LINER NOTES
Back to Music
Lifelong Friend
INTRODUCTORY NOTES
from tim seelig, artistic director . conductor
This recording tells a story. It tells our story. Perhaps it tells some of your story, as well. From the very first notes, we celebrate our lives, our journeys and the fact that "here wer are, in the right place, at the right time."
Every song on this recording is by a friend of the Turtle Creek Chorale and The Womens Chorus of Dallas. This, in and of itself, is amazing.
Seven of the pieces belong to a genius of a computer and a new friend of the TCC, David Friedman. David is best known for his vocal arrangements for Disney films, including the Beauty an the Beast and Alladin. The songs on this disc were first written for his wonderful friend and phenomenal singer, Nancy LaMott. Nancy died in 1995 of uterine cancer at the age of 43 as her career was skyrocketing. She left not only recordings of her glorious voice, but with David's help, she left the inspiring music you will hear on this recording. It is full of hope and the joy of living that we all experience.
In David Friendman's words, "I would call myself a gay songwriter. I happen to be gay, and I happen to be a songwriter, but like most songwriters, I write songs about all sorts of things, and often, for me, my songs are not even about what they seem to be about. The challenge for me has always been to conceal that specific subject within a universality so as many people as possible can hear of perform the song and have it take on whatever meaning it takes on for them. That being said, however, as a gay man, I feel a special joy in hearing and seeing the Turtle Creek Chorale pass my music through their beautiful voices and their open, loving, enthusiastic hearts, and a wonderful sense of identification with the meaning that these songs take on when this particular group of men sings them. I'm very grateful to Tim Seelig and all the members of the Turtle Creek Chorale for giving me the opportunity to share my songs, and hence my heart."
Three of the pieces (We're Not Lost, We're Here; If and When; and Never Ever) are excerpts from Naked Man which has moved so many, so profoundly. Robert Seeley and Philip Littell collaborated to reach into our souls with their words and their music.
Lifelong Friend (Carol's Song) - Marvin Gaspard: Some years ago, Mr. Gaspard composed an untitled melody for the Turtle Creek Chorale's Artistic Director, Tim Seelig. Years later that melody evolved into Lifelong Friend when gifted lyicist, Mary Dawson, captured the beauty of friendship and translated it into a test to fit the music. Miss Dawson, at Marvin's request, created the lyrics based on his relationship with an extraordinary friend named Carol - thus the song's subtitle Carol's Song. The message of Lifelong Friend (Carol's Song) is universal in that it encompasses the essence of treasured friendship - whether in infant stages or weathered and everlasting. Mr. Gaspard's arrangement of his song is a gift to the Turtle Creek Chorale.
A Lonely Tear - John Thornburg: John writes, "The noted Boston University theologian and Bible teacher, Harrell Black, once said, 'The ones we crucify always become our messiah.' A Lonely Tear is a song about how I participated in society's daily scorn of the gay community. It is also about how I was invited out of my homophobia by the grace of God working through some of the loving gay men and lesbians I am now privaleged to call my friends."
The specific inspiration for this text came at the Black Tie Dinner in 1993. The evening began with singing by the Turtle Creek Chorale and Womens Chorus of Dallas. I don't remember the the song, but the text told a simple story. The story line was, "This is who we are. We do not seek to define who you are. We do not judge you for what you have done to us. We just want you to know who we are." I found myself crying. Later in the evening, I found myself writing this text. I gave it to my friend and mentor, Jane Marshall, with whom I have shared a musical collaboration for six years. Jane knows the difference between music or texts that you produce because you've been asked or paid to do it, on the one hand, and music or texts you have to write, on the other. I had to write A Lonely Tear to give thanks to God for the people who helped change my life."
Jane Marshall is our dear friend whose My Eternal King appears on TCC's From the Heart cd and whose music has inspired millions over her career as a composer.
Loving Again - Joseph Jennings: Joseph is Music Director of the world famous men's group, Chanticleer, who appeared on our concert season two years ago. We first heard this piece performed in Tampa, Florida at the GALA Choruses Festival V. Loving Again was premiered by the TCC in the Fall of 1996.
