The Whole World Is Coming
- For SATB chorus (a cappella); texts are from four different Native American traditions and include both secular and sacred ideas
- Length: 8:30
- Difficulty rating (1-5): 4
Listen to performances by the Plymouth State University Chamber Singers conducted by Dan Perkins, with piano or string quartet accompaniment:
Movement II: House Song to the East (listen at the Alliance Music Publications website)
Movements I, III, IV are sold on this site.
The Whole World Is Coming was commissioned by the Plymouth State University Chamber Singers for their Summer 1998 tour of England. The conductor of the ensemble, Dan Perkins, asked me to write a work that could serve as both a stand-alone concert piece and as incidental music for an educational theatre work on Native American life. I chose to set translated texts from four different Native American peoples. This piece and excerpts from it have been performed extensively by college, high school All-State, and regular high school choirs, and both performers and audiences have responded very positively.
I. The Whole World Is Coming
The whole world is coming,
A nation is coming, a nation is coming,
The Eagle has brought the message to the tribe.
The father says so, the father says so.
Over the whole earth they are coming.
The buffalo are coming, the buffalo are coming,
The Crow has brought the message to the tribe,
The father says so, the father says so.
—Sioux
II. House Song to the East
(Note: House Song to the East is published by Alliance Music Publications, Inc. Click here to see more.)
Far in the east, far below, there a house was made;
Delightful house.
God of Dawn, there his house was made;
Delightful house.
The Dawn, there his house was made;
Delightful house.
White Corn, there its house was made;
Delightful house.
Soft possessions, for them a house was made;
Delightful house.
Water in plenty, surrounding, for it a house was made;
Delightful house.
Corn pollen, for it a house was made;
Delightful house.
The ancients make their presence delightful;
Delightful house.
Before me, may it be delightful;
Behind me, may it be delightful;
Around me, may it be delightful;
Below me, may it be delightful;
Above me, may it be delightful;
All, may it be delightful.
—Navajo
III. Creek Cradle Song
(literal translation)
Down the stream
You hear the noise of her going
That is what they say
Up the stream
Running unseen
Running unseen
Up the stream
You hear the noise of her going
That is what they say
To the top of the bald peak
Running unseen
Running unseen
(free translation)
If you hear the noise of the chase
Going down the stream
Then run up the stream.
If you hear the noise of the chase
Going up the stream
Then run to the top of the bald peak,
Then run to the top of the bald peak.
—Creek
IV. The Song of Kuk-ook, the Bad Boy
This is the song of Kuk-ook, the bad boy.
Imakayah—hayah,
Imakayah—hah—hayah.
I am going to run away from home, hayah,
In a great big boat, hayah,
To hunt for a sweet little girl, hayah ;
I shall get her some beads, hayah;
The kind that look like boiled ones, hayah;
Then after a while, hayah,
I shall come back home, hayah,
I shall call all my relations together, hayah,
And shall give them all a good thrashing, hayah;
I shall marry two girls at once, hayah;
One of the sweet little darlings, hayah,
I shall dress in spotted seal-skins, hayah,
And the other dear little pet, hayah,
Shall wear skins of the hooded seal only, hayah.
—Alaskan native
The poems "The Whole World Is Coming," "Creek Cradle Song," and "The Song of Kuk-Ook, the Bad Boy" are taken from the anthology The Sky Clears, edited by A. Grove Day, and used here by permission of its publisher, the University of Nebraska Press.
- View a PDF score excerpt from Movements I, III, IV
- Purchase, request full review copy or more information, etc.
- Score: $3 (for reproduction rights; minimum purchase of 10 required; additional charge for hard copies)
- Commissioned and premiered by the Plymouth State University Chamber Singers, Dan Perkins, conductor.
- Finalist, Ithaca College Choral Composition Contest
The Whole World Is Coming was commissioned by the Plymouth State University Chamber Singers for their Summer 1998 tour of England. The conductor of the ensemble, Dan Perkins, asked me to write a work that could serve as both a stand-alone concert piece and as incidental music for an educational theatre work on Native American life. I chose to set translated texts from four different Native American peoples. This piece and excerpts from it have been performed extensively by college, high school All-State, and regular high school choirs, and both performers and audiences have responded very positively.
I. The Whole World Is Coming
The whole world is coming,
A nation is coming, a nation is coming,
The Eagle has brought the message to the tribe.
The father says so, the father says so.
Over the whole earth they are coming.
The buffalo are coming, the buffalo are coming,
The Crow has brought the message to the tribe,
The father says so, the father says so.
—Sioux
II. House Song to the East
(Note: House Song to the East is published by Alliance Music Publications, Inc. Click here to see more.)
Far in the east, far below, there a house was made;
Delightful house.
God of Dawn, there his house was made;
Delightful house.
The Dawn, there his house was made;
Delightful house.
White Corn, there its house was made;
Delightful house.
Soft possessions, for them a house was made;
Delightful house.
Water in plenty, surrounding, for it a house was made;
Delightful house.
Corn pollen, for it a house was made;
Delightful house.
The ancients make their presence delightful;
Delightful house.
Before me, may it be delightful;
Behind me, may it be delightful;
Around me, may it be delightful;
Below me, may it be delightful;
Above me, may it be delightful;
All, may it be delightful.
—Navajo
III. Creek Cradle Song
(literal translation)
Down the stream
You hear the noise of her going
That is what they say
Up the stream
Running unseen
Running unseen
Up the stream
You hear the noise of her going
That is what they say
To the top of the bald peak
Running unseen
Running unseen
(free translation)
If you hear the noise of the chase
Going down the stream
Then run up the stream.
If you hear the noise of the chase
Going up the stream
Then run to the top of the bald peak,
Then run to the top of the bald peak.
—Creek
IV. The Song of Kuk-ook, the Bad Boy
This is the song of Kuk-ook, the bad boy.
Imakayah—hayah,
Imakayah—hah—hayah.
I am going to run away from home, hayah,
In a great big boat, hayah,
To hunt for a sweet little girl, hayah ;
I shall get her some beads, hayah;
The kind that look like boiled ones, hayah;
Then after a while, hayah,
I shall come back home, hayah,
I shall call all my relations together, hayah,
And shall give them all a good thrashing, hayah;
I shall marry two girls at once, hayah;
One of the sweet little darlings, hayah,
I shall dress in spotted seal-skins, hayah,
And the other dear little pet, hayah,
Shall wear skins of the hooded seal only, hayah.
—Alaskan native
The poems "The Whole World Is Coming," "Creek Cradle Song," and "The Song of Kuk-Ook, the Bad Boy" are taken from the anthology The Sky Clears, edited by A. Grove Day, and used here by permission of its publisher, the University of Nebraska Press.
