Sampan

Sampan began as a beautiful melody written by Andrew DeTeliga from Sirocco and Paul in 2001 for the Centenary of Federations. Eleven years later in 2012 Paul was commissioned by Caulfield Grammar to write a song cycle based on the Eureka Stockade. Paul felt that the Chinese story from time was important to be included and he had always wanted to write this piece with lyrics for choir.

Ballarat, 1858. The peak of the gold rush. Just under 10,000 Chinese had migrated to Ballarat and around a quarter of the men on the goldfield were Chinese, second only to the English in numbers. But looking at Ballarat today, you wouldn’t have a clue there were ever any Chinese at all. Such an enormous human migration is sure to leave a mark on the community it rests in, but what you’ll find in Ballarat is a recreation of what is a missing part of their golden history. It is not widely known that many of the Chinese graves in the Ballarat cemeteries are actually empty. The Chinese miners were sincere in their desire to finally return home to China.

This piece tells their story. Inspired by the writings of the 14th Century Chinese Poets, deeply romantic and full of image and connection to the natural world, Sampan is a very moving inclusion to a concert program.

Paul conducting Junior Gondwana, with Rachael Whealey  on Cello & Chang Ning Chai on Dizi.

Sample recording courtesy of the Hillcrest Christian College Choir, directed by Jenny Moon

Themes

Sing a choir favourite Sing a global story Sing a history Sing a message Sing an Australian story Sing from the heart
Duration 5:00
Key G minor/BbMajor, modulating to D minor/F major
Range Bb3 to F5
More info Available with Flute and Cello parts. Very suited to Chinese Flute (Dizi) and Erhu. Contact Paul for parts.
Price AU$3.00 per copy

Lyrics

S A M P A N                        
                         
By Paul Jarman
                       
All the birds have flown
Far into the lonely sky
Tonight I watch the rising moon alone
No one will know the tears I cry

Clouds fade into night
Painting the twilight with my dreams
Heaven my blanket and the earth my bed
You’ll be the only dream I see

To the music of our dreaming
We are dancing in the air
On a wind that has blown across the sea

In the wonder of a moment
Moonlight dries our tears
And the stars light the way for me

Silver river flow
Take me to where my heart must go
I’ll wait until my boat is full of gold
Then I shall sail back home to you

© Paul Jarman 2012