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The Parting Glass

from Migrations by The Littlest Birds

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about

Dave: While on tour I received an email that James Forward, one of my high school orchestra conductors had passed away from cancer. I knew he had been sick but had not expected the news. The note said that he had explicitly requested that I be at the memorial to perform. We had always had a good connection and had stayed in touch over the years, but this came as a surprise and an honor. Later I learned that he wanted me to play The Parting Glass. Once I listened to a version of it I thought it would be better if Sharon and I learned it together. It was a difficult task, but an honorable one and I felt incredibly touched to be invited to perform at his small memorial service. He was a very inspiring conductor and just a fun person. He spent his whole life as a teacher of music. And in the end, he taught me this final piece.  At the memorial, after days of hard work trying to tighten up our harmonies and still feeling rough, it seemed to just flow effortlessly and nary a rough note came from the nice borrowed cello I was playing (we were en route to Baja so all I had was my terrible "baja cello"). Turned out later that in fact the cello I was playing was one that James had owned, and I think that it was obvious that a spirit guided our performance that day.

Sharon: I had first heard this haunting song years ago and had always wanted to learn it and have someone to sing it with me. It was a bittersweet honor to have the best of reasons to work on this piece. 

lyrics

Oh all the money that e’r I spent
I spent it in good company
And all the harm that e’r I done
Alas it was to none but me
And all I’ve done, for want of wit
To memory now I can’t recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Goodnight and joy be with you all

Oh all the comrades e’r I had
Ere sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts e’r I had,
Would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls, until my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I’ll gently rise, and softly call
Goodnight and joy be with you all.

credits

from Migrations, released October 14, 2011
Trad. Arr. The Littlest Birds

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The Littlest Birds Laramie, Wyoming

The Littlest Birds is the banjo-driven music of and Sharon Martinson, performing both solo concerts and currently with several duo and trio configurations. "Think instrumental virtuosity balanced by a breezy, backwoods soul, music that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally soothing."
- Dan Bolles, Seven Days Weekly, Burlington VT, 2011 ... more

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