Tune Req: Sea Fever (Masefield/Andrews)

Subject: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 10:00 PM

OK hotshots, and you know who you are...(the search engine thread identifies some of you):

I've searched in vain for several months for my version of Sea Fever. Only the poem is in the DT. I've searched using the search engine Google with the words: Sea Fever, sheetmusic, choral and various combinations of those words. I've listened to CD snippets at CDnow. Here's what I have so far:

1) The poem Sea Fever by John Masefield has been set to music using several different tunes/versions. The poem is in the DT if you don't know it.

2)My version is not the one by Ireland, Porterfield, Taylor or Hogg. I can't find a gif or sound sample of the one by Albert di Vito.

I would really like to find out who wrote my version, so I can order the sheet music and get Dave (the ancient mariner) to sing it for us. Since I've already purchased the Ireland version sight unseen and discovered it's not the right one, I'd prefer to see or hear another version before I order it. It anyone can locate a gif or sound sample, I'd be very appreciative...might even convey the Search Champ Award or something. I have a short midi of my version if anyone wants to PM me in order to hear it.

Anyone up for the challenge?

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Burke
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 10:23 PM

No midi's but too many options on composers. I found these in OCLC's library database (you're library needs a subscription to search) I'd recommend you ask for interlibrary loan, but most of these had only 1 or 2 libraries with holdings reported. Read author as composer, I checked the records for Masefield as author of the word.s

Sea fever / Author: Rogers, James H. 1857-1940. Publication: New York : G. Schirmer, 1914

Sea fever : concert song for medium voice / Author: Bullock, Flora. Publication: York, Neb. : J.A. Parks, 1930

Sea fever. [Four-part chorus for] men's voices Author: Beach, H. H. A., Mrs., 1867-1944., Publication: Boston, A. P. Schmidt Co. 1931

Sea fever. Author: Enos, Joseph T. Publication: New York, Boosey & Hawkes 1956

Sea fever : song for low voice and piano / Author: Andrews, Mark, 1875-1939., Publication: New York : Schirmer, 1948 1920

Sea fever / Author: Loud, John Adams. Publication: New York : C. Fischer, 1924

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 12:35 AM

You may be thinking of the lovely setting Ed Trickett recorded on his first Folk-Legacy recording, The Telling Takes Me Home. I'll have to go check on the name of the fellow out in Colorado who set it to the fine modal tune Ed sings. Okay, got it! His name is Andy Taylor. Harry Tuft joins Ed on the song on that particular recording.

Sandy

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Grab
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 06:16 AM

I sing it - learnt it from hearing a friend's 4-part harmony group sing it when I was about 11, and somehow it stuck. I'll post a tune if I can.

Grab.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 07:18 AM

Wow...you guys are great. I'll check these out. If any of these is THE ONE, then I'll convey an appropriate award!

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 11:12 AM

I just got a call from my librarian. (How many of you have a personal librarian? *BG*) It seems that we're at a dead end again. I asked for the Di Vito version which was next on my list of most likely versions (most likely to be the one I heard in school used by a chorus teacher in the 60's). The librarian found a copy at a libray in North Carolina, but they wouldn't send it on Interlibrary Loan.

Sandy, I couldn't find a sound sample where I could hear the Ed Trickett version. But I'll keep an eye out for that one, and will certainly buy the CD if it's the right version.

My next idea is to visit my favorite music store and see if they have a way of seeing music before they order it.

No Search Champ Award to bestow yet...

Mary (...I must go down to the seas again...)

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 01:25 PM

The Trickett version isn't on CD as yet, only on cassette at this time. I'll bet one of our musical whiz-kids (Blessings Barbara?) could do one of those mysterious postings of the tune in a huge batch of red numbers that mean nothing to me. Otherwise, you could call and either Caroline or I could sing a tad of it over the phone for you. Toll free number available on our web site.

Sandy

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 01:31 PM

haha...Sandy, I just told my librarian I wish I could find somebody willing to sing it over the phone! I'll be calling you, so get ready! Also, I can decipher the Miditext red numbers, so if anyone can post it, I'll be able to hear it.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: harpgirl
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 11:09 AM

One picky point..it is the wheels KICK, not click. Kendall

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 09 May 01 - 12:51 PM

SOOO..... Mary, did you get Sandy to sing it for you? Is Ed Trickett's version the one you know? If it is, could you post the midi you said you had of the version you sing? I'd like to teach this to the rest of my trio, and if you have a midi it would save me the time it will take to create one. Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 09 May 01 - 01:04 PM

Hi Susan-Marie,

Sandy sang the Ed Trickett version to me over the phone...and Sandy has a gorgeous voice! But it wasn't the one. We heard a version on PalTalk the other day, the Simple Pleasures Concert, but it wasn't the one either. Mine is in a major key and has so much variation in the melody, it takes a good singer to hit all the notes. As best I remember, it's a good showcase piece for a tenor. The midi I have is just the melody line of the first part as I remember the tune. If you want it, PM me your email addy so I can send it.

