JOHN GOVEDAS

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John E. Govedas (1950-2005) “He was a force of nature with 88 keys.” (Toronto Star) A brilliant composer and accompanist, John Govedas holds an enviable position in choral circles in Canada and abroad. His work across more than 30 years focused on writing for children’s choirs, and he is best known for his work in that field although he also worked effectively with adult voices. His iconic arrangements and compositions are distinguished by exceptional writing for chorus and piano, with both on an equal footing in their respective roles. The accompaniments, in particular, are very idiomatic and virtuosic – the product of a caring and inventive creative spirit that inhabits all of his writing.

To underscore his strong writing, which is often not easy, John Govedas’ quick wit and vibrant personality drew the best out of choirs and their conductors, leading to numerous awards and accolades at festivals and competitions, as well as frequent commissions. Many of his works were written for school choirs in Toronto, which he accompanied with unflagging love and gusto! That he was taken by cancer at the height of his career is an enormous loss to choral music.

Adventures of Isabel

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 002 – 4:04

Govedas sets this funny children’s poem by Ogden Nash for young voices.
Isabel met an enormous bear, Isabel didn’t care;
The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous,
The bear’s big mouth was cruel and cavernous.
The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you,

A Great Big Sea

by John Govedas

SSAA with piano – LMS 272 – 2:42

A classic Newfoundland folk song set in the Govedas style.
A great big sea hove in Long Beach,
Right fol-lor-al ta-dee-did-dle I doh.
A great big sea hove in Long Beach
and Granny Snooks she lost her speech,
to me right fol did-dy foll dee – yup!

Ave Maria

by John Govedas

SSAAA a cappella – LMS 031 – 4:19

Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

Girls and Boys

by John Govedas

UNISON with piano – LMS 237 – 1:30

Girls and Boys

Come out to play

The moon does shine

As bright as day

Come with a whoop

Come with a call

Come with a good will

Or not at all

Down in the River

by John Govedas

SSAAA a cappella – LMS 163 – 2:21

As I went down in the river to pray,
Studyin’ about that good old way,
and who shall wear the starry crown,
Good Lord show me the way.

Evening (A Cowboy Lullaby)

by John Govedas

SA a cappella – LMS 180 – 3:00

Hush, hush, little baby

The sun is in the West

The lamb in the meadow

Has laid down to rest

If There Were Dreams to Sell

by John Govedas

Unison with piano – LMS 344 – 2:40

If there were dreams to sell,
What would you buy?

Some cost a passing bell;
Some a light sigh,

That shakes from Life’s fresh crown.
Only a rose leaf down.

If there were dreams to sell,
Merry and sad to tell,
And the crier rang the bell,

What would you buy?

What would you buy?

Isle of Innisfree

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 360 – 2:31

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

I Remember

by John Govedas

SAAA a cappella – LMS 332 – 4:28

I remember, I remember, The house where I was born,

The little window where the sun Came peeping in at morn;

He never came a wink too soon, Nor brought too long a day

But now, I often wish the night Had borne my breathe away!

Kur Plaukia Laivai? - (Where Go the Boats)

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 380 – 2:11

Vandenėlis drumstas smėlio bėgs ta-kais.
Su juo skubės ir dainos, ir dainos, ir dainos vaiku,
vai ku svaju ke-liais.

Dark brown is the river.
Golden is the sand.
It flows along for ever,
With trees on either hand.

Nér Li

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 519 – 2:02

John Govedas’ arrangement of a popular Hebrew children’s song for the holiday of Hanukkah.

Ner li, ner li, ner li da-keek,
Ba-Chanukah neri ya-ir
Ba-Chanukah shirim a-sheer

English translation

I have a candle, a candle so thin,
On Chanukah my candle will glow,
On Chanukah I will sing a song.

North Wind, the

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 530 – 3:23

The north wind shall blow,
And we shall have snow.
And what will the poor robin do then, poor thing?

Pasejau Dobila

by John Govedas

SSA with piano – CP 1834 – 3:00

A brilliant sparkling Lithuanian folk song set in the Govedas style – with a formidable piano accompaniment. This is part of the Zimfira collection!
Pasėjau dobilą
ant aukšto kalnelio.
Dobilo penki lapai,
dobilėlio trys lapeliai,
dobilo.

I planted clover
on a high hill.
Clover five leaves,
three leaves of clover,
clover.

Snow

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 703 – 1:55

No breath of window
No gleam of sun
Still the white snow whirls softly down

Twig and bough and blade and thorn

All in icy quiet, forlorn

Something Told the Wild Geese

by John Govedas

SA with piano – CP 1833 – 2:55

“Something told the wild geese it was time to go.” One of the awesome miracles of nature, geese fly away in Autumn and come back to the very same place in Spring. The poetry of Rachel Field is given a marvellous setting by John Govedas. The piano part sparkles in flight over the lovely melodies.

Something told the wild geese It was time to go.
Though the fields lay golden Something whispered, “snow.”

When All the World is Young

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 884 – 2:25

When all the world is young, lad, And all the trees are green;
And every goose a swan, lad, And every lass a queen;

When Icicles Hang

by John Govedas

SSA with piano – LMS 890 – duration 2:20

When icicles hang by the wall
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail
And Tom bears logs into the hall,
And milk comes frozen home in pail,

When Blood is nipped and ways be foul,

Then nightly sings the staring owl,

Tu-who;

Tu-whit, tu-who: a merry note,

Where Go the Boats?

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 380 – 2:11

A whimsical Lithuanian poem titled “Where Go the Boats?” – where boats represent human fates and dreams.
The score provides a Latvian option. (sing in either language or swap from section to section)

Dark brown is the river. Golden is the sand.
It flows along forever, forever
with trees on either hand.

Wind, the

by John Govedas

SA with piano – LMS 911 – duration 2:30

I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies’ skirts across the grass–
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!