Jeffrey Grayson Gates Sings Charles Ives

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• published: 12 May 2012
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Jeffrey Grayson Gates, Baritone Jungwon Kim, Piano Charles Edward Ives (1874-1954) William Will: A Republican Campaign Song (Poetry by Susan Benedict Hill, 1836-1898) What we want is Honest Money, Good as gold and pure as honey, Ev'ry dollar sound and true. What we want is full Protection, And we'll have it next Election, For low tariff and low wages make us blue. So hurrah for Will McKinley and his Bill! And stand for Honest Money, William will! So hurrah for Will McKinley, he who made the tariff bill! And be ruler of this Nation William will. Give us no depreciation With a Silver variation; Juggle not the workman's pence! For it rouses all his choler, When he finds his well earn'd dollar Has whittled down to only fifty cents! So hurrah... Billy Bryan isn't "in it" Not a single noisy minute, For McKinley's here himself! "Rabbit's foot" and "four-leaf clover," When election day is over, Will be laid to rest upon a quiet shelf! So hurrah... Down with all Repudiation! No dishonor for our Nation! As we promise we will pay! And we soon shall hear the humming Of the good times that are coming When McKinley, surnam'd William, wins the day! So hurrah... In Flanders Fields (Poetry by John McCrae, 1872-1918) In Flanders fields the poppies blow; Between the crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks still bravely singing fly, Scarce heard amidst the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from falling hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. Nov. 2, 1920: "An Election" Soliloquy of an old man whose son lies in "Flanders Field" It is the day after election; he is still sitting by the roadside, Looking down the valley towards the station. "It strikes me that some men and women got tired of a big job; but, over there our men did not quit. They fought and died that better things might be! Perhaps some who stayed at home are beginning to forget and to quit. The pocketbook and certain little things talked loud and noble, And got in the way; too many readers go by the headlines, party men will muddle up the facts, So a good many citizens voted as Grandpa always did, or thought a change for the sake of change seemed natural enough. "It's raining, lets throw out the weather man, Kick him out! Kick him out! Kick him out! Kick him out! Kick him!" Prejudice and politics, and the stand-patters came in strong, and yelled, "Slide back! Now you're safe, that's the easy way!" Then the timid smiled and looked relieved, "We've got enough to eat, to hell with ideals!" All the old women, male and female, had their day today, and the "ole mole came out of his hole," But he won't stay out long, God always drives him back! Oh Captain, my Captain! a heritage we've thrown away; But we'll find it again, my Captain, Captain, oh my Captain!" Note by composer: "The assumption, in the text, that the result of our national election in 1920, was a definite indication, that the country, (at least, the majority-mind) turned its back on a high purpose is not conclusive. Unfortunately election returns coming through the present party system prove nothing conclusively. The voice of the people sounding through the mouth of the parties, becomes somewhat emasculated. It is not inconceivable that practical ways may be found for more accurately registering and expressing popular thought - at least, in relation to the larger primary problems, which concern us all. A suggestion to this end (if we may be forgiven a further digression) in the form of a constitutional amendment together with an article discussing the plan in some detail and from various aspects, will be gladly sent, by the writer, to any one who is interested enough to write for it." -- C. E. I. Jeffrey Grayson Gates is a student of WIlliam Sharp Jungwon Kim is a student of Eileen Cornett Click the following link to download the recital program and song texts: http://jeffreygatesbaritone.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/gateskim-recital-program-template-pdf.pdf (Recorded live in the Cohen-Davison Family Theatre at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University on April 17, 2012)