I'm still looking for this version. I think probably a chorus teacher has it somewhere. I heard it in the 60's (I'm 52 now) and have remembered the melody all these years.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: GUEST,Susan-Marie
Date: 09 May 01 - 07:58 PM

Mary - Thanks anyway, I guess I'll just transcribe Ed's version. Good luck in your quest for your version.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Amos
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 02:24 PM

No mention made here of the John McIntyre version for which a midi file can be found here.>

However, I suspect it ain't it either.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Amos
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 02:28 PM

Sorry about the HTML bracket drop.

There is a "Hale Family" CD with a cut on it called Sea Fever, published by Greenhorn Records -- click here.

But no midi or other sound file available.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Amos
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 02:32 PM

There is an undocumented midi tune provided to Masefield's "Sea Fever" on this page at geocities. It is one of those annoyng loads that starts when you open thepage but the tune is not inherently bad at all. The execution is kinda smurfy. I doubt its the one you want buyt can't hurt to check.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 05:47 PM

Nope, still not it. Mine is more rousing and in a major key. Thanks anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: 2 in harmony
Date: 11 Aug 01 - 12:12 AM

I heard Ed Trickett perform in NY a few years ago and purchased the cassette "The Telling Takes Me Home." As you said Sandy this does include Sea Fever. I could use some help with chords for this melody. (By the way,nice to see you at Pinewoods Memorial Day Weekend and wonderful to hear your son perform. All that music in one family!) With appreciation, a new Mudcat member.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: MMario
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 10:17 AM

Mary - Have you had any luck with this? sea fever is one of the "missing tunes" by the way...

any midi's you have I would be grateful to get my hands on...

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: MMario
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 10:42 AM

two other of the "missing" tunes are rewrites of "Sea Fever" - so multiple settings that can be attributed would work well here.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 10:57 AM

Sandy Paton said:

You may be thinking of the lovely setting Ed Trickett recorded on his first Folk-Legacy recording, The Telling Takes Me Home.

Maybe Trickett and Utah Phillips have CDs out with the same title, or conceivably your memory is mistaken. I know that I have in front of me as I write Utah Phillips's CD, The Telling Takes Me Home", named for his song of the same name.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 11:06 AM

MMario, no luck at all. If I ever find it, I'll make an entire HTML page of Sea Fever, all the different versions and references. And of course, my original plan was to get Dave the ancient mariner to sing it for us. My only hope now is to contact some of the people who were in school with me, especially chorus, and see if they have any leads. I've even purchased several old chorus boods at clearance sales looking for it. I suspect it was a common arrangement for chorus, and since it's the first tune I heard for Sea Fever, it will always be the prettiest one in my opinion.

Dave, Sandy Paton actually sang that verwsion for me over the phone...quite lovely, but not the one. Since you are in "God's Country" (Indianapolis, right?) maybe you'll run across it. (I lived in "God's Country", Western KY, growing up when I first heard it.)

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Grab
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 02:11 PM

You can order the Albert DeVito version here. $3.95 for the sheet music, apparently. Found it off AltaVista, so it just goes to show you can't always rely on the Great God Google! ;-) It's described as "high voice" as well, so it fits your description of a tenor part.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 02:18 PM

Thanks Grab. The more people looking for this, the better the chances of finding it. I may have to resort to ordering the DiVito version. But when I ordered the Ireland version I ended up paying $7 for the music and shipping, and it still wasn't the right one. There are probably hundreds of versions, so I'm trying to see or hear them first, or just invest my money on the most likely ones. I also have a midi of the first part if anyone has access to seeing or hearing various versions to compare it to.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 04:48 PM

You can hear the midi here, just the first two lines. My latest tactic is to search on the words choral AND "Sea Fever" and write to the choral groups that have performed one of the versions in a program. Maybe someone will recognize it.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: GUEST,hrothgar
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 08:35 PM

I'll stick to the opinion that Ed Trickett's is the best rendition of the several I've heard.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 09:43 PM

I FOUND IT!

It's the Andrews version. A short snippet can be heard here, at CD now. I wrote to the Mendelssohn Glee Club in New York City about this version, but have not heard back from them yet. Now I know which one to buy!

This one was on Burke's list, but I would have purchased two others before I tried that one. It says it's for a low voice...I really prefer a tenor singing it...and a bit faster. Now to find Dave...

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: MMario
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 11:14 PM

dang! I'm glad I refreshed this today...

