Walls Autographs 1928

JAY ALAN WALLS

composer and teacher

Autographs 1928: Four Songs for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble

Autographs 1928: Four Songs for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble, was composed as a tribute to Walls’ maternal grandmother, Alma Mae Porter-Robbins, and as a celebration of eternal youth. The songs are intended to reflect the playful, tender, and humorous nature of the lyrics, which were collected from an autograph book belonging to the teenage Miss Porter. The book served as a diary and repository of sayings, quips, greetings, quotes, and rhymes and includes entries penned by her family and friends in Bedford, Indiana, between the years 1927 and 1930.		Hear Excerpts >

Instrumentation:
Mezzo-soprano, flute, oboe, B-flat clarinet, horn in F, viola, cello, piano, celesta, and percussion (marimba, xylophone, chimes, timpani, bass drum, temple blocks, triangle, slapstick)

Song 1:	Poor Ink, Poor Pen
Poor ink, Poor pen. Poor girl, Amen. Alma now, Alma ever. Porter now, but not forever. Poor ink, Poor pen. Poor Alma, Amen. Girls are few, Boys are plenty, So do not marry until you are twenty. Poor ink, Poor pen Big women, Little men.

Song 2:	I Love You Better
May your virtues ever spread like butter on hot gingerbread. I love you better since your perplexities have become known to me.

Song 3:	ABC
A.B.C. Die Katze läuft im Schnee. Der Schnee geht weg, Und die Katze läuft im Dreck.

Song 4:	When I Am Dead
Bedford, Ind. Nov. 28, 1928. Alma, When I am dead and gone to rest, Sit on my grave and laugh your best. Ha! Ha! Your friend, Chloie.