocent one
Tell me, we will rejoice in Yemen
Tell me, we will rejoice in Yemen

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Daughter of wise kings
Where is your place, tell me?
Where is your place, tell me?

 

The dove answered, Sa’adya
I am in the high places
I am in the high places

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And I, within the heart of a ship
In the beauty of my garment
In the beauty of my garment
                                           

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- Jewish-Yemeni folk song​​​​​