for
1.Woolly 2.TwoLittleKittens 3.TortoiseMoon 4.TheFieldMouse 5.TaleofthePupfish LeapfrogProductions 303UpperMountainAve. UpperMontclair,NJ07043 (973)783-9192 bob@robertscohen.com www.robertscohen.com ©2022
SAChoir&Piano
for SAChoir Words&Musicby RobertS.Cohen LeapfrogProductions 303UpperMountainAve. UpperMontclair,NJ07043 (973)783-9192 bob@robertscohen.com www.robertscohen.com ©2022
Woolly
We'retheghostsofwoollymammothsandwe'vecometosay: OnceweroamedacrossSiberia Andwatchedourchildrenplay, ButsincethelatterPleistocene Wehavegoneaway. 'Causewe’reWoolly.
Alltoastyinourwarmthickfur, Ourtusksapearlywhite. Theyhelpedusfightoffpredators Anddemonstrateourmight BefriendedbyNeanderthals Whothoughtusquiteasight. ‘Causewe’reWoolly. Oh,soWoolly.
Hrumph,hrumph Becarefulwhereyougo. WatchOut! Ourmassivetrunksswingtoandfro. Hrumph,hrumph Youbetterstepaside Oryou’llbecrushedunderourhide They’llfindyouflatandmummified.
Welivedtosixtyyearsofage Andgrazedongrass. Whilenotedforourshaggycoats, Ourteethwerequitefirstclass. Youdrewusonthewallsofcaves, Butsoonitcametopass; Youdroveustoextinction Nowit’syouwewillharass. We’llhauntandtormentyou Andwe’llmakeyouourrepast. ‘Causewe’reWoolly. We'reWoolly.
TheWoollyMammothwasaprehistoricmemberoftheelephantfamily.Well adaptedtolivinginacoldclimate,itwascoveredinfurwithanoutercovering oflongguardhairs.Theappearanceofthewoollymammouthisprobablythebest knownofanyprehistoricspecieshavingbeendepictedincavepaintingsand discoveredfrozeninSiberiaandAlaska.Modernhumanscoexistedwithwoolly mammouthsduringtheUpperPaleolithicperiodsome30-40,000yearsago. Afterhavingsufferedasubstantiallossoftheirhabitatduetoclimatechange, humanshuntedthelastremainingpopulationstoextinctionapproximately 10,000yearsago.
Soprano Alto Piano Tempomammuthus Tempomammuthus We'rethe We'rethe S A Pno. ghostsofwoollymammothsandwe've ghostsofwoollymammothsandwe've A A cometosay:we cometosay:we roamedacrossSiberiaAnd roamedacrossSiberiaAnd 1
Woolly
S A Pno. 8 watchedourchildrenplay,But watchedourchildrenplay,But sincethelatterPleistocene sincethelatterPleistocene Wehavegoneaway.Callus Wehavegoneaway.Callus S A Pno. 11 Woolly. Woolly. All All toastyinourwarmthickfur,Our toastyinourwarmthickfur,Our B B S A Pno. 14 tusksapearlywhite.They tusksapearllywhite.They helpusfightoffpredatorsAnd helpusfightoffpredatorsAnd demonstrateourmight.Be demonstarteourmight.Be 2
S A Pno. 17 friendedbyNeanderthalsWho friendedbyNeanderthalsWho thoughtusquiteasight.‘Causewe’re thoughtusquiteasight.‘Causewe’re Woolly Woolly S A Pno. 20 Oh,so Oh,so Wool Wool ly ly S A Pno. HrumphhrumphBe C C carefulwhereyougo. WatchOut!Our 3
S A Pno. 26 massivetrunksswingtoandfro, Hrumph,hrumphYou HrumphhrumphYou betterstepasideOr betterstepaside S A Pno. 29 you’llbecrushedunderourhideThey’ll They’ll findyouflatandmummified. findyouflatandmummified. mummi mummified. fied.We We rit. rit. S A Pno. livedtosixtyyearsofageAnd livedtosixtyyearsofageAnd D D ATempo ATempo grazedongrass.While grazedongrass.While notedforourshaggycoats,Our notedforourshaggycoats,Our 4
S A Pno. 36 teethwerequitefirstclass.You teethwerequitefirstclass. drewusonthewallsofcaves,But soonitcametopass; You S A Pno. 39 droveustoextinctionNowit’s We’ll youwewillharass.We’ll hauntyouandtormentyouAndwe’ll hauntyouandtormentyouAndwe’ll S A Pno. 42 makeyouourrepast.‘Causewe’re makeyouourrepast.‘Causewe’re woolly Woolly ‘Causewe’re ‘Causewe’re 5
S A Pno. 45 wool wool ly ly S A Pno. E E S A Pno. 52 (shakeyourhead backandforth) (shakeyourhead backandforth) Wool Wool ly. ly. - 6
TwoLittleKittens for SAChorus&Piano MusicbyRobertS.Cohen PoembyAnonymous LeapfrogProductions 303UpperMountainAve. UpperMontclair,NJ07043 (973)783-9192 www.robertscohen.com bob@robertscohen.com ©2022
Twolittlekittens,onestormynight, Begantoquarrel,andthentofight; Onehadamouse,theotherhadnone, Andthat'sthewaythequarrelbegun.
