Lesson 17: The New Year (take 2)

All over the world the new year is celebrated.  Our circular year is marked at different points depending on culture and calendar, but we all find some way to celebrate another trip around the sun.

Last year we listened to Jewish and Chinese new year's music.  This year we trotted out a Bach Cantata and traveled all the way to South Africa to find a very familiar New Year's tradition.

Philadelphia is known for it's New Year's Mummers Parade, a cacophony of brightly-dressed troupes performing periodically as they march through the city, casting beads and confetti as they make their way to Two Street.  The clubs spend all year making costumes and floats and developing their shows. Unfortunately, the music and form of performances have their roots in the old racist American minstrel shows.  Though the participants have attempted to remove racist stereotypes from the show since the 1960's, this is still clearly a journey that has a long way to go.

a performance by the Ferko String Band at the 2012 Mummers Parade

The Philadelphia Mummers Parade began in the mid-nineteenth century, with the first official parade occurring in 1901.  In 1848, an American ship traveled to South Africa and Javanese and Malayan indentured servants saw American minstrels perform.  They took what they had seen and created the "Kaapse Klopse" ("Cape Clubs"), also known as the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival. On the surface, this carnival is almost identical to the Mummers Parade, but the Kaapse Klopse celebrates Creole culture and the parade's African-American roots.

I chose a song that is often heard in the parade, in the style of the old minstrel songs.  Daar Kom Die Alibama ("there comes the Alabama") is a simple song about a ship arriving.  It is a traditional song dating back to around 1863 when the CSS Alabama (an American Confederate ship), stopped in Capetown for repairs.   The recording is by the Central Malay Choir.  Instruments that are commonly used in the bands are banjos, guitars, whistles, trombones and tubas, as well as African ghoema drums.

CSS Alabama

The Capetown parade is held on January 2nd (it is sometimes called "Tweede Nuwe Jaar"/ "Second New Year") because the enslaved people that celebrated were given this day off.

Cape Malay Choir Competition

I tried to speak with sensitivity to the history of this music, but I wanted to show the children how an art form can be used by oppressors, but also by the oppressed- to claim and celebrate their freedom and history.  Recently there was some objection to the parade's rowdiness in Capetown and the Kaapse Klopse participants successfully fought for their right to perform and celebrate.

New Years Capetown Carnival

Back in time and place to Germany in the early eighteenth century, we heard one of many Bach cantatas written in honor of the new year.  Bach was employed at several churches simultaneously, and in 1725 he wrote a Cantata in honor of the new year, Jesu nun sei epreiset (Jesus now be praised) BWV 41: Den is allein die Ehre (yours alone is the honor).  The piece is for orchestra and choir.

Johann Sebastian Bach

translation:

Yours alone is the honor,
Yours alone is the glory;
teach us patience in suffering,
direct all our actions,
until we happily depart
into the eternal heavenly kingdom,
to true peace and joy,
like the holy ones of God.
To that end do with us all
according to Your pleasure;
thus sings today earnestly
the faithful Christian flock
and wished with voice and heart
for a blessed new year.

St Thomas Church, Leipzig, Germany

Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
(who performed recording)

Daar Kom Die Alibama (There comes the Alabama), Cape Malay Choir.

Jesu, nun sei epreiset (Jesus, now be praised) MWV 41: Den ist allein die Ehre (yours alone is the honor), Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir

Find the lesson plan here. 

Find the slide show here. 

Find the drawing pages here.

Enjoy! Happy New Year!