,i 'l i..

'

The Anton Armstrong Choral Series

a series of multi-cultural choral music
Anton Armstrong, Editor
St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota

Argentina
Waynripaq Taki
cctnteroon
Praise the Lord
ssaattbb
the REVELATOR
IOHNTraditional
&
r
Canada
Gatc sate
satb pcrcussion
el Blues Go sp
sarborssit & Piano
cc,ri.bbian.
Kvrie
'salb, stcol rlrunt, piarto, pcriussiott
China
Pengyou,'I'ing!
satb or ttbb & {inger cymbals
Kenya
Natul'urahi Siku Ya Leo
srtl.b & pcrcussiott
Sltlalauala
satlt & percttssiou
Vanruvaruba
arranged by
sirtb & l)orcussron
Netherlands
Nu zijt wellckome Jcsu
ssaartblr
New zealand.
Hine e Hine
South Korea
Nodle Kangbyon
ss:ttb
Paul Caldwell & Sean Ivory
2 .l pttrt trcble & llilttto
Srucdert
Dornaredansen
silt l), r)l)t. I)iilllo

United States
Go Where I Send Thec!
ssa, sat, or ssntl) & piano
The Hills are Bare
S, sltb, & s'ind chinres SSAATTB & PIANO
'fhrce Rhyn'res - Set I
unison/21zrrt treble, 0utc & piano
'Ihrce Rhymes - Set II
unison/21art trt'blc & piano

SorT,
The Ducl
unisorr./2-3part trcblt, oboc & pitno
Praise His Holy Name
ssa or satb & piatro
Hope for Rcsolution
2/i)-pt trcblc or satb,pitno,sax,pcrc
Sl-raker Songs s.rl;
Spiritual Songs satb
Kvlic
srilb or ssa, slt,el druru, lliarto & pcrc
John the Revelator
sslattbb, pirno
Amazirs Glacc
Ol'Tirnc Rcligion
Wales
slrtl.'. lriirrro

sirrb, r)iirr0 earths:*-ss

Suo Giin
22A nw 29th street
'1, ttl)l)
corvallis, or 97330
54L 17s8-5760
 Cornmissioned by the Caluin College Alumni Choir
Pearl Shanghuan, Music Director
for the ACDA Central Diuision Convention, March, 2002

IOHN the REVELATOR Thaditional GosPel Blues

)=u< arr. Paul Caldwell / Sean Ivory

O tell me

* eighth notes should be played

as written; never "swung"

John the Rev e-la-tor, John theRev - e-la-tor,

John the Rev e - la-tor, John theRev - e-la-tor,

John the Rev e-Ia-tor, John the Rev e-Ia-tor,

who is that wri - tin'? O tell me who is that wri - tin'?-- O tell me

@ 2001 by Paul Caldwell & Sean Ivory

 John the Rev wri-tin' in the book of sev - en seals.
-

John the Rev wri-tin' in the book of sev - en

John the Rev wri-tin' in the book of sev - en seals.-

who is that wri - tin'?- sev-en seals.- O tell me

'bout the Rev 'bout the Rev

>>

'bout the Rev 'bout

'bout the Rev 'bout the Rev

what is he wri - tin'?- O tell me what is he wri - tin'? O tell me

-3 -
 wri-tin' in the book of sev-en seals,-
'bout the Rev

'bout the Rev wri-tin' in the book of sev-en

the Rev wri-tin' in the book of sev-en seals.-

'bout

of sev-en seals'-
what is he wri ' tin'?-

hill,- Iike a cha - ri - ot wheel'

Johnlooked o - ver- CaI-va-ry's

o - ver- Cal-va-ry's hill,- likea cha-ri-ot wheel.

Johnlooked

hill,- cha-ri-ot wheel.

Johnlooked o - ver- Cal-va-ry's

John looked o ' ver- Cal'va-ry's hill'-

al,-----------
" (both hands)

-4-
Tell us, John,- what did you see?

