In October 1991, a book titled Hark! A Christmas Sampler was published. https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/hark-a-christmas-sampler_jane-yolen_tomie-depaola/340282/item/51585049/ It was written by Jane Yolen, and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. The book also included a lot of arrangements of Christmas songs by Adam Stemple. Stemple even wrote two completely original songs (with lyrics by Jane Yolen) that don't appear anywhere else. I would like to make one of those songs a reality.
There are seven verses in the song, and they each focus on a different animal (or shepherd) that might have been present at the birth of Jesus. You can hear the piano version of the song, exactly as it was written in the book, here: https://musescore.com/user/27997005/scores/5319491
I'm already working on my own arrangement of the song with more instruments, and I'm attempting a slightly different arrangement for each character/verse. However, I think I might need some help from a more talented arranger or composer to really help realize what I have in mind. Anyway, take a look at the list of characters and see if there's one you'd like to sing as! Maybe we can get this finished in time for Christmas 2022, 31 years after the book was published.
Since each of these roles are so small (only one single verse in the song), I'm not going to ask you to sing the entire verse as your audition. Please speak the character's verse as your audition. If you would like to also sing the character's verse, you may. However, because I do need to make a judgement of your singing ability, please include a link to somewhere you have sung in the past. You do not have to be able to read music for these roles, if you can learn by ear, but being able to read sheet music is, of course, a plus. The estimated word count and estimated read time in minutes is a generalization for all roles: Every verse takes the same amount of time to sing (roughly 47 seconds), and they're all approximately 65-70 words each.
Here are all of the lyrics typed out, without music: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rO8fOfljm3FxXQZOatYRRUwtWtnBc-M_10QuFsxuYp0/edit?usp=sharing And here is a full-page scan of this song's illustration, by Tomie dePaola: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X1Ljs9aTOnRKeeo5s0kfj6NBo9PTpgI7/view?usp=sharing
Other links:
Piano-only sheet music (exactly what's on my Musescore profile): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tw3IEHDNLg3QJUO5xBchy_tUEjEqePvD/view?usp=sharing
A not-final version of my full band arrangement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IPerBBn8xQz4glcPAOkJjhUYj-dwnaMe/view?usp=sharing These are just ideas I want to develop with some help.
Sheet music of the audio in the above link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VS_kAyYd-aQRvAqkRtZAYNW-zoT1CtL3/view?usp=sharing
I almost forgot that this is a thing project owners can and should do! Here's the finished video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvK9lzFmPNc You all did wonderfully on it. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Here's a playlist with additional, related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL20yZ_PGtT5DbvuAxPW-Vnr3JetIwF8T5
The rooster starts out the song. He is the first voice listeners will hear. The estimated word count and estimated read time in minutes is a generalization for all roles: Every verse takes the same amount of time to sing (roughly 47 seconds), and they're all approximately 65-70 words each. However, the Rooster appears to have only 60 words.
Morning comes and I awake / and well before the sun I take / A bit of water for my throat / To lubricate the starting note.
This song must be a gentle tune. / My strident wakeup call must croon / To that small burden gently laid / Upon the lap of lily maid.
For see the babe on Mary’s knee. / I now must wake Eternity.
[upload or link to some singing you have done in the past]
Optional: Sing the Rooster's verse according to the sheet music: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14lYFhZtXM_ZI66gXd1SS27GtIcRMHFbc/view?usp=sharing (Verse 1/Section A)
The dog has the second verse. They can be male or female.
I was as quiet as they bade, / and hardly any sound I made. / I barked at no one when they came / Until the Mother called my name.
And then I stood and viewed the child / A Master who was meek and mild. / He cannot run or jump or play, / Still I’ll be faithful from this day.
Oh, see the babe on Mary’s knee, / and I am His Eternally.
[upload or link to some singing you have done in the past]
Optional: Sing the Dog's verse according to the sheet music: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14lYFhZtXM_ZI66gXd1SS27GtIcRMHFbc/view?usp=sharing (Verse 2/Section B)
The cat in this song seems to be very aware of the regalness of cats, and the power they command, but this cat also knows that there is something special about the newborn Child in the manger, that even (he or she) must pay respect to.
A cat can look upon three kings / With all their crowns and cloaks and rings. / And cats can look with steady gaze / At shepherds waiting all amazed.
And cats can stare down angel choirs / Winged and robed and framed in fires. / But ev’ry cat must drop its eyes / Before the One in child disguise.
Oh, see the babe on Mary’s knee, / I purr before Eternity.
[upload or link to some singing you have done in the past]
Optional: Sing the Cat's verse according to the sheet music: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14lYFhZtXM_ZI66gXd1SS27GtIcRMHFbc/view?usp=sharing (Verse 3/Section C)
The donkey that Mary rode on into Bethlehem before Jesus was born. Can be male or female.