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 11:20 PM

I am too MMario! I checked CD Now last January, but I don't think this one was there. I remember what you said about searching for tunes on the Internet...sites change often.

Speaking of tunes, I'll get the sheet music for this version and make a midi for you along with the Ireland version I already have. I think the Trickett version was the Ireland version, but I'm not quite sure.

Subject: RE: BS: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: MMario
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 09:50 AM

Thank you!

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: MMario
Date: 05 May 03 - 10:49 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 05 May 03 - 11:02 AM

Sheesh...MMario, has it been a year? The link above no longer works, but I still intend to get that music and make a midi for you. Funny how time flies when life gets in the way!

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: MMario
Date: 05 May 03 - 11:13 AM

*grin*

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 May 03 - 11:35 AM

According to Ellen Luchinsky, The Song Index of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, vol. 1 (Garland, 1998, p. 713), the Andrews version of "Sea-Fever" is in William Breach, Art-Song Argosy (New York: G. Schirmer Inc., 1937).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: sed
Date: 05 May 03 - 12:05 PM

For an original musical version of the poem try the recent CD:
Tim Harrison; Sea-Fever; Wheatfield With Crows; Second Avenue Records, Toronto

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Naemanson
Date: 05 May 03 - 12:06 PM

LOL! I saw this thread and began devouring it, following the action without checking the dates. I got halfway through it before I realized that this was a long search and I was tripping backin time. Still it was a good read.

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 05 May 03 - 02:31 PM

I just ordered some sheet music for this one.

The First Book of Baritone/Bass Solos - Part II   
Contents:

Bright is the Ring of Words (Vaughan Williams)
Down Harley Street (Kingsford)
Du Bist Wie Eine Blume (Thou'rt like unto a Flower) (Liszt)
Ein Ton (What Sound Is That?) (Cornelius)
Eldorado (Walthew)
The First Concert (Mana-Zucca)
Give A Man A Horse He Can Ride (O'Hara)
The Heart Worships (Holst)
Jesus, Fount Of Consolation (Bach)
Die Könige (The Kings) (Cornelius)
O'er The Hills (Hopkinson)
Os Tormentos De Amor (The Torments of Love) (Kilenyi)
Pilgrim's Song (Tchaikovsky)
Pretty as a Picture (Herbert)
The Pretty Creature (Storace/Wilson)
The Roadside Fire (Vaughan Williams)
Rolling Down To Rio (German)
Sea Fever (Andrews)
The Slighted Swain (Wilson)
The Song Of Momus To Mars (Boyce)
Verrathene Liebe (Love's Secret Lost) (Schumann)
Die Wetterfahne (Weathervane) (Schubert)
Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind (Arne)
Blow, Ye Winds (Dougherty)
L'Amour De Moi (Love of My Heart) (15th Century)
Toglietemi La Vita Ancor (Take Away My Life) (Scarlatti)
Deep River
Du Bist Wie Eine Blume (Thou'rt like unto a Flower) (Rubinstein)
God Is My Shepherd (Dvorák)
Le Miroir (The Mirror) (Ferrari)
Bois Epais (Sombre Woods) (Lully)
In Einem Kühlen Grunde (Mill Of The Valley) (German folksong)
Build Thee More Stately Mansions (Andrews)
I Wonder As I Wander (Niles)
Who Is Sylvia (Schubert)

It's possible that there is a single copy of just this song, but I couldn't find it. Anyway, there are lots of other good songs in this collection.

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 19 May 03 - 10:05 PM

I just sent two MIDI's to MMario. One is the tune by Andrews and the other by Ireland. I thought the one Sandy sang (Ed Trickett's version) sounded like the Ireland version, but he says it's by someone else. Maybe several folks can listen to it when MMario gets it up.

(hurry, hurry MMario...the ball's in your court now! hehe...I only took a couple of years...)

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 20 May 03 - 03:29 AM

Of course, everyone forgets Spike Milligan's

I must go down to the sea again,
To the lonely sea and the sky,
I left my vest and socks there,
I wonder if they're dry?

Spike rules!!


Seamus

Subject: DT Correction: Sea Fever
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 10:25 PM

"Sea Fever" in the DT is not quite accurate to the Masefield poem and there is a mis-heard word in 1st verse line 3.

SEA FEVER
(John Masefield)

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sails shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied,
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife:
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Source: Louis Untermeyer, "Modern British Poetry."

Words from a poem by John Masefield, music by Andy Taylor.

Recorded by Ed Trickett on "The Telling Takes Me Home", FSI-46

see also SEACHILL, SEAFVR3
filename[ SEAFEVER
DC

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Helen
Date: 19 Dec 03 - 03:49 PM

Hi Mary,

Have a listen to this track of Sea Fever when you get a chance. It isn't the one you want but Kavisha Mazzella is a brilliant Western Australian singer with a hauntingly beautiful album called
Mermaids in the Well

She also has a beautiful version of She Moved Through the Fair, which is the reason I bought the CD in the first place. Clouds of Glory is another favourite track of mine on that CD.