"I'llhavethatmouse,"sadthebiggestcat; "You'llhavethatmouse?We'llseeaboutthat!"
"Iwillhavethatmouse,"saidtheeldestson; "Youshan'thavethemouse,"saidthelittleone.
Itoldyoubefore'twasastormynight Whenthesetwolittlekittensbegantofight; Theoldwomanseizedhersweepingbroom, Andsweptthetwokittensrightoutoftheroom.
Thegroundwascoveredwithfrostandsnow, Andthetwolittlekittenshadnowheretogo; Sotheylaidthemdownonthematatthedoor, Whiletheoldwomanfinishedsweepingthefloor.
Thentheycreptin,asquietasmice, Allwetwiththesnow,andcoldasice, Fortheyfounditwasbetter,thatstormynight, Toliedownandsleepthantoquarrelandfight.
Anonymousc.1880
TwoLittleKittens
Piano Moderato S A Pno. Twolittlekittens,one 5 5 stormynight,Be gantoquarrel,and S A Pno. 8 thentofight; Onehadamouse,the otherhadnone,And 1
S A Pno. 11 that'sthewaythe quarrelbegun. Twolittle Twolittle A A S A Pno. 14 Twolittle Twolittle Twolittlekittens,one Twolittlekittens,one stormynight, stormynight, S A Pno. 17 Twolittle littleTwo Twolittle littleTwo that'sthewaythe that'sthewaythe 2
S A Pno. 20 quarrelbe quarrelbe gun. gun. B B S A Pno. 23 "I'll havethatmouse,"saidthe C C S A Pno. 26 biggestcat; "You'll havethatmouse?We'll "Iwill seeaboutthat!" 3
S A Pno. 29 havethatmouse,"saidthe eldestson;"You "You shan'thavethemouse,"saidthe shan'thavethemouse,"saidthe S A Pno. 32 littleone. littleone. Twolittle Twolittle Twolittle Twolittle - - S A Pno. 35 Twolittlekittens,one Twolittlekittens,one stormynight, stormynight, Twolittle littleTwo --4
S A Pno. 38 Twolittle littleTwo that'sthewaythe that'sthewaythe quarrelbe quarrelbe S A Pno. gun. gun. D D S A Pno. 44 I I toldyoubefore'twasa toldyoubefore'twasa E E stormynight stormynight 5
S A Pno. 47 Whenthese twolittlekittensbe S A Pno. 50 gantofight; The S A Pno. 53 oldwomanseizedher sweepingbroom, 6
S A Pno. 56 And And sweptthetwokittensright sweptthetwokittensright outofthe outofthe S A Pno. 59 room. room. Twolittle Twolittle F F Twolittle Twolittle S A Pno. 62 Twolittlekittens,swept Twolittlekittensswept outoftheroom. outoftheroom. TwolittlelittleTwo TwolittlelittleTwo -7
S A Pno. 65 TwolittlelittleTwo TwolittlelittleTwo Twolittlekittens,swept Twolittlekittens,swept G.P. G.P. G.P. G.P. S A Pno. 68 Twolittlekittens,swept Twolittlekittens,swept G.P. G.P. G.P. G.P. Twolittlekittens, swept Solo S A Pno. 71 The outoftheroom. Tutti rit. rit. groundwascoveredwith Muchslower G G (with pathos) Muchslower (whistle to sound like the wind) frostandsnow,Andthe 8
S A Pno. 74 twolittlekittenshad nowheretogo; Sothey laidthemdownonthe (whistle to sound like the wind) S A Pno. 77 matatthedoor,Whilethe Solo oldwomanfinished Then sweepingthefloor.Then rit. rit. Tutti S A Pno. theycreptin,as theycreptin,as Abitfaster H H Abitfaster quietasmice,All quietasmice,All accel. poco a poco accel. poco a poco wetwiththesnow,and wetwiththesnow,and 9
S A Pno. 83 coldasice,Forthey coldasice,Forthey founditwasbetter,that founditwasbetter,that stormynight,To stormynight, S A Pno. 86 liedownandsleep To To liedownandsleepTo liedownandsleepthanto liedownandsleepthanto S A Pno. 89 quarrelandfight. quarrelandfight. allarg. allarg. Twolittle Twolittle Tempoprimo Tempoprimo I I Twolittle Twolittle 10
