The town meeting opens with a Prayer.  These are traditional songs arranged by Jesse Wiener.  Early draft.

Prayer Draft 07 28 2015

Traditional songs arranged by Jesse Wiener, composer for 1854 . . . a folk opera.  Early drafts.

The Gathering (draft By Jesse Wiener)

This is a demo of the first sea shanty that the Whaling Captains sing after entering the Union Chapel on stilts.  

How Long by Brian Weiland

After the citizens' chorus has entered the chapel and after the audience has taken their seats, the citizens' chorus begin to call the names of their ancestors, a very personal process.  The Freedom chorus joins by calling their ancestors, original West African names.  

The Procession by Jesse Wiener

This is the whaling captains' first sea shanty composed by Brian Weiland.  Lyrics by Jack Schimmelman.  The song is meant to parallel the experience of the escaped slave.  In performance, the sea shanty will be counterpointed by a slave song.

1854 . . . a folk opera

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