We want you to read the texts of these incredible jewels. You will be moved and yes, even changed by having them in your life. The songs are a photo album glimpse of who we are, what we feel, and our relationships with those around us. "Oh, life will take us where it will. New beginnings. Ends. Take each moment as a gift and give it back again."
REPERTOIRE
1. listen to my heart (3:55)
Word and Music by David Friedman
Arranged by Terry LaBolt
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Copyright, Midder Music, New York, NY
2. lifelong friend (carol's song)
Words by Mary Dawson
Music by Marvin Gaspard
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Soloist: Daryl Curry
Commissioned for Tim Seelig and the
Turtle Creek Chorale
Taken from piano solo "Carol's Song"
by Marvin Gaspard as recorded on
"Mumbo Gumbo"
Copyright, CQK Music
3. if and when (4:38)
Words by Philip Littell
Music by Robert Seeley
Orchestrated by Robert Seeley
(from "Naked Man" commissioned by the
San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus)
Copyright, Yelton Rhodes Music, LA, CA
4. i'll be here with you
Words and music by David Friedman
Arranged by Anne Albritton
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Performed by the Women's Chorus of Dallas
Copyright, Midder Music, New York, NY
5. a lonely tear (4:38)
Words by John Thornburg
Music by Jane Marshall
Arranged by Anne Albritton
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Soloists: Martin Guerra
Copyright, Jane Marshall
6. trust the wind (3:50)
Words and Music by David Friedman
Arranged by Anne Albritton
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Soloist: Victor Guerrero, III
Copyright, Midder Music, New York, NY
7. loving again (4:25)
Words by Gloria Wade-Gayles
Music by Joseph JenningsI
(Commissioned by GALA Chorus
Festival V)
Arranged by Anne Albritton
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Soloist: Dorian Woodruff and
James Kondysar
Copyright, Midder Music, New York, NY
8. we can be kind (4:47)
Words and Music by David Friedman
Arranged by Larry Moore for
the New York City Gay Men's Chorus
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Soloist: John Carroll
Copyright, Midder Music, New York, NY
9. let me be the music (3:58)
Words and Music by David Friedman
Arranged by Anne Albritton
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
With special guest The Women's Chorus of Dallas
Copyright, Midder Music, New York, NY
10. we're not lost we're here (3:08)
Words by Philip Littell
Music by Robert Seeley
Solo descant by Cecil O'Neal Johnson Orchestrated by Robert Seeley
(from "Naked Man" commission by
the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus)
Soloist: Billy Smith
Copyright, Yelton Rhodes Music, Los Angeles, CA
11. help is on the way (2:49)
Words and Music by David Friedman
Arranged by Dean X. Johnson
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Copyright, Midder Music, New York, NY
12. we live on borrowed time (2:49) Words and Music by David Friedman
Arranged by J.A. Kawarsky
Orchestrated by Danny Ray
Soloist: Mark Brown
Copyright, Midder Music, New York, NY
13. never ever (2:52)
Words by Philip Littell
Music by Robert Seeley
Orchestrated by Robert Seeley
(from "Naked Man" commission by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus)
Copyright, Yelton Rhodes Music, Los Angeles, CA
PRODUCTION NOTES
recorded
October 18, 1997
Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
Dallas, TX
conductor
Dr. Timothy Seelig . Dallas, TX
Turtle Creek ChoraleI
The Women's Chorus of Dallas
producer
Craig Gregory . Dallas, TX
recording
Midcom Productions - Irving, TX
Jeff Jones . Engineer
Alan Stiebing . Assistant
Dallas Sound Lab . Irving, TX
Michael Vazquez . Engineer
mixing
Crystal Clear Sound . Dallas, TX
Michael Vazquez
mastering
Crystal Clear Soound . Dallas, TX
Toby H. Sheets
art direction . design
Jamey Welch . Waterford, NY
musicians
violin I
Loren Laing (Concert Master)
. Bruce Patti (Assistant)
. Xiao Hua Sheng
. Kurt Sprenger
violin II
. Arthur Busby
. Bing Wang
. Sandra Jones
. Greg Pinney
viola
. Ellen Rose
. Susan DuBois
. Tom Demer
. Chris Henry
cello
. Mitch Maxwell
. John Landerfeld
. Sara Miller
bass
. Roger Fratena
. Bimitrius Samudio
harp
. Ellen Ritscher
piano
. Antoine Spencer