I bore a Mother weary and worn, / I bore her tired and so forlorn. / I bore her through the wind and rain, / And I would bear her over again.
I bore her past the crowded inn / Where no one dared to let her in. / I bore her to a stable low / Where only sheep and oxen go.
Oh, see the babe on Mary’s knee / As I bore her, so I bore He.
[upload or link to some singing you have done in the past]
Optional: Sing the Donkey's verse according to the sheet music: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14lYFhZtXM_ZI66gXd1SS27GtIcRMHFbc/view?usp=sharing (Verse 4/Section D)
A female cow in the stable where Jesus was born.
My own babe lies down at my feet, / So well do I this vigil keep. / He is so sleek, I lick his head, / And later on he will be fed.
On wholesome milk I give with ease, / The palate of my calf I please. / But further I shall please the babe / That on His Mother’s knee is laid.
Oh, joyous child on Mary’s knee, / And joy, to feed Eternity.
[upload or link to some singing you have done in the past]
Optional: Sing the Cow's verse according to the sheet music: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14lYFhZtXM_ZI66gXd1SS27GtIcRMHFbc/view?usp=sharing (Verse 5/Section E)
Three camels, suggested by their lyrics ("we traveled far" and "our customed silks and gold") to belong to the Magi, even though the Wise Men didn't visit Jesus until later. It would make more sense for these to be camels that were already at the inn's stable, but you may interpret their backstory however you wish. They can be male or female, and probably sound regal (again, based on their lyrics). The one person I pick will get the melody, but I will also unofficially pick two others to sing the harmonies. You will each get $10.
From Araby, beneath a star, / We traveled fast, we traveled far. / We left the comfort of our own / To find a rude, impoverished home.
Where are our ‘customed silks and gold? / And where the wealth the star foretold? / And where the scepter? Where the throne? / This King, it seems, is all unknown.
But, oh, that babe on Mary’s knee / Is rich as all Eternity.
[upload or link to some singing you have done in the past]
Here is the sheet music for the camels: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IdIeQ5YAh7SW6EqDuTDVNkJSQ2tj8Pok/view?usp=sharing To win some bonus points from me, try singing either the middle or the lower harmony. But you don't have to! Singing the melody for this audition is okay, too.
The Shepherds have the final verse. They can be any age, either young adult or middle-aged. Probably not old, though. And for consistency, I don't think I want any young voices. The one person I pick will get the melody (and $10), but I will pick a few others to sing the harmonies. I do not know how many shepherds there will be in total. With that being said, if you are okay with singing as a shepherd for free, please let me know. (I will try to pick two others to be paid $10, like with the camels.) Depending on how many singers volunteer to sing as a shepherd unpaid, we might have a small choir at the end.
What cared poor shepherds for these kings, / For angel songs and angel wings? / What cared we frankincense and myrrh? / We scarcely knew what those things were.
What cared we for hosannas bold, / And summer in that winter cold? / What we care for is that dear babe / All on His Mother’s lap new laid.
We sing not for Eternity, / But to the child on Mary’s knee.
[upload or link to some singing you have done in the past]
Here is the shepherds' sheet music: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1td-_t50rSXiH7_iuc1BZMCuF6F4K2U4O/view?usp=sharing You can try to sing one of the harmony lines if you want, but you don't have to.
I have already created my own rough arrangement of how I think I'd like the song to sound. It is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IPerBBn8xQz4glcPAOkJjhUYj-dwnaMe/view?usp=sharing (sound). You can see the sheet music as it currently is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VS_kAyYd-aQRvAqkRtZAYNW-zoT1CtL3/view?usp=sharing Ideas I have for the arrangement are listed in the margins as comments. I have some musical arrangement ability, as I've been playing piano nearly my entire life. However, I would like some help in developing my ideas into a better-sounding arrangement.
Say something you think would fit
I would like someone's help in mixing all of the vocal tracks together with the finished music arrangement. This can be the same person who helps me with the arrangement, if you have skills for both musical arrangement and sound mixing. I know the basics of sound mixing in Audacity, but for something with this many tracks, I'd like the help of someone with more experience (and possibly better software) than me.
Say something you think would fit
Do I need new art? I do not know. I could just use Tomie dePaola's art from the book, but there might be problems with that. (Copyrighted images, seeing the ink blots on the book page from a low DPI scan, etc.) If you think this project should have original art (instead of Tomie dePaola's art) and you would like to create new art for each of the verses in this song, let me know!
Say something you think would fit
I expect this to be a very simple video editing job. Whether the book's art or original art is used, some very basic fades and maybe pans could tie the song's verses together. Nothing at all fancy. I have a video editor (Shotcut), but I don't know how to do much with it other than essentially an un-animated slide show with crossfades.
Say something you think would fit
