Four Civil War poems of Herman Melville

Four Civil War Poems of Herman Melville. [Set to music by Bryan Beaumont Hays]. Contents: 1. The Portent 1859 -- 2. Ball’s Bluff 1861 -- 3. Shiloh 1862 -- 4. The College Colonel. Text by Herman Melville. Choral, a cappella 1. The Portent - 1859: Hanging from the beam, slowly swaying gaunt the shadow on your green, Shenandoah! and the stabs shall heal no more. Hidden in the cap is the anguish none can draw; so your future veils its face, Shenandoah!But the streaming bears is shown, (Weird John Brown) the meteor of the war. 2. Ball’s Bluff - A Reverie - 1861: Tirum, tirum, (etc.) ...(whistling)...One noon-day, at my window in the town, I saw a sight— saddest that the eyes can see— young soldiers marching lustily unto the wars, with fifes, and flags in mottoed pageantry; while all the porches, walls, and doors were rich with ladies cheering royally. They moved like Juny morning on the wave, their hearts were fresh as clover in its prime. (It was the breezy summer time.). Life throbbed so strong, how should they dream that death in a rosy clone would come to thin their shining throng? Youth feels immortal, like the gods sublime. Tidirum rum-ti-rum-ti-rum, (etc.). Weeks passed; and at my window, leaving bed, by night I mused, of easeful sleep bereft, on those brave boys (Ah War! thy theft); some marching feet found pause at last by cliffs Potomac cleft; wakeful I mused, while in the street far footfalls died away till none were left.3. Shiloh: A Requiem - 1862: Skimming lightly, wheeling still, the swallows fly low over the field in clouded days, the forest-field of Shiloh— over the field where April solaced the parched ones stretched in pain through the pause of night that followed the Sunday fight around the church of Shiloh— the church so lone, the log-built one, that echoed to man-y’a parting groan, and natural prayer of dying foe-men mingled there— foe-men at morn, but friends at eve— fame or country least their care: (What like a bullet can undeceive!) But now they lie low, while over them the swallows skim, and all is hushed at Shiloh, while over them the swallows skim, and all is hushed at Shiloh. 4. The College Colonel - 1865: He rides at their head; a crutch by his saddle just slants in view, one slung arm is in splints, you see, yet he guides his strong steed— how coldly too. He brings his regiment home— not as they filed two years before, but a remnant half-tattered, and battered, and worn, like cast-away sailors, who— stunned by the surf’s loud roar, their mates dragged back and seen no more— dragged back and seen no more, no more their mates dragged back and seen no more, and seen no more— again and again breast the surge, the surge, again and again, and at last the crawl, spent, to shore. A still rigidity and pale— an Indian aloofness lones his brow; he has lived a thousand years compressed in battle’s pains and prayers, marches and watches slow. There are welcoming shouts, and flags; old men off hat to the Boy, we thank you! Wreaths from gay balconies fall at his feet, wreaths fall at his feet. Be welcome, ye heroes! It is not that a leg is lost, it is not that an arm is maimed, it is not that the fever has racked— self he has long disclaimed. But all through the Sev’n Days’ Fight, and deep in the wilderness grim, and in the field-hospital tent, and Petersburg crater, and dim lean brooding in Libby, there came— Ah heav’n! What truth to him. Melville, Herman (1819-1891) SATB, a cappella 2015 Alliance Publications, Inc. Sinsinawa, WI 11:00 (1:26; 2:25; 2:07; 4:36) 228 (28, 62, 38, 100) #1053166711 Choruses, Secular (Mixed voices, 4 parts) unaccompanied.