. Anne Albritton
flute . alto flute
. Michael Sullivan
oboe . english horn
. Dennis Brickman
percussion
. Doug Howard
percussion . trap
. Bill Shupp
OTHER
Musical Texts
listen to my heart david friedman
Here we are, you and I at last, in the right place at the right time . every dream I've dreamed has come to pass 'cause you're right here and you're all mine . I can't believe the years of holding back are through and I can finally share what's in my heart with you . Listen, listen . Listen to my heart, listen to it sing . Listen to my voice; it wants to tell you everything . There's so much to say, I don't know where to start . But if you want to know the love I'm feeling, listen to my heart . All my life I've been on a road, going one way toward one dream . The road whould wind and down it I would go, always searching, never finding . But even in my darkest hour I always knew that someway, somehow the road would lead to you . And words can't express how my heart's filled with happiness, listen to it . Listen to my heart, listen to it sing . Listen to my voice; it wants to tell you everything . Listen to my song; listent to it soar . I've waited all my life for this one moment, I'm not waiting anymore . Listen to my heart as it cries for all the years that it was lonely . Listen to my heart as t smiles to know that now after so long I can finally sing my song . And you're here and you're listening . You're listening . Listen to my heart, listen to it sing . Listen to my voice; it wants to tell you everything . All about a life that's just about to start; and if you want to know how much I love you . Listen to my heart .
lifelong friend mary dawson . marvin gaspard
Long walks under starry skies . Long talks about love and life . You are my listening ear . You share my joy, my tears . Somehow you understand . And when I've lost my confidence, when lofe does not make sense . You're the freind who knows my heart and helps me slowly start to try again . Gentle as the twilight and faithful as the dawn . Playful as the sunlight after the rain has come and gone . You love me in such wonderful ways . I have to say once again . Thank God for you . You are my true, my lifelong friend . Sometimes we may disagree . Sometimes we speak thoughtlessly, but in our wounded pride . We still know deep inside, we won't stay angry long . 'Cause each day feeling ebb and flow . But this one thing I know . Time will show . Your love remains in spite of every change and makes me strong . Gentle as the twilight and faithful as the dawn . Playful as the sunlight after a rain has come and gone . Thank God for you . You are my true, my lifelong friend . My lifelong friend .
if and when philip littell . robert seeley
If the cold wind blows, wind blows on you, will I not feel it too; will I not feel it too . When I feel that wind I will hold you close . I will never let go, when the cold wind blows . Fruit from the the branch dropped . leaf from a tree, fallen . Bird from its nest flown . you from me . No! No! . You are my own . You are my own, my own . If the cold wind blows, wind blows on you , will I not feel it too; will I not feel it too . When I feel that wind, I will hold you close . I will never let go, when the cold wind blows .
i'll be here with you david friedman
Goodnight, don't be afraid, sleep tight in my arms . I swear you'll be okay, I'll keep you from harm . 'Cause I love you, and I always will . And you know I'm gonna be true; and whenever ou need me, I'll be here with you . I know times hae been hard, life's treated you bad . But, Baby, let down your guard, oh, please don't be sad . 'Cause I promised to stay by your side . And now that's what I'm gonna do; and when others have gone . I'll be here with you . And I'll be here when the nights grow cold . I'll be here when the skies are blue . I'll be here when we both grow old, right here, with you . So goodnight, don't be afraid, sleep safe in my arms . Baby, you'll be okay . I'll keep you from harm . And tomorrow if trouble should come, you can count on me to come through . Because now and for always I'll be here with you, beside you . Come rain or shine, through thick or thin, for better or worse, I am here with you . So goodnight, don't be afraid . Goodnight .