Tell us, John,- what did you see? I saw from the sea!-

Tell us, John,- what did you see? I saw a beast rise from the sea!
-

Tell us, John,- what did you see?. I saw a beast sea!- Tell me

John the Rev John the

.r"L{ -John!
"f li=

John the Rev e- la-tor, John the Rev-e - la-tor,

who is that wri - tin'?- O tell me who is thatwri - tin'? O tell me

-5-
 --
Jihn-thenev - e- Ia-tor, wri-tin' in the book of sev-en

;in., ttt"nev - e-la'tor' wri-tin' in the book of sev-en

theRev - e-la-tor' wri-tin' in the book of sev-en seals'--.

bf sev-en seals.- O tell me

who is that wri - tin'?-."-.-
f iX\"r .-.'

pereussive!

'bout theRev-e - la tion,

'bout theRev - e-Ia tion,
>>

ffi-----
'bout the Rev - e-Ia tion,
'bout theRev - e-la - tion,
>>.>

'bout the Rev - e-la tion,

'bout theBev - e'la tion,

O tell me
O tell me what is he wri - tin'?--
what is he wri ' tin'?-

-6-
 O- 'bout the wri-tin' in the book of sev-en

'bout the Rev wri-tin' in the book of sev- en

'bout the llev wri-tin' in the book of sev-en seals._

what is he wri - tin'?- O the book of sev-en seals._

Talk to us, John!- What's the good news?.- crip-peld can walk; the dumb are sing-in' the

Talk to us, John!- What's the good news?.- The crip-peld can walk;the dumb are sing-in' the

k to us, John!- What's the good news?._

Talk to us, John!- What's the good news?.* oh

-7 -
 see?- The dead are dan - cin' all me._--
John, in the grave - Yard,- wha-da-Ya

wha-da - ya see?- The dead are dan - cin' all

.lot-,in th. grur. - Yard,-

dan-cin'round
John, in the grave'Yard,- wha-da-ya see?-

wha-da-ya see?- The deadl- are dan-cin' round- me'.----

John, in the gxave - Yard'-

d.eclaratioe . ,loud., , gosPel s$le

wn

who

-8-
 Teli us: Who wri - tin'? Tell us: Who wri - tin'?

Tell us: Who 1S wri - tin'? Tell us: Who wri - tin'?

Tell us: Who 1S tin'? Tell us: Who

Tell us: Who is wri - tin'? Tell us: Who 1S wri - tin'?

Tell us what he's wr1 Te1l us what he's wri - tin'!

sub, p

Tell us: what he's wri - tin'? Tell us: what he's wri - tin'?
sub, p

Tell us: what he's wri - tin'? Tell us: what he's wri - tin'?
1ub: p

Tell us: what he's wri - tin'? Tell us: what he's wri - tin,?

-9 -
 Tell us what he's wri - tin'! Teli us what he's wri - tin'!

Tbll us what he's wri - tin'! TelI us what he's wri - tin'!

Tell us what he's wri ' tin'! TblI us what he's wri - tin'!

Tbll us what he's wri ' tin'! Tell us what he's wri - tin'!

70 cresc, Poco o Poeo

c.l*l-u"*,[ ] J

Tell us: Who is wri - tin'? TblI us: \Vho is rvri ' tin'?

Tell us: Who is wri - tin'? Tell us: Who is wri - tin'?

Tell us: Who is wri ' tin'? Tell us: Who is wrr tin'?

TeIl us: Who is wri - tin'? Tell us: Who is wri - tin'?

-10-
 rJ rJ
Tell us: Who is wri - tin'? Tell us: Who is *ri - tin'?

Tel1 us: Who is wri - tin'? Tel1 us: Who is wri - tin'?

Te1I us: Who is wri - tin'? Tel1 us: Who is wri - tin'?

Tell us: Who is wri - tin'? Teli us: Who is wri - tin'?

TeIl us why he's wri - tin', Tell us why he's wri - tin',

Tell us why he's wri - tin', Teli us why he's wri - tin',

Te11 us why he's wri - tin', TelI us why he's wri - tin',

TelI us why he's wri - tin', Tell us why he's wri - tin',

- i1 -
 Tell us why he's wri - tin', Tell us why he's wri

Tlell us why he's wri - tin', Tell us why he's wri - tin',

lbll us why he's wri - tin', Tell us why he's wri - tin',

Tbll us why he's wri - tin', Tell us why he's wri - tin',

?> ?>
aT-. =

*"::'.o':'h.
r(hich)Y lt'l lth..b,,.h
'l v )v ), ), "b y )y ),.b., ) r )y )r ),.h
lrffirflfrlillJlJrlll
Tbll us: Who is Tbll us: Who is wn

lbll us: Who is wri - tin'? Tell us: Who

TelI us: Who is wri - tin'? Tbll us: Who is wri tin'?

