Work
This Old Hammer
for SSAA choir
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About
This Old Hammer was originally the first piece in a cycle of short choral movements called Transatlantic (1983) in which American and English texts alternated. A year or so after that work was premiered, this reworking (from SATB) was made for SSAA voices.
The text is a traditional American one, telling of working on a work gang and longing to go back home '...to Swannanoa town'. The music makes a particular feature of irregular time signatures, especially seven-in-a-bar.
Contents note
Part of Transatlantic
Text note
Traditional American text
Performance history
Performed by Bella Voce (Villa Maria College) cond. Rosemry Turnbull, August 2001
Performed by Opus (Epsom Girls Grammar School, Auckland), conducted by David Hamilton
Performed by Sings Hilda! (Anglican Diocesan Girls' School, Dunedin) at the BIG SING National Finale 2009 (Dunedin Town Hall).