a lonely tear john thornburg . jane marshall
A lonely tear; a signal from a place so deep that when I wipe it from my face the moisture feels like grace . The tear is this . I trusted the accepted myth that you were sick and I was whole; and then I heard your voice . Your words were brave; though I was frightened and unnerved, you gently spoke . "I know of fear; but what I want is a friend" . And so I cry I feel the shame . I bought the lie . But still you spoke the gentle word . "Friend," my friend, and I am healed . My arid pride, my sense of dread for all things new, is washed away by joyful tears; the moisture feels like grace .
trust the wind david friedman
There's a voice that's softly whispering inside my head, telling me I'm gonna be alright . It keeps saying "Let yourself be led where you are led . Don't hold back, don't put up a fight" . It tells me "Trust the wind, breathe the air; for there's a place you're meant to be, and you're already there . So open up your heart and let life in . You know that you can always trust the wind" . When the world starts doing thngs that I don't understand, and I search my soul to fnd a reason why . In the dard of night I feel somebody take my hand, and tell me "you don't even have to try" . "For you can trust the wind and breathe the air . And know that there are helping hands around you everywhere . So open up your heart and let life in . You know that you can always trust the wind" . And dreams have wings . Thoughts take flight . And all good things are streaming toward us every day, they hear our prayers, they know the way . I'm gonna trust the wind and brethe the air . I'll let it take me on its wings and carry me somewhere . I'll open up my heart and let life in . I know wherever breezes blow, wherever winding rivers flow, I'm going where I need to go . I can trust the wind .
loving again gloria wade-gayles . joseph jennings
Last night we loved as if the gods had announced only to us that the sky would fall as we slept . We loved passionately, we loved selflessly, thinking only of pleasure . And I knew I would not grieve if life should end as you held me . Daybreak . The sun slid silently into our room, kissed our faces, lay softly on our love bed . The sky had not fallen; the earth had not disappeared . We were alive to love again .
we can be kind david friedman
So many things we can't control . So many hurts that happen everyday . So many heartaches that pierce the soul . So much pain that won't eer go away . How do we make it better . How do we make it through . What can we do when there's nothing we can do . We can be kind, we can take care of each other . We can remember that deep down inside we all need the same thing . And maybe we'll find, if we are there for each other that together we'll weather whatever tomorrow may bring . Nobody really wants to fight, nobody really wants to go to war . Everyone wants to make things right, so what are we always fighting for . Does nobody want to see it . Does nobody understand . The power to heal is right here in our hand . We can be kind, we can take care of each other . We can remember that deep down inside we all need the same thing . And maybe we'll find, if we are there for each other, that together we'll weather whatever tomorrow may bring . And it's not enough to talk about it; not enough to sing a song . We must walk the walk about it . You and I, do or die; we've got to try to get along . We can be kind, we can take care of each other . We can remember that deep down inside we all need the same thing . And maybe we'll find, if we are there for each other . That together we'll weather whatever tomorrow may bring . And maybe we'll find true peace of mind . If we always remember we can be kind.
let me be the music david friedman
Seasons come and season go, and somehow they were meant to show, that life and love are never really gone . So when my journey here is through, I'm certain there is just a new hello, and so when I travel on . Let me be the music . Let me be the music of love I hve known . Let me be the melodies in the wind and the trees that sing to the lost and alone . Let me be the sweet refrain in the sound of the rain or a rippling stream . Let me be the lullabies that close the eyes of children when they dream . For music has no walls or bars, it bridges time and space . It only asks the senses to surrender . It sweeps us to the stars and makes us one in its embrace . It has no fences . It has no gender . So let me be the music, the beautiful music of love . Let me be the voices of spring that rejoice in the things that blossom and grow . Oh let me be the music, to come again as music . The beautiful music of love when I go . Oh let me be the music when I go, when I go .
we're not lost we're here philip littell . robert seeley
There is no map for where we go . We're not lost; we're here . There is so much that we don't know . We're not lost; we're here . Faint the trails and few the footprints . Few and faint, they disappear . They have disappeared behind us . We're not lost; we're here .