Tbll us: Who is wri - tin'? Tbll us: Who is wri - tin'?
' the Main Choir continus the lov clspping
while a amall ememble addr the high claps

-t2 -
 , ), ),.h, ) , J, ), ),,.b , ), ),.h, "h , ), ), ), )
tllllllplplprJll
Tell us: Who wri - tin'? Tell us: Who wri - tin'?

Tell us: Who wri - tin'? Tell us: Who wri - tin'?

Teli us: Who wri - tin'? TelI us: Who wri - tin'?

Tell us: Who wri - tin'? Tell us: Who wri - tin'?

v )r ), ),.h v )v.h, ), ) v.hr ),.b, ) r )y ), ),.b

rJrlrprllJtllplJ
Timefor rev - e - la - tion and for ju - bi - Ia - tion.

Timefor rev - e - la - tion and for ju - bi - la - tion.

Timefor rev - e - la - tion and for ju bi - la - tion.

Timefor rev - e - la - tion and for ju - bi - la - tion.

-13-
 , ), , ), ),,.h, )
lJlJ ), ), )
lpll , All: ctap, )"b, )),
etompp't1prrD1
)

lbll us what you're wri - tin'- read it us, John!-

Tell us what you're wri - tin'- read it us, John!-

Tell us what you're wri - tin'- read it us, John!-

Tbll us what you're wri - tin'- read it us, John!-

in that book, John. in that book,

in that book, John. in that book,

Well, just tell in your book, John. just tell in your book,

just tell in your book, jusi tell it in your book, John.

-14 -
 Juh John, write it down for us Juh John, write it down for us in that- book.

Juh John, write it down for us Juh John, write it for us in that- book.

just tell John, Well, just tell in your pre-cious book, John,

just tell in your pre-cious book, John, WelI, just tell in your pre-cious book, John,

JuhJohn, write it for us intha.t-book. JuhJohn,writeit for us in that-

JuhJohn,write it for us in that-book. Juh John, writeit for us in that- book.

just tell in your pre+ious book, John, Well, just tell in your pre-cious book, John,

Well, just tell in your pre<ious book, John, Well, just tell in your pre-cious book, John,

15
 JuhJohn, write it d<iwn book of sev-en

JuhJohn, write it down inthat bookof sev-en

John!

Well, just tell in that book of sev-en seals,- . ' John!

just tell in that book of sev-en John!

E E

e
o
v

Performed in a myriad of arrangements by gospel groups throughout the South, lohn the Raxlator seems to have
been first recorded between 7927 nd 1930 by Blind Willie ]ohnson: Texan; skeet-corner evangelisq and self-taught
master of the slide guitar. A decade later, the piece tumed up as a regular staple in the repertoire of Delta Blues legend
Son House. Both men authored most of their recorded material and Johnson's recordings even credit him as the
composer of Keep Your Lamps kimmed and Burning, But neither artist claimed lohn the Reoelator as his own. Both men
identified it as traditional.

Both Blind Willy johnson and Son House'iarere practitioners of a charismatic tradition, a religion that used music to
lift worshipers into an ecstatic, trance-like state of mind. These periods of holy delirium allowed followers to gain brief
glimpses into the world described by ]ohn in the book of Revelation. More importantly, they offered respite and hope
to an African-American population trapped in webs of physical and economic liardship.

To hear their re-released performances of lohn the Raxlator,listen to Blind Willie ]ohnson's "Dark Was the Night"
and Son House's "The Original Delta Blues." Both discs are issued on the Mojo Workin'label. Their renditions are
sparse and uncomplicated. Son's is downright monodic, accompanied only with occasional handclaps.

In our arrangement, we have tried to make optimal use of the precious Blues scales employed by Johnson and
House. Harmonically and texturally, our piece is more closely related to the work of Son Ffouse's musical children, the
next two generaHons of American Blues pioneers.

Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory

Septembeq,2001

16