Songs of the Sea

The sea song holds a special mystery for many, and the sailors life has a romantic allure all its own. For centuries, songs about the sea have buoyed sailors spirits throughout their adventures and misfortunes. Bawdy, lyrical, and sentimental, sea songsoften composed by the sailors themselvesrelate every aspect of nautical life, from mutiny and shipwreck to pressgangs and piracy to relations with wives and sweethearts. The shanty, sung to accompany heavy labour, was like a shot of grog to the men, according to one old sailor. Songs sung for recreation, called forebitters or shore songs, were as often comic and frivolous as they were melancholy. Though the purpose of sea songs was not primarily aesthetic, there is poetry in the vivid energy of the language and in the many moods it evokes.The first half of our June concert will focus on the sacred music of the sea, with four contrasting settings of Ave Maris Stella (Hail Star of the Sea) and other works that explore the sea as a metaphor for the journey of life. The second half is secular, with Stanfords buoyant Songs of the Fleet introducing a half of sea songs and shanties. A fun and uplifting end to our 2025-26 season.We are joined by award-winning baritone Malachy Frame [https://www.malachyframe.com/] and pianist Charles Economou [https://ealingchoralsociety.org.uk/accompanist/].Peter Asprey [https://ealingchoralsociety.org.uk/accompanist/] conducts.Plainsong: Ave Maris Stella
Claudio Monteverdi: Ave Maris Stella
Edvard Grieg: Ave Maris Stella
Cecilia McDowall: Ave Maris Stella
Thomas Campion: Never the Weather-Beaten Sail
C. V. Stanford: Drake's Drum
Herbert Sumison: They that go down to the sea in ships
C. V. Stanford: Songs of the Fleet
John Ireland: Sea Fever
Peter Warlock: Captain Stratton's Fancy
The Drunken Sailor
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
The Wellerman
Heave AwayPleasecontact tickets@ealingchoralsociety.org.uk if you have any queries regarding booking tickets for this event.