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Abbie Betinis
Abbie Betinis Music Company
Touch Hands: A Table Grace
This warm, flexible canon passes gratitude from singer to singer.
Flexible (round, partner song, or double canon)
With a folk-like lilt, and warm message of gratitude, “Touch Hands” is a flexible table grace or concert selection for all skill-levels. While some singers may build up to a 6-part canon on text from American conservationist W.H.H. Murray (“Ah friends, dear friends, as years go on, how fast the guests will go…”), beginning singers or audience can layer in the familiar “For health and strength and daily bread” round (secularized here) to create a rich and fulfilling double canon. The text is appropriate all year, including feast days and holidays (ex. Thanksgiving, Christmas) and, with its “carpe diem”-like message on friendship, at festivals, farewell concerts or graduations.
Composer’s Notes
“Touch Hands” is meant to be a flexible and fun round to sing before a meal, with friends and family, or even in a concert setting. It was important to me to have something very familiar about this song – so if you’re sitting down to eat and want to sing a grace together, no one feels left out. When I was young, we’d often sing the round “For health and strength and daily bread” before meals, and that old tune turned out to be the perfect partner song for this new canon. In fact, it occurs to me now that that’s really what long family traditions are: a delicate blend of old and new.
In a very special continuing of our family’s traditions, my mom – a visual artist – designed a Christmas card that we sent to family and friends with this carol inside. And the folky melody, composed with my sister’s voice in mind, was premiered on Minnesota Public Radio with her singing the opening solo.
-Abbie Betinis
A Note on Instrumentation: This score is a cappella, but you may find it effective with various instruments spiraling around (I tend to think brass quintet around the holidays, but lots of options would be lovely). I love when ensembles experiment with instrumentation and accompaniment to make my canons fit your needs.
Text
TOUCH HANDS
Ah, friends, dear friends, as years go on
how fast the guests will go!
Touch hands, touch hands,
with those that stay.
Strong hands to weak,
Old hands to young,
for who may say if ever this day
may come to us again.
The false, forget. The foe, forgive,
for ev’ry fire burns low.
(refrain)
Touch hands, dear friends,
Touch hands.
– W.H.H. Murray, from “Christmas in the Adirondacks” (1897), ed./adapted Abbie Betinis.
GRACE
For health and strength and daily bread, we sing our thanks to thee.
– anon. (Dutch), lyrics modified AB
These texts may be reprinted from this website for use in concert programs and for promotional use as related to this musical work.
$1.00 per licensed PDF
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