Linda Gingrich, Doctor of
Musical Arts and MCE Artistic Director, has used her higher education and obvious
talent to turn John Philip Sousa’s famous march “The Stars and Stripes Forever”
into mouth music. That means instead of singing the “real” words, “be kind to
our web-footed friends, for a duck may be somebody’s mother…” we are singing
nonsense syllables. I am sure there is a kinder term than “nonsense” syllables.
Okay, how about onomatopoeic syllables?
I have to admit that I
began to have a fretful attitude as we waddled our way un-prettily through the
words and music on our first attempts.
“Oom-pah” seems logical enough, but why “paddle-ot-dot”?
To say the least, our
first encounters with this piece in rehearsal were not rewarding. We blundered
into singing “bom-bom” when we meant to say “pom-pom” and singing “dah” when we
meant to say “ahh”. At this point in practicing, the piece seems to be
interminable with an infinite number of syllables to learn and an equal number
of opportunities for error. It is enough to make one hold one’s head in one’s
hands and cry out, “Why? Why? Why? Why me?” At this point, there is only one
solution. One must raise one’s tear-streaked face and red-rimmed eyes. And one
must resolve to sit patiently with these strange little syllables and stick to
the task of learning them. One must not rise until all the straw is spun into
gold.
This is one occasion where
becoming familiar with the “words” yields surprising results. First, with repeated
practice, it is revealed that these syllables are almost exactly those one
would sing when performing informal concerts in the shower.
And singing the syllables
seems to draw one into a more intimate relationship with the spirit of the
music and closer to the origin of the Sousa’s creation of this piece. A great
curiosity arises to know more about this musical man of his age. Who was he?
Briefly, he was a child of immigrants. His family name is a common one in
Portugal. He was one of those individuals of immigrant origin who became an
icon of Americana. And at the height of his fame, which lasted a long time, he
returned to Europe in triumph, marching with his band along the broad avenues
of Europe’s great cities.
During his lifetime, “Stars
and Stripes Forever” was established as our country’s national march by act of
Congress. Many events in Sousa’s life link him to our national identity. He
began and ended his life in Washington DC, and he was buried there in the
Congressional Cemetery.
And now back to Issaquah.
With more time spent in rehearsal and individual practice, the piece takes
shape. The syllables begin to flow more “trippingly on the tongue”. Our efforts
to keep up with our smiling conductor’s urgent, spirited beat are still
somewhat stumbling, but there is a new sense of hope and exuberance that was
lacking before. Things are looking up. It is possible. There are, after all,
only a finite number of syllables. The piece is becoming coherent and no longer
seems to go on forever.
By the time you hear MCE
sing this piece at the Independence Day concert, it will sound so easy—as easy
as pie—that you will be tempted to join in. After all, you know the words from
your sessions of singing in the shower (“daddle-addle-addle--addle--dot-dot”).
But not this time. Just listen and watch.
There will be other opportunities for you to sing along during the concert. This
is MCR’s moment to shine in Sousa-esque virtuosity. And we have earned it.
Roberta DeBruler
MCE Musical Correspondent
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