Caroline Adelaide Shaw | M u s i c k » by and by

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Entr'acte
for string quartet

Allemande
for 8 voices

Sarabande
for 8 voices

Courante
for 8 voices

Passacaglia
for 8 voices

Punctum
for string quartet

By and By
for string quartet & solo singer

in manus tuas
for solo cello

Pedestrial Light
for soprano, violin & piano

By and By
songs for string quartet & solo singer
24′

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Will there be any Stars in my Crown

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Angel Band

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Fifty Miles of Elbow Room

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O Death

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I’ll Fly Away

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premiered by Abigail Lennox and the Hudsons at the Greenwich House (NYC) on March 11, 2010.

These songs are settings of lyrics from old gospel and bluegrass songs. The melody is new, although it follows conventions of both old time singing and medieval plainchant.

LYRICS
by Eliza E. Hewitt, William Batchelder Bradbury, F. W. McGee, Lloyd Chandler, & Albert E. Brumley

Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown

I am thinking today of that beautiful land
I shall reach when the sun goeth down
When through wonderful grace by my Savior I stand
Will there be any stars in my crown

Will there be any stars, any stars in my crown
When at evening the sun goeth down
When I wake with the blest in those mansions of rest
Will there be any stars in my crown

In the strength of the Lord let me labor and pray
Let me watch as a winner of souls
That bright stars may be mine in the glorious day
When His praise like the sea billow rolls

refrain

O what joy it will be when His face I behold
Living gems at His feet to lay down
It would sweeten my bliss in the city of gold
Should there be any stars in my crown

refrain

Angel Band

My latest sun is sinking fast
My race is nearly run
All my trials now are past
My triumph has begun

Oh come Angel Band
Come and around me stand
Bear me away on your snow white wings
To my immortal home
Bear me away on your snow white wings
To my immortal home

Oh bear my loving heart to him
Who bled and died for me
Whose blood now cleanses from all sins
And gives me victory

refrain

I've almost reached my heavenly home
My spirit loudly sings
The holy ones behold they come
I hear the noise of wings

refrain

Fifty Miles of Elbow Room

Twelve hundred miles its length and breadth
The four-square city stands
Its gem-set walls of jasper shine
Not made with human hands
One hundred miles its gates are wide
Abundant entrance there
With fifty miles of elbow room
On either side to spare

Sometimes I'm cramped and crowded here
And long for elbow room
I want to reach for altitude
Where fairer flowers bloom
It won't be long ‘til I shall pass
Into that city fair
With fifty miles of elbow room
On either side to spare

When the gates swing wide on the other side
Just beyond the sunset sea
There'll be room to spare as we enter there
Room for you and room for me
For the gates are wide on the other side
Where the flowers ever bloom
On the right hand on the left hand
Fifty miles of elbow room

O Death

O death, O death
Won't you spare me over til another year

Well what is this that I can't see
With ice cold hands taking hold of me
Well I am death none can excel
I'll open the door to heaven or hell

Whoa death someone would pray
Could you wait to call me til another day
The children pray the preacher preached
Time and mercy is out of your reach

I'll fix your feet til you can't walk
I'll lock your jaw til you can't talk
I'll close your eyes so you can't see
This very hour come and go with me

In death I come to take the soul
Leave the body and leave it cold
To drop the flesh off of the frame
The earth and worms both have a claim

O death, O death
Won't you spare me over til another year

My mother came to my bed
Placed a cold towel upon my head
My head is warm my feet are cold
Death is a-movin' upon my soul

O death how you're treatin’ me
You close my eyes so I can't see
Well you're hurtin’ my body you make me cold
You run my life right out of my soul

O death please consider my age
Please don't take me at this stage
My wealth is all at your command
If you'll remove your icy hands

Oh the young, the rich, the poor
All alike to me you know
No wealth no land no silver or gold
Nothin’ satisfies me but your soul

O death
O death
Won't you spare me over til another year

I’ll Fly Away

Some bright morning when this life is over
I'll fly away
To that home on God's celestial shore
I'll fly away

I'll fly away oh glory
I'll fly away
When I die hallelujah by and by
I'll fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone
I'll fly away
Like a bird from these prison walls I'll fly
I'll fly away

refrain

Oh how glad and happy when we meet
I'll fly away
No more cold iron shackles on my feet
I'll fly away

refrain

Just a few more weary days and then
I'll fly away
To a land where joys will never end
I'll fly away

refrain

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