How Can I Keep from Singing: A Selection of Arrangements by Dr. Ronald Staheli for BYU Singers, 1984–2015 [6-CD Set] - BYU Singers

My overriding goal during my treasured 31 years as conductor of BYU Singers was to give both students and audiences experiences that would fulfill and stretch their musical sensibilities. It was not difficult finding concert literature to accomplish part of this goal, but it was in my desire to balance the program that I experienced frustration. I was fully aware that an element of “lighter,” more entertainment-oriented pieces was needed to balance our programs. But finding pieces and—even more— arrangements of those pieces worthy of the vocal and musical abilities of the extra- ordinary students in the choir was virtually impossible. So I decided to write my own arrangements for the choir.

As I approach an arrangement of any piece, secular or sacred, my goal is to allow the arrangement not to dilute the focus or expressive intensity of the original material but to complement and illuminate the material in choral expression. I feel an urgency to preserve the intent and integrity of the original material as I add vocal parts to augment its har- monic structure, counterpoint to add continuity and aural interest, and richer accompani- ments to support the musical fabric created by the choir. Moreover, my goal is to preserve the intelligibility, the charm, and the rich meaning of the text—the words. To whatever extent such efforts have been successful for the legacy of BYU Singers, I am grateful.

—Ronald Staheli

This CD set contains recordings from 1984–2015, many from live performances.

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TRACK LIST

DISC 1
SACRED & FOLK SONGS, PART 1
1. A World About to Turn
English and American folksongs, Ronald Staheli

2. Wanna/Gonna
African-American spiritual

3. Were You There
African-American spiritual

4. See What the End Is Gonna Be
African-American spiritual

5. I’ve Got Peace Like a River
African-American folk song

6. The Promised Land
American folk hymn

7. How Can I Keep from Singing?
Robert Lowry

8. I Feel Like I’m on My Journey Home
American spiritual

9. Turn Around
Alan Greene, Malvina Reynolds, Harry Belafonte

10. Bright Pathways
James M. Dungan, Helen Silcott Dungan

11. A Child’s Prayer
Janice Kapp Perry

12. I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus
Janice Kapp Perry

13. My Heavenly Father Loves Me
Clara W. McMaster

DISC 2
SACRED & FOLK SONGS, PART 2
1. The Morning Breaks
George Careless, Parley P. Pratt

2. Come, Come, Ye Saints
William Clayton

3. A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
George Coles, James Montgomery

4. If You Could Hie to Kolob
Ralph Vaughan Williams, William W. Phelps

5. Sweet Is the Peace
Alfred M. Durham, Mary Ann Morton

6. Come, We That Love the Lord
Aaron Williams, Isaac Watts

7. Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
John B. Dykes, Bernard of Clairvaux, Edward Caswall

8. I Know That My Redeemer Lives
Lewis D. Edwards, Samuel Medley

9. I Love the Lord
Jean Sibelius, John Tanner

10. More Holiness Give Me
Philip Paul Bliss

11. I Stand All Amazed
Charles H. Gabriel

12. How Great Thou Art
Stuart K. Hine

DISC 3
ASSORTED ARRANGEMENTS
1. Songs of Ernesto Lecuona: Siboney / Andalucia / Damisela Encantadora / Malagueña
Ernesto Lecuona, John Cale, Marian Banks

2. This Is One of Those Moments
Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman

3. When October Goes (with Autumn Leaves)
Johnny Mercer, Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert, Barry Manilow

4. Places That Belong to You
James Newton Howard, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman

5. The Nearness of You
Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington

6. Time After Time
Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne

7. My Foolish Heart
Victor Young, Ned Washington

8. Colorado Trail
Norman Luboff

9. Great American Cowboy
Jack Hannah

10. Ghost Riders in the Sky
Stan Jones

11. Fields of Gold
Sting (Gordon Sumner)

12. Isseh, Isseh
Traditional African carol

13. The Secret of Christmas
Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn

14. We Need a Little Christmas
Jerry Herman

DISC 4
BROADWAY & GREAT AMERICAN COMPOSERS, PART 1: FOSTER, KERN, BERLIN, YOUMANS & MORE
Stephen Foster
1. Camptown Races
2. Swanee River
3. Plenty of Fish in the Sea / If You Only Have a Moustache
4. Come with Thy Sweet Voice Again
5. Ring, Ring the Banjo

6. Songs of Jerome Kern: All the Things You Are / Just the Way You Look Tonight / She Didn’t Say Yes / They Didn’t Believe Me / Can’t Help Singing
Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II, Dorothy Fields, Otto Harbach, Herbert Reynolds, E. Y. Harburg

7. Happy Hallelujah! Medley: Great Day / Sometimes I'm Happy [Sometimes I'm Blue] / I Want to Be Happy / Get Happy / Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive / Hallelujah  Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose, Irving Caesar, Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler, Leo Robin, Clifford Grey, Johnny Mercer

8. Songs of Irving Berlin: You’re Just in Love / A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody / Play a Simple Melody / Always / What’ll I Do / Remember / Alexander’s Ragtime Band  Irving Berlin

DISC 5
BROADWAY & GREAT AMERICAN COMPOSERS, PART 2: PORTER, LANE, GERSHWIN & SHIRE
Cole Porter
1. In the Still of the Night
2. Night and Day

3. Songs of Burton Lane: If This Isn’t Love / How Are Things in Glocca Morra / Look to the Rainbow / How’dja Like to Love Me / How Could You Believe Me / One More Walk Around the Garden
Burton Lane, E. Y. Harburg, Frank Loesser, Alan Jay Lerner

4. Songs of George Gershwin: Fascinating Rhythm / By Strauss / They All Laughed / Rhapsody in Blue / Love Walked In / Soon / But Not for Me / The Man I Love / I Got Rhythm / Our Love Is Here to Stay
George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

5. Maltby & Shire’s Baby Medley:
Two People in Love / The Story Goes On / With You / I Chose Right
David Shire, Richard Maltby Jr.

DISC 6
BROADWAY & GREAT AMERICAN COMPOSERS, PART 3: SONDHEIM & SIMON
1. Merrily We Roll Along / Doors / I Wouldn’t Go Back
Stephen Sondheim, David Shire, Richard Maltby Jr.

Stephen Sondheim
2. Comedy Tonight / The Ballad of Sweeney Todd 3. Company
4. Send in the Clowns
5. Sunday in the Park with George 6. You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow
7. Night Waltzes I & II
8. Children Will Listen
9. Ever After / No One Is Alone / Children Will Listen

Lucy Simon, Marsha Norman
10. Come to My Garden
11. Wick
12. Hold On
13. Winter’s on the Wing
14. How Could I Ever Know?


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