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About the Composer
Joan Szymko
Joan Szymko Music
Step By Step
We are always stronger together.
SAB, a cappella
Step By Step is steeped in the history and culture of American folk and social justice music. Pete Seeger combined the words of the 1870 “Preamble to the Constitution of the American Miners Union” with a traditional Irish tune. This well crafted arrangement is suitable for beginning mixed ensemble.
Composer’s Notes
Step By Step is steeped in the history and culture of American folk and social justice music. Composer and pianist Waldemar Hille (1908-1995), an American folk song historian and social activist, found the words to the preamble of the constitution of the first mineworkers union in the United States which had been written in 1870. He shared them with folk musician—and now, folk legend— Pete Seeger (1919-2014) hoping that Pete would find a tune to go with the words. Seeger found the perfect match: “The Praties They Grow Small,” a traditional Irish song written during the Great Irish Potato Famine of the 1840’s.
The message of the lyrics can be summed up as “we are always stronger together” — as true for worker’s unions as for any shared struggle for social justice!
– Joan Szymko
Text
Step by step, the longest march
can be won, can be won.
Many stones can form an arch, singly none, singly none.
And by union what we will can be accomplished still.
Drops of water turn a mill, Singly none, singly none
-Preamble to the Constitution of the American Miners Union (1870)
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