Suite of Rhymes
PROGRAM NOTES
Suite of Rhymes (1969)
Phillip Magnuson
Soprano, flute, violin, viola, cello
Praeludium
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Minuet
Trio
Gigue
Song cycle based on Mother Goose rhymes, first in a larger song cycle:
Praeludium
I would, if I could,
If I couldn't how could I?
I couldn't, without I could, could I?
Could you, without you could, could ye?
Could ye, could ye?
Could you, without you could, could ye?
Allemande
I had a little nut tree,
Nothing would it bear
But a silver nutmeg
And a golden pear
The King of Spain's daughter
Came to visit me,
And all for the sake
Of my little nut tree.
Courante
How many miles to Babylon?
Three score miles and ten.
Can I get there by candle-light?
Yes, and back again.
If your heels are nimble and light,
You can get there by candle-light.
Sarabande
What did I dream? I do not know.
The fragments fly like chaff.
Yet strange, my mind was tickled so,
I cannot help but laugh.
Minuet
As I walked by myself,
And talked by myself,
Myself said unto me:
Look to thyself,
Take care of thyself,
For nobody cares for thee.
I answered myself,
And said to myself,
In the self-same repartee:
Look to thyself,
Or not to thyself,
The self-same thing will be.
Trio
I had two pigeons bright and gay,
They flew from me the other day.
What was the reason they did go?
I cannot tell for i do not know.
Gigue
As I was going along...long...long,
A-singing a comical song...song...song,
The lane that I went was so long...long...long,
And the song that I sung was so long...long...long,
And so I went singing along.