S A Pno. 92 Twolittlekittens,one Twolittlekittens,one stormynight, stormynight, TwolittlelittleTwo TwolittlelittleTwo S A Pno. 95 Twolittlelit lit tleTwo TwolittlelittleTwo meowmeowmeowmeow Solo meowmeowmeowmeow S A Pno. TwolittlelittleTwo dodo Tutti J J TwolittlelittleTwo dodo that'sthewaythe dodo 11
S A Pno. 101 quarrelbegun. quarrelbegun. TwolittlelittleTwo TwolittlelittleTwo TwolittlelittleTwo TwolittlelittleTwo S A Pno. K K meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow Cacaphonyofmeows Cacaphonyofmeows meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow
cut-off by conductor) S A Pno. Andthe Andthe L L moralofthisstoryDon't moralofthisstory:Don't (shouted) (shouted) quarrelandfight! quarrelandfight! 12
(Big
TortoiseMoon for SAChoir
MusicbyRobertS.Cohen
productions
UpperMountainAve.
Montclair,NJ07043 (973)783-9192
LyricsbyRonaldW.Cadmus Leapfrog
303
Upper
bob@robertscohen.com www.robertscohen.com
Tortoise Moon
Oldandworn,withscragglyneck
Yourunflinching,beadyeyesreflect Softmoonbeamsthatrideanddanceuponyourshell, LonesomeGeorge. Throughtheyearsbygrassystreams
Youhavedreamedamillionmoonglowdreams. Asthemysticislandscastonyou theirmagicspell Whereyoudwell.
TortoiseMoon helpGeorgebelieve Tillhefindshisdreams.
TortoiseMoon showhimyourlove andfromabove senddownyourbright,sparklingbeams. LonesomeGeorgehemovedsoslowly forahundredyearssoproudandnobly. Creaturerarethoughgonetoosoon youleftyourstarrylight intheTortoiseMoon
TheGalapagosgianttortoiseisthelargestlivingspeciesoftortoiseandone ofthelongestlivinginvertebrates.Oftheoriginal15species,only10survive duetotheirexploitationformeatandoil;aneleventhsubspecieshadonlya singlelivingindividual,keptincaptivityandnicknamed"LonesomeGeorge" untilhisuntimelydeathonJune26,2012attheageof100.
TortoiseMoon for Lonesome George
Soprano Alto Piano Adagiosempliceedolce Oldandworn,with Oldandworn,with A scragglyneck scragglyneck S A Pno. 5 yourunflinching,beady yourunflinching,beady eyesreflect eyesreflect softmoonbeamsthat softmoonbeamsthat rideanddanceuponyour rideanddanceuponyour --
1
S A Pno. 9 shell, shell, LonesomeGeorge. LonesomeGeorge. Throughtheyearsby theyears B grassystreams bygrassystreams - S A Pno. 13 youhavedreamedamillion youhavedreamedamillion moonglowdreams moonglowdreams Asthemystic themystic islandscastonyoutheir islandscastonyoutheir -- S A Pno. 17 magicspell magicspell whereyoudwell.. whereyoudwell.. TortoiseMoonHelp C Georgebelieve ---
S A Pno. 21 Tillhefindshis dreams TortoiseMoonshow TortoiseMoonshow himyourloveand himyourloveand S A Pno. 25 fromabovesend fromabovesend downyourbright,sparkling downyourbright,sparkling beams. beams. LonesomeGeorgehemovedso D-- S A Pno. 29 slowly Forahundredyearsso Forahundredyearsso proudandnobly proudandnobly creaturerarethough creaturerarethough ---
S A Pno. 33 gonetoosoonyouleftyour gonetoosoonyouleftyour starrylight starrylight intheTortoise intheTortoise Moon. Moon. - S A Pno. dodododododo dodododododo E dodododododo dodododododo S A Pno. 40 dodododododododododododo dodododododo Moon Moon rit. rit.
