Sowash: Philosophical Anecdotes ( SATB, 3 movements).

一個 詼諧可愛的歌

Let's make off to sunny ancient Greece and spend a little time with that lovable cuss, Diogenes!

I offer you The Philosopher, the first movement of a three-movement choral work entitled: 

Philosophical Anecdotes.

I wrote this piece in 1979 for the Kenyon College Choir.  I thought about the students who would sing it.  They study philosophy and classics; surely they'd like to sing something sublime, ancient, Greek.  But Kenyon students also have a sense of the irony of their situation, pursuing the liberal arts in Gambier, Ohio surrounded by cornfields.

I remembered Diogenes, the great curmudgeon.  A ancient Greek philosopher, yes, but a wag, a grump, a mocker of the world's values.  I thought that irreverent settings of anecdotes about a guy like Diogenes might appeal to the students.  It did!  They sang it lustily!

Three of Diogenes' exploits are recounted in the piece.  The first movement, The Philosopher, sets to music a straightforward prose account of the old grump’s most celebrated moment, when he snubs Alexander the Great.  The opening words of the story have a distinctive calypso rhythm.  Recite them yourself:  "The philosopher Diogenes lived in a tub!"  Snap your fingers as you half-speak/half-sing those words.  Accent the important syllables and, bingo, you've got the opening of my setting, and thus the mood for the whole piece, an improbable combination of ancient Athens and calypso music!

I love to write rounds.  Choirs learn them quickly and easily.  Singing a round, a choir can sound terrific after only a few minutes of rehearsal.  My setting of those words about Diogenes just happened to make a couple of mighty fine rounds!  You'll hear them sung first in unison, then in parts.

The other two movements recount Diogenes' famous search, with a lantern, in broad daylight, for an honest man and his contemptuous quip upon visiting a country fair, "Lord, how many things there are in the world of which Diogenes hath no need!"  Those movements are funny, too, but let's save them for another time.

For now, you're cordially invited to pass three minutes in the company of Diogenes.  Don't expect much from him!  Alexander the Great would have done anything for Diogenes, but the philosopher's only request of the most powerful man in the world was that he get out of his light.  Ha!  You have to love the old rascal!

To hear The Gregg Smith Singers performing The Philosopher, click here:

http://sowash.com/recordings/mp3/philosopher.mp3

To follow the score while you listen, click here for a PDF of the sheet music:  

http://sowash.com/recordings/mp3/philosoph_anecdotes.pdf

First movement

The Philosopher (Traditional legend, music : Rick Sowash)

The philosopher Diogenes lived in a tub, lived in a tub in the market place.

He owned the clothes on his back and a wooden cup.

One fine morning when he saw a man drinking out of his hands

Diogenes --- threw away the cup!

Alexander the Great, when he came to Athens, he went down to the market place to see the philosopher Diogenes

And as he was about to leave he asked the philosopher Diogenes,
“Is there anything, anything at all, that I can do for you?” “Yes,” said Diogenes, “You can get out of my light.”

Second movement-The Search ; text from Diogenes' Lanthorne by Samuel Rawlands
Athens I seek for honest men,
But I shall find them God knows when.
I'll search the city where I can see
One honest man he shall go home with me.

An odd day's work Diogenes once made
And 'twas to seek an honest man, he said.
Thru Athens with lantern he did go
When people saw no cause he should do so
For it was mid-day and the sun did shine.