Southern Harmony

2025-2026 Artists

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Texts & TrAnslations

Chamber Choir of Grand Rapids

Tshotsholoza (Go Forward) –Traditional South African adapted by Jeffery L. Ames

Soloist: Nate Nardin

Go forward, go forward on those mountains;

the train is coming from South Africa.

You are running away on those mountains;

the train is coming from South Africa.

Arirang – Traditional Korean arr. Hyo-Won Woo

Arirang, arirang, arariyo

You are going over Arirang hill

My love, you are leaving me

Your feet will be sore before you go ten

The Blue Bird – Charles V. Stanford

Soloist: Natalie Nelson

The lake lay blue below the hill

O’er it, as I looked, there flew

Across the waters, cold and still

A bird whose wings were palest blue

The sky above was blue at last

The sky beneath me blue in blue

A moment, ere the bird had passed

It caught his image as he flew

Across the Vast Eternal Sky – Ola Gjeilo

Sunlight shines on my face

This is my grace

To be restored, born again, in flame

When I was young, I flew in the velvet night

Shining by day, a fire bird bathed in light!

Grey now my feathers, which once were red and gold

My destiny to soar up to the sun

Do not despair that I am gone away

I will not appear again when the sunset

Paints flames across the vast, eternal sky

My Flight for Heaven – Blake Henson

Charm me asleep, and melt me so

With thy delicious numbers,

That, being ravish’d, hence I go

Away in easy slumbers.

Ease my sick head,

And make my bed,

Thou power that canst sever

From me this ill,

And quickly still,

Though thou not kill

My fever.

Fall on me like the silent dew,

Or like those maiden showers

Which, by the peep of day, do strew

A baptism o’er the flowers.

Melt, melt my pains

With thy soft strains;

That, having ease me given,

With full delight,

I leave this light,

And take my flight

For Heaven.

Unclouded Day – arr. Shawn Kirchner

O they tell me of a home far beyond the skies,

They tell me of a home far way,

And they tell me of a home

Where no storm-clouds rise:

O they tell me of an unclouded day.

O the land of cloudless days

O the land of an unclouded sky,

O they tell me of a home

Where no storm–clouds rise:

O they tell me of an unclouded day.

O they tell me of a home

Where my friends have gone,

They tell me of a land far away,

Where the tree of life in eternal bloom

Sheds its fragrance through the unclouded day.

They tell me of a King in his beauty there,

They tell me that mine eyes shall behold

Where He sits on a throne

That is bright as the sun

In the city that is made of gold!

Combined Choirs

We Beheld Once Again the Stars – Z. Randall Stroope

But soon it will be night and we must rise to the stars

Now is the time to depart this place

For we have seen and experienced it all

Keep moving, return to paradise

The wings of hell’s monarch are heard nearby

But soon it will be night

I climbed toward paradise with no thought of looking back

I passed through a small opening

And finally saw heaven and the supreme light

And beheld once again the stars

Vox GR

Southern Spirituals: Guides to the World and to the Heart

Gospel Train – arr. Ken Burton

Get on board, little children.
There’s room for many a-more.

The gospel train is coming
I hear it close at hand
I hear the car wheels moving
And rumbling through the land.

Chorus:
Get on board, little children;
Get on board, little children;
Get on board, little children;
There’s room for many a-more.

The fare is cheap and all can go;
The rich and poor are there.
No second class aboard this train,
No difference in the fare. Chorus

This train is bound for glory, this train.
This train is bound for glory, this train.
This train is bound for glory;
If you wanna ride you’ve gotta be holy.
This train is bound for glory, this train. Chorus

-African American Spiritual

Steal Away – arr. Bob Chilcott

Chorus:

Steal away, steal away,

Steal away to Jesus!

Steal away, steal away home,

I hain't got long to stay here.

My Lord calls me,

He calls me by the thunder;

The trumpet sounds it in my soul:

I hain't got long to stay here. Chorus

-African American Spiritual

Yonder Come Day – arr. Craig Carnahan

Yonder come day, day is a-breakin’.
Yonder come day, O my soul.
Yonder come day, day is a-breakin’
Sun is a-risin’ in my soul.

Trees are green and the air is sweet.

The good earth is singin’ underneath my feet.

I’ll point my feet down that freedom line.

Walkin’ that road, I’m feelin’ fine.