FieldMouse for SA&Piano MusicbyRobertS.Cohen
byCecilFrancesAlexander LeapfrogProductions 303UpperMountainAve. UpperMontclair,NJ07043 (973)783-9192 bob@robertscohen.com www.robertscohen.com
The
Poem
TheFieldMouse
Wheretheacorntumblesdown, Wheretheashtreeshedsitsberry, Withyourfursosoftandbrown, Withyoureyesoroundandmerry, Scarcelymovingthelonggreengrass, Fieldmouse,Icanseeyoupass. Littlething,inwhatdarkden, Lieyouallthewintersleeping? Tillwarmweathercomesagain, ThenoncemoreIseeyoupeeping Roundaboutthetalltreeroots, Nibblingattheirfallenfruits. Fieldmouse,Fieldmouse,donotgo, Wherethefarmerstackshistreasure, Findthenutthatfallsbelow, Eattheacornatyourpleasure, Butyoumustnotstealthegrain Hehasstackedwithsomuchpain. Makeyourholewheremossesspring, Underneaththetalloak'sshadow, Pretty,quietharmlessthing, Playaboutthesunnymeadow. Keepawayfromcornandhouse, Nonewillharmyou,littlemouse.
CecilFrancesAlexander
TheFieldMouse
Soprano Alto Piano Andantedolcemente Andantedolcemente Wheretheacorntumblesdown, A A 4 Wheretheashtreeshedsitsberry, Withyourfursosoftandbrown, Withyoureyesoroundandmerry, 1
7 Scarcelymovingthe Scarcelymoving longgreengrass, longgreengrass, Fieldmouse,Icanseeyou Fieldmouse,Icanseeyou 10 pass. pass. Littlething,in Littlething,inwhatdarkden, B B 13 whatdarkden, Lieyouallthewintersleeping? Tillwarmweather Tillwarmweathercomesagain, comesagain, ThenoncemoreIseeyoupeeping 2
16 Roundaboutthe Roundaboutthe talltreeroots, talltreeroots, Nibblingattheir Nibblingattheirfallen 19 fruits. fruits. FieldMouse,FieldMouse, C C donotgo, 22 Wherethefarmerstackshis treasure, Findthenutthat Findthenutthat 3
25 fallsbelow, fallsbelow, Eattheacornatyour Eattheacornatyour pleasure,Butyou pleasure,Butyou 28 mustnotstealthegrainHehas mustnotstealthegrainHehas rit. poco a poco rit. poco a poco stackedwithsomuchpain. stackedwithsomuchpain. Makeyourholewheremossesspring, Atempo D D Atempo 31 Underneaththetalloak'sshadow, Pretty,harmlessthing, Pretty,quietharmlessthing, Playaboutthesunnymeadow. Playaboutthesunnymeadow. 4
34 Keepawayfrom Keepawayfrom cornandhouse, cornandhouse, Nonewillharmyou, sub. sub. 37 Nonewillharmyou, Nonewillharmyou, Nonewillharmyou, littlelittle little 40 mouse. mouse. dim. poco a poco (Make Mouse Sounds) (Make Mouse Sounds) little little rit. rit. mouse. mouse. 5
SAChoir Words&Musicby RobertS.Cohen LeapfrogProductions 303UpperMountainAve. UpperMontclair,NJ07043 (973)783-9192 bob@robertscohen.com www.robertscohen.com ©2022
TaleofthePupfish for
Tale of the Pupfish
IntheMojaveDesert, Alittlefishdidlive. Ithadaratherfunnyname Forthatwemustforgive. Itsname,TecopaPupfish AnameofPupfishfame Butnowthatithasgoneextinct It'sdrivingusinsane.
We’retinydesertPupfish
Abouttwoincheslong Wehatetobesoupish, Butyouhavedoneuswrong. InSouthTacopaHotSprings, Ourcousinslivedandplayed, Butthenyouhadtooverbuild Andchasedthemallaway.