help is on the way david friedman
Don't give up the ship even when you think it's sinking and you don't know what to do . Don't give up your dream even though you may be thinking it never will come true . Life has its own ideas of how things come about; and if you just hang in there life is gonna work it out . Help is on the way from places you don't know about today . From friends you may not have met yet . Believe me when I say I know . Help is on the way . You don't have to know where the path you're on is leading . You just have to walk along, dreaming as you go, asking for the things you're needing; you never can go wrong . If you have faith that things are happening as they should and just believe each step you take is leading you to something good . Help is on the way from places you don't know about today . From freinds you may not have met yet . Believe me when I say I know . Help is on the way . So open your heart . Opn your mind . No matter how you've tried and failed . Tomorrow you could turn and find that . Help is on the way from places you don't know about today . From friends you may not have met yet . Believe me when I say I know . Help is on the way .
we live on borrowed time david friedman
I never thought that there could be a love like yours and mine . I never dreamed that I would see the day that I would find a love that feels so right . But here we are tonight, and now the only thing we really need is time . We live on borrowed time . No one can be sure when the loan will finally come due . But I'm loving all of mne . I know what time is for . I've borrowed it so I can spend it all right here with you . There was a time when I believed that life held guarantees . There was a time when I was sure, my future was secure . But life had other plans . The future's in God's hands . And knowing that has let me love you more . And now we live on borrowed time . Yesterday is past; tomorrow seems a million miles away . But I promise you that I'm gonna make love last . By living every moment, every hour, every day . Now we may have a year and we may have a lifetime . No one can be certain what the future will allow . But you and I are here and this time is the fight time, 'cause one thing that I know is that we have each other now . And now we live on borrowed time . Let's celebrate and sing as we walk bravely into the unknown . 'cause we're gonna be just fine whatever life may bring . We'll face it all together and we'll never be alone . We may not have forever, but our time will be our own .
never ever philip littell . robert seeley
Never will there be amoment ever . When we all will be together . Never . Never such amoment, never will we look around and see these faces, all these faces . Never will we hear these voices . Never ever hear this sound . No, never . Never will we have that first time or the last time, or just this time . Never get to lieve our lives all over . Never . Ever . Oh! Life will take us where it will . New beginnings . Ends... . Take each moment as a gift . Give it back again .
Underwriting
The Turtle Creek Chorale wishes to thank the following for underwriting the musicians for this recording
Starbucks
Starbucks Coffee is proud to sponsor the music of The Turtle Creek Chorale
Administrative Section Leaders for theTurtle Creek Chorale
Lance Wiesmann, J.Jack Jakubowski, Chuck Sweatt and Don Dureau
Dedicated to all TCC Members living with HIV
Paul Myers
In Memory of Michael Marshall and his love of music
Underwriting Michael Sullivan, Flute
Billy Boughton
In memory of the souls I've known and lost in my work
Gary Rifkin
Thank you to my TCC brothers and TWCD sisters.
Your extraordinary music makes my heart sing!
Greg Grosh
In Memory of Grant Wagner
Anonymous
For Adam, "Listen to My Heart"
Underwriting the Viola Section
Randall G. Ray
In Memory of Donald C. McCleary
Underwriting for Dennis Brickman, Oboe/English Horn
Tim Blanchard and Pat Modisette
In Memory of Burl Modisette
Underwriting for Violin 1
Jamie Rawson
In Memory of Joe Erickson
Underwriting for the Piano
Dak & Cathy Kleintop-Konrad
For L. Jay because you brought us together, and to Joe for loving you until you left us. We Miss You!
XXXOOO Dak & Cathy
Greg Grosh
In Memory of Scott Simpson
B. Frances Chadwick
Tom Osborne
In Honor of Terry Lovegrove and Keith Lasley
Tab Boyles and Pat McCann
In Memory of Michael W. Burton
Underwriting the String Bas
Greg Grosh
In Memory of Michael Phillips
Chris Luna and Kent Mecklenburg
Robert Steele and David Alexander
In Memory of E.M. Sue Steele
In Honor of Mr. & Mrs. Woody Alexander
Steven Mitchell
For Information on how you might underwrite future performances and recordings, please contact the Turtle Creek Chorale office at 214-526-3214 ext. 108
Back Inside Cover
you love me in such wonderful ways i have to say once again, thank you god for you, you are my true, my lifelong friend. mary dawson
