Cambridge Holocaust Memorial Day 2020
Singers and Choir Leaders, please use these online resources to prepare for singing at Holocaust Memorial Day events for the Civic Ceremony on Sunday 26th January, and for your school, community & faith group events.
Historyworks has commissioned Michael Rosen to write 3 new poems for 2020 for our theme 'Stand Together, Strong Together' and these 3 lyrics have been set to music by Bethany Kirby. Please scroll to tabs to find the songs you need to rehearse. The lyrics will be printed in the programme, so you don't need to learn these by heart.
In addition to the newly commissioned pieces, we will sing together several pieces with the audience, which we invite all singers to learn too, to warm up our voices and to welcome everyone to the civic commemoration and to close our event with the heartfelt message ' We are One World, One Voice, One Heart Beating'
We Are Better When We Stand Together
HMD Song for Holocaust Memorial Day, especially composed for primary singers to perform with lyrics by the poet Michael Rosen and with musical arangements by the composer Bethany Kirby, commissioned by HistoryWorks.
Score for 'We Are Better When We Stand Together' - please freely download for singers and teachers - note we have repeated verse 1 suggesting that verse 1 is performed by a soloist or small group to help the song develop emotional weight, & repeat chorus as round to achieve strong rendition!
To help learn the song, you can listen to a recording of the voice parts and use the lyrics pasted below to share with your singers online and show on white-boards during rehearsals.
Voice Recording - Guide for Singers by Bethany Kirby:
Piano Only by Bethany Kirby to accompany your Choir:
Lyrics by Michael Rosen:
Title: We Are Better When We Stand Together
Verse 1 (solo / small group)
A child wanders through the ruins
A family fears a knock at the door
A grandma looks for her old home
They know they didn’t start this war
Chorus
We are better
When we stand together
When we stand together
We are better
Verse 1 (full choir)
A child wanders through the ruins
A family fears a knock at the door
A grandma looks for her old home
They know they didn’t start this war
Chorus
We are better
When we stand together
When we stand together
We are better
Verse 2
The child is ours, we must make it safe
The family’s ours, we must hear their call
The grandma’s ours, we must find a home
We know we have to stand with all
Chorus (2-part round; part 2 enters on *)
We are better
When we stand together
When we *stand together
We are better
We are better
When we stand together
When we stand together
We are better
We are better
We are better
One Voice One Heart Beating
We Are One World, One Voice, One Heart Beating
Part 1
We are one world, one voice, one heart beating
We are one world, one voice, one heart beating
Part 2
Everybody living in this world
Everybody has a voice, let’s use it
Everybody living in this world; One heart beating
Part 3
We are one world – we are one heart beating
We are one world – one heart beating
Hebrew Lament
Lament musical arrangement by Su Hart which works very well as a warm-up and a round.
You can listen to a recording of the voice parts below
Scroll down to see Su Hart's score & tips to use with singers.
Words for this version of the Hebrew Cannon:
Lie la lie lie
Lie la lie lie
Lie la lie lie la lie lie
Lie lie
Lie lie lie lie
Lie lie lie la lie lie
Lie lie
Lie la lie lie
Lie la lie lie la lie lie
This is a traditional jewish tune which has been set out as a song with a musical arrangement and license purchased by Historyworks for our HMD project and performances from Su Hart's The Joy of Singing Book available from www.baka.net or contacting Su at su@bakka.co.uk
Our Word Our World
OUR WORD, OUR WORLD - lyrics by Michael Rosen - musical arrangement by Bethany Kirby - commissioned by HistoryWorks for HMD 2020 for our theme 'Stand Together'
Score for 'Our Word, Our World' is free to download and share for singers to use for rehearsals & performances.
Audio guide - all parts:
Audio guide - soprano part:
Audio guide - alto part:
Audio guide - tenor part:
Audio guide - bass part:
Title: Our Word, Our World
Lyrics by Michael Rosen following score amended for musical arrangement by Bethany Kirby:
Verse 1
When there’s no road left
and the land is dusty and dry;
When there’s no way home
and death falls from the sky;
When the lightning strikes
and floods rip through the town;
When there’s nothing to eat
and death comes creeping round;
When sirens are louder than laughter
Bridge (x3)
Who will speak for the fearful
who will stand with the weak
who will stand up to power
and find the words to speak?
Chorus (x2)
We will stand together
We will stand together and be heard
We will stand together
Stand together, it’s our word
Verse 2
When there’s nothing on the shelf
and people wait to grow old;
When bullets cut through the air
and bones freeze in the cold;
When bombs rain down
and thousands flee from the city;
When eyes are closed in pain
who will show any pity?
When sirens are louder than laughter
Bridge (x3)
Who will speak for the fearful
who will stand with the weak
who will stand up to power
and find the words to speak?
Chorus (x2)
We will stand together
We will stand together and be heard
We will stand together
Stand together, it’s our word
Outro (x4)
Altos:
Who will speak
Who will speak for the fearful?
Who will stand
Who will stand with the weak?
Sops (half):
We will stand together
We will stand
Basses:
Stand up, stand up
Tenors:
Who will speak?
Who will stand up?
Sops (half):
Our word, our world
Our word, our world
Strong Together Hand In Hand
Lyrics by poet Michael Rosen, Musical Arrangement by composer Bethany Kirby
Audio guide - all parts - singing guide:
https://audioboom.com/posts/7476083-strong-together-hand-in-hand-singing-guide
Audio guide - piano guide:
https://audioboom.com/posts/7476082-strong-together-hand-in-hand-piano-guide
Audio guide - sopranos:
https://audioboom.com/posts/7476081-strong-together-hand-in-hand-soprano-part
Audio guide - altos:
https://audioboom.com/posts/7476080-strong-together-hand-in-hand-alto-part
Audio guide - tenors/bases:
https://audioboom.com/posts/7476079-strong-together-hand-in-hand-tenor-part
Title - Strong Together Hand In Hand
Verse 1
There’s nothing very easy about speaking out
There’s nothing very easy knowing how to shout
But you see someone picked on for something that they are
Nothing they can do: they were born that way
Not saying that it’s easy to have your say
It can often turn out that the only person's you
You’re the only one who can say what’s true
Bridge
We want the elimination of all discrimination
Want the abolition of all persecution
Want the elimination of all discrimination
Want the abolition of all persecution
Chorus (unison)
Stand together, we stand
Stand together, take a stand
Strong together, we stand
Strong together, hand in hand
Chorus (harmony)
Stand together, we stand
Stand together, take a stand
Strong together, we stand
Strong together, hand in hand
Verse 2
The earth is ours, it’s the only one we’ve got
It’s warming up fast, don’t tell me it’s not
There’s only one race, it’s the human race
We’ve got to stand together or we’re going to lose it
It’s the way to survive, so we’d better choose it
No matter who’s in charge or who’s got the power
They can’t take away what we know is ours
Bridge
We want the elimination of all discrimination
Want the abolition of all persecution
Want the elimination of all discrimination
Want the abolition of all persecution
Want the elimination of all discrimination
Want the abolition of all persecution
Chorus (harmony) x2
Stand together, we stand
Stand together, take a stand
Strong together, we stand
Strong together, hand in hand
Soprano small group
(on repeat of chorus)
We want the elimination of all discrimination
Want the abolition of all persecution
Want the elimination of all discrimination
Want the abolition of all persecution
Outro
Strong together
We stand
