Bach & Beethoven Experience
The Story of Pa I Sha
*The Story of Pa I Sha is a through-composed work of Brandi Berry Benson’s original settings and arrangements of the following hymns, social dances, and traditional songs from the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations interwoven with English and Choctaw narration.
Prelude to the Removal
Stomp Dance
Traditional
Garfish Dance
Traditional
Four Step War Dance
Traditional
2. The Removal
La Palata (Memorial Song)
Choctaw Hymn 112 (Meditation on Death, Removal Song)
Choctaw composer anonymous
Choctaw Hymn 53 (Removal Song)
transl. Loring S. Williams
Choctaw Hymn 21 (Press Along to Glory Lands)
transl. Williams
3. A new life in a new land
Stealing Partners Dance
Traditional
Wedding Dance
Traditional
4. The Birth of Mary
Stomp Dance
Traditional
Choctaw Hymn 11
transl. Cyrus Byington
La Palata (Memorial Song)
Traditional
Choctaw Hymn 112, (Meditation on Death, Removal Song)
Choctaw composer anonymous
5. Mary meets John
Battle Hymn of the Republic/God Save the South
Howe/Steffe
Stealing Partners Dance
Traditional
The Girl I Left Behind Me
Morris Hime (1810)
Wedding Dance
Traditional
Friendship Dance
Traditional
6. Rosa gives up her identity
Choctaw Hymn 54
David Folsom, Choctaw minister
The Wayfaring Stranger
Choctaw arr. from old Southern melody
7. Elvera travels from Illinois to Texas
Prairie du rocher motion/Arkansas Traveler medley
Traditional
medley of European carols adopted into the Choctaw hymnal:
Choctaw hymn 95 (Hark the Herald Angels Sing)
Choctaw hymn 178 (Joy to the World!)
Choctaw hymn 179 (Adeste Fideles)
Choctaw arr. G.F. Handel, from Wade’s Cantus Diversi, 1751
8. Earnest meets Elvera
Stealing partners dance
Traditional
Wedding Dance
Traditional
Choctaw hymn 110, Wedding Hymn
Hugh Wilson
Stomp Dance
Traditional