Welikeourwaterextrahot. Welikeitsaltytoo. Fortwentythousandfun-filledyears, Ourpredatorswerefew. Butthenyoubroughtthebullfrog; Afinehowdoyoudo. Theirappetitewasmightybig Andleftusinastew.
WhilenoTacopaPupfish Arelefttoswimandmate. Wehopethatyourememberthem Andpublicizetheirfate. TheU.S.courttheycallSupreme Hadputthemonalist. Butmuchtoolate,sonowthey'regone We'resorrytogoonandon... Wewishtheystillwereheretospawn Andsorelywillbemissed.
Pupfishgottheirnamebecausetheyseemedasplayfulaspuppies.Theycanbefoundinmanyplaces throughoutthecountry,butdesertpupfisharespecialbecausetheyliveinsuchextremeenvironments. Pupfishcanliveinwaterthatrangesintemperaturefromfreezingtonearlyboilingandwater3timesas saltyastheocean.InthePleistocene,theMojaveDesertwasamuchwetterplace.Asthelargelakesdried upthereweresmallspringsandpoolsleftbehind.Asthepoolsbecamesmaller,thefishinhabitingthemdid aswell.TheTecopaPupfishlivedintheoutflowsofNorthandSouthTecopaHotSpringsbutbegantpo disappearintheearly1940swhenthespringswereturnedintocanals,bathhousesandhotels.Thelast TecopaPupfishwasseenin1970.
TaleofthePupfish
Soprano Alto Piano Grave Grave IntheMojaveDesert,A IntheMojaveDesert,A A A littlefishdidlive.It littlefishdidlive.It S A Pno. 5 hadaratherfunnynameFor hadaratherfunnynameFor thatwemustforgive.Its thatwemustforgive.Its name,TecopaPupfishA name,TecopaPupfishA 1
S A Pno. 8 nameofPupfishfameBut nameofPupfishfameBut nowthatithasgoneextinctIt's nowthatithasgoneextinctIt's drivingusinsane!But drivingusinsane!But S A Pno. 11 nowthatithasgoneextinctIt's nowthatithasgoneextinctIt's drivingusin drivingusin sane!in sane!in sane!We’re sane!We’re S A Pno. tinydesertPupfishA tinydesertPupfishA Frisky Frisky B B bouttwoincheslongWe bouttwoincheslongWe hatetobesoupish,But hatetobesoupish,But 2
S A Pno. 18 youhavedoneuswrong.In youhavedoneuswrong.In SouthTecopaHotSprings,Our SouthTecopaHotSprings,Our cousinslivedandplayed,But cousinslivedandplayed,But S A Pno. 21 thenyouhadtooverbuildAnd thenyouhadtooverbuildAnd chasedthemallaway. chasedthemallaway. puppuppuppup puppuppuppup sub. sub. sub. S A Pno. 24 puppuppuppup puppuppuppup puppuppuppuppuppuppuppup puppuppupway.puppuppuppup puppuppuppuppupWe puppuppuppuppup 3
S A Pno. likeourwaterextrahot.We C C likeitsaltytoo. For twentythousandfunfilledyears,Our S A Pno. 30 But predatorswerefew.But thenyoubroughtthebullfrog;A thenyoubroughtthebullfrog;A finehowdoyoudo.Their finehowdoyoudo.Their S A Pno. 33 appetitewasmightybigAnd appetitewasmightybigAnd leftusinastew. leftusinastew. ribbitribbit ribbitribbit sub. sub. sub. 4
S A Pno. 36 ribbitribbit ribbitribbit ribbitribbitribbitribbit ribbitribbitribbitribbit ribbitribbitrib.While ribbitribbitrib. S A Pno. noTecopaPupfishAre WhilenoTecopa D D lefttoswimandmate.We PupfishArelefttoswimand hopethatyourememberthemAnd mate.Wehopethatyoure S A Pno. 42 publicizetheirfate.The memberthemAndpublicizetheir U.S.courttheycallSupremeHad fate.TheU.S.courtHad putthemonalist.But putthemonalist. 5
S A Pno. 45 muchtoolate,sonowthey'regone We're We sorrytogoonandon...We wishtheystillwereheretospawnAnd wishtheystillwereheretospawnAnd S A Pno. 48 sorely sorely willbe willbe missed. missed S A Pno. 51 Pupfish Pupfish (spoken) (spoken) 6