She composed her version of Sea Fever with John Reed & Lee Budde.

Helen

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 19 Dec 03 - 08:25 PM

hmmmmmm...no offense, but it doesn't sound right to me. I think I said once before that we are usually partial to the first tune we learn, and all others just don't sound right. Clouds of Glory, OTOH, is beautiful.

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Dec 03 - 12:33 AM

Q-
from my fading memory, wasn't it originally "I must down to the seas again.." without the implied "go" ?

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Helen
Date: 20 Dec 03 - 02:32 AM

Mary,

I should have warned you that it is different, but it definitely grows on people. She has a distinctive style, and is experimental in her arrangements. You would probably have trouble "getting" her style on that song just from a track sample. If you could hear all of it you may still not like it, but her songs are the type that people have to listen to for a few times before it becomes an earworm.

Helen

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: GUEST,Lou
Date: 28 May 05 - 05:36 PM

I was looking for the guitar chords for the Ireland version to sing at a camp-fire - how bizarre is that - and found this discussion. It doesn't answer my question - will just have to work it out myself from memory (although the harmonies are very shifting and subtle), but I've enjoyed knowing that others love Sea Fever too!

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: GUEST,Lou
Date: 28 May 05 - 05:40 PM

Lou

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 28 May 05 - 09:38 PM

Here's my *guess* at the chords in the key of Fmin (for low voice). Hopefully you can transpose it. I guessed at the chords from a piano arrangement of the Ireland version. Since I don't understand chords more complex than a 7th, I just put an * and then explained below the notes played. It looks like one chord in the left hand and another in the right hand...not sure how guitar players name these. If this is helpful, I'll take a look at the remainder. So far this was fun, but tedious.

  Fmin      Ebmin       Bb
  I must go down to the seas again,
  
         Db     Ab          Bb
  to the lonely sea and the sky
  
      Gb    Cmin?    Bbmin   Ab
  And all I ask is a tall ship
  
        Eb       Fmin7    Eb
  and a star to steer her by,
  
          *       Fmin7        **     Eb7 
  And the wheel's kick and the wind's song
  
          Ab7   Bbmin  ***      F
  and the white sail's shaking.
  
        Eb   Fmin        Ab7   ****
  And a grey mist on the sea's face,
  
        Fmin -- acc. very unusual ---
  and a grey dawn breaking.
  
  
  
  * CC EbBbEb
  **BbBb DbAbDb
  ***DbAb FC
  
  

PS My link to the Andrews version at CDnow has changed. Nice to see another Sea Fever lover!

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: Rumncoke
Date: 28 May 05 - 10:12 PM

I love this poem - it was the first one I set to music, and it is number 23 in my book - which now has expanded to its limit, over 200 sets of words, and I have had to start another.

I use the chords Em Bm(sky) Am(lonely) Em(sky)

Anne

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: GUEST,Lou
Date: 01 Jun 05 - 02:38 PM

Re: Sea Fever Guitar chords - John Ireland's version.

This is what I came up with from memory - it seemed to work and as hardly anyone else knew the song I got away with it! It was best when a flute and fiddle played the melody line along with the guitar, because the tune's a bit unpredictable if you don't know it. Sounded lovely - very haunting - round the camp-fire! (The camp theme was "The Sea" in case you were wondering - this was the spot of culture between Disney songs and Yellow Submarines etc!)

Sea-Fever

Dm       C          G                F    C             D
I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
Em                Gm    Dm       C         F       C   
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
          Am                Gm    Cm            F          D   
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
       Em F          C      Am         G          A    Dm                                                                                                                                                                                                            
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I haven't yet cross-checked it with the piano chords (thanks, Mary), but I will and make any adjustments as necessary ready for next time.

Louise in Southampton.

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: GUEST,Stan in New Zealand
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 12:54 AM

Dear Mary,
I love Sea Fever ,heard it sung by Australian Peter Dawson,sometime in the 1930s .
GET Harmony or Melody Assistant from Myriad (French Site) use thier
Virtual Singer Gizmo , and you can hear it again in any language.
Wonderfull program
Cheers Stan

Subject: RE: Search Challenge - Sea Fever
From: GUEST,Andy Vine
Date: 07 Sep 05 - 10:49 PM

For anyone interested, I too wrote a melody for Sea Fever and recorded it recently on my CD "Making Waves". You can listen to it on my website www.andyvine.com
I'd be interested to hear comments.
Andy Vine

P.S. I am a folk singer/song writer living in Vancouver, Canada