Did you sing "Dixie" when you were in school? How about "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"? "Oh, Susanna"?
For many, these songs might have been our unwitting introduction to the American Civil War. All were popular at the time, and all were on the program Friday as the Arkansas Chamber Singers filled the Old State House Museum with choral music composed during, performed during or inspired by the war responsible for more American deaths than any war the U.S. has entered.
The concert's intent was to focus on that toll, as well as to appreciate the poetry and musical beauty of the works.
Each of the first section's Patriotic and Marching Songs began with conductor John Erwin beating a cadence on a snare drum. The second grouping focused on the battlefield, with songs of longing that would have been sung both in camps and in homes. Especially touching was an arrangement of "Motherless Child," with the men singing a haunting "oooh" in unison as one soprano sang the verses. (In fact, "oooh" was a frequent lyric throughout the evening, a wordless way to sing through the emotions stirred by the subject matter.)
The third group of songs, Farewell and Lament, most strongly depicted the war's costs, notably in "Two Brothers," a metaphor for a nation contained in the line "One wore blue, one wore gray."
A highlight of the evening was Jeffrey Van's 1994 composition A Procession Winding Around Me, which set the poetry of Walt Whitman to music, accompanied by guitar that was more percussive than melodic, and expertly interpreted by guitarist Michael Carenbauer.
The spiritual "Balm in Gilead," the poignant "Ashokan Farewell" and three meditative Shaker songs conveyed faith and hope born out of war, and the evening ended with a medley of Stephen Foster's songs, all of which were popular during the war.
The program will be repeated at 7 p.m. today and 3 p.m. Sunday at the museum, 300 W. Markham St., Little Rock. Patrons should take the time to read through the rich program notes. Admission is free. Call (501) 377-1121 or visit ar-chambersingers.org/tickets.html for ticket information.
Metro on 03/14/2015