Whiffenpoof Songbook Driving to Completion

Marshall Bartholomew and Fenno Heath

The 20th Century was a time of expansive growth in collegiate choral singing, and particularly in the years following the Second World War. As I continue to engrave Whiffenpoofs music from across the Century, I encounter numerous post WWII pieces that capture the very distinctive ebullience of that era.

As college singing exploded in the 20th Century, the position of choral director at great universities grew in importance and impact in the wider world. Yale's Marshall Bartholomew is conspicuous in this regard, having published two editions of the "Songs of Yale", one in 1934 and another in 1953, which became college songbooks at many universities. When the late Fenno Heath took over, he inherited this rich tradition and continued to enhance and develop it.

As Yale admitted women in the late 1960's, Fenno had his hands full creating a new repertoire for mixed chorus. Yale men had this rich and deep tradition of songs, among them songs that made great good fun college life. Luckily for everyone, Fenno Heath reworked much of the cherished repertoire for mixed chorus. A new "Songs of Yale" was brought under our beloved Fenno.

Songs Every Yalie Loves

A couple of humorous songs every Yalie knows are "We're Saving Ourselves for Yale" and "Daddy Is a Yale Man". These were songs written by Yalies about being Yalies, poking fun at their college experience and made real crowd pleasers. Both of these songs came out of the Whiffenpoof repertoire, and are among a group of songs from the post war era that got folded into the immortal core Yale repertoire. Both were written by men who were likely classmates and pals of Fenno Heath, while Marshall Bartholomew was still directing the Yale Glee Club. These songs are on my desk now.

The "Missing" Link Returns!

Robert F. "Missing" Link's "Song Fest" was among this group of music, as I mentioned before. Another piece from that manifesto, "The Old Songs" landed on my desk a couple weeks ago. Some of those songs made the Yale Songbook, some made the Whiff songbook, and some just keep floating around campus.

Sacred Texts

What is it like engraving songs with this much tradition, songs that are beloved by generations of men and women for the last 60 years? It's amazing. I get to look at versions with the original markings of the arranger, songs that were later revised when folded into the "Songs of Yale" in 1953. I also consider my work will sit on pianos of some of the best a cappella singers and arrangers the world has known.

But more than anything, it means it has to be really good. The charts have to read well, express the energy and delight of the music, solve problems for singers and describe performance nuances that would otherwise be forgotten, things I don't know but things other members of the team know from being around longer and compiling massive archives. It's a job I take quite seriously. We're hoping a lot of people will enjoy a good deal of fun singing out of this book!