-Traditional Spiritual from the Georgia Sea Islands

Orações brasileras (Brazilian Prayers)

Domine, tu mihi lavas pedas? – José Maruício Nunez Garcia

Sung in Latin

Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

Jesus answered and said to him:

If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me.

-Antiphon for Maundy Thursday

To the Mothers of Brazil – arr. Gunnar Eriksson

Sung in Latin

Hail to the Queen, mother of mercy

To you we cry, banished children of Eve

And Jesus, blessed fruit of your womb.

O clement, o loving, o sweet Virgin Mary,

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.

-Marian Antiphon

Warm Southern Winds

the sense of senses – David Lang

I can see a door
I can see a wall
I can see a wall
I can see companions
I can see in you
I can see Jerusalem
I can see Lebanon
I can see my dove
I can see that
I can see the bed
I can see the coals
I can see the company
I can see the crown
I can see the doves
I can see the field
I can see the flowers
I can see the fountain
I can see the foxes
I can see the fruit
I can see the fruits
I can see the garden
I can see the garden
I can see the garden
I can see the gold
I can see the green
I can see the hair
I can see the horses
I can see the jealousy
I can see the jewels
I can see the joints
I can see the lions
I can see the marble
I can see the morning
I can see the mountains
I can see the pillars
I can see the pillars
I can see the roe
I can see the rose
I can see the studs
I can see the sun
I can see the swords
I can see the tents
I can see the thousand
I can see the top
I can see the vine
I can see the vineyard
I can see the vineyard
I can see the vineyard
I can see the vineyards
I can see the waters
I can see threescore
I can see Tirzah
I can see virgins

I can see you

I can hear her
I can hear the birds

I can hear you

I can smell the apples
I can smell the bed
I can smell the beds
I can smell the calamus
I can smell the camphire
I can smell the camphire
I can smell the frankincense
I can smell the garments
I can smell the lilies
I can smell the mandrakes
I can smell the myrrh
I can smell the myrrh
I can smell the myrrh
I can smell the myrrh
I can smell the myrrh
I can smell the ointments
I can smell the spices
I can smell the spices
I can smell the spikenard
I can smell the spikenard
I can smell the tender grape
I can smell the wheat
I can smell your good ointments
I can feel the banner
I can feel the day
I can feel the day
I can feel the desire
I can feel the dew
I can feel the fear
I can feel the north wind
I can feel the seal
I can feel the seal
I can feel the shade
I can feel the shadows
I can feel the shadows
I can feel the south wind

I can feel you

I can taste the apples
I can taste the best wine
I can taste the fruit
I can taste the honey
I can taste the honeycomb
I can taste the honeycomb
I can taste the liquor
I can taste the pleasant fruits
I can taste the pleasant fruits
I can taste the pomegranates
I can taste the spiced wine
I can taste the wine
I can taste the wine
I can taste the wine
I can taste you
I can taste you
I can taste your kiss
I can taste your kiss
I can taste your lips
I can taste your lip
I can taste your mouth
I can taste your mouth
I can taste your wine

-words by david lang (after the song of songs)

Good Night, Dear Heart – Dan Forrest

Warm summer sun, shine kindly here,

Warm southern wind, blow softly here.

Green sod above, lie light, lie light.

Good night, dear heart,

Good night, good night.

-Robert Richardson and Mark Twain

Southern Harmony and Folk Inspirations

Now Our Meetings Over – Jocelyn Hagen

Now fathers, now our meeting’s over, fathers, we must part,
And if on earth we meet no more, I love you in my heart.
Then we’ll land on that shore, and we’ll shout for ever more!

Now sisters, now our meeting’s over, sisters, we must part,
And if on earth we meet no more, I love you in my heart.
Then we’ll land on that shore, and we’ll shout for ever more!

Now mothers, now our meeting’s over, mothers, we must part,
And if on earth we meet no more, I love you in my heart.
Then we’ll land on that shore, and we’ll shout for ever more!

Now brothers, now our meeting’s over, brothers, we must part,
And if on earth we meet no more, I love you in my heart.
Then we’ll land on that shore, and we’ll shout for ever more!

-American folk song

Swing Low, Sail High – arr. Evan Powers

Ye fleeting charms of earth

Farewell, your springs of joy are dry

My soul now seeks another home

A brighter world on high