SENIOR
life
Barbershop Music by Kathy Swafford
APR 18 - APR 25, 2017
Activities Calendar
to sing and harmonize and
its heartfelt themes were a hit
with the public. In the early
“Age of Champions”
1900s, sales of sheet music and
is the award winning
phonograph records soared. In
documentary following
the 1920s, sophisticated melodies
five competitors who
sung by professionals, use of jazz
sprint, leap and swim for
rhythms, and dance music on the
gold at the National Senior
radio replaced barbershop music,
Olympics. Meet a 100-year
pril 11th is Barbershop Quartet
except in gospel singing.
old tennis champion, an
Day, when we celebrate this
The
revival of barbershop
86-year old pole vaulter
uniquely American folk art. Its harmony and a cappella singing
and rough-and tumble close, unaccompanied four-part
took place in 1938 when two
basketball grandmothers. harmonies and ringing chords
men in Oklahoma organized a
Presented by Aspen Club at evolved from folk songs, spirituals, songfest. Growing from 26 to
the Greeley Medical Clinic and hymns.
150 men by the third meeting,
Lower Level class room Groups of singers harmonized
the grand sounds of harmony
from 10-11:30 am. Call in barbershops, parlors, on street
from the roof-top garden of the
970-313-2796 to reserve corners, or at social functions.
Tulsa Club caused a traffic jam!
your seat. Black southern quartets in the
Newspaper publicity spawned
1870s were influential in using
many barbershop groups across the
improvisation and flexing of the
country.
melody to produce harmonies.
Today there are many men
Tour the American Museum In minstrel shows and vaudeville,
and women singing barbershop
of Western Art at the white singers in blackface or
harmony in quartets and choruses
Navarre Building across later black singers themselves,
worldwide. The four voice parts are
bass, baritone, lead (melody), and
from the Brown Palace performed between acts while
with the Greeley Senior scenes and costumes were changed. tenor, with the top voices singing
lighter than the lower voices.
Center. $15 for members, Barbershop music was easy
apr 18
A
April 19
$20 for non-members and
that includes admission
to the museum and
transportation; leave at
8:30 am. Lunch at Cinzetti’s
at your own expense. Call
970-350-9440 to RSVP or
more information.
April 20
Medicare Counseling with
Steve Young at the Senior
Center. Call to schedule an
appointment 970-350-9440.
April 25
Fight Fraud – Shred Instead!
Area Agency on Aging
and AARP Foundation is
proud to sponsor a FREE
community shred event
where you can drop off
your unneeded personal
financial documents and
records for shredding from
9:00-12:00 pm at the First
Congregational Church,
2101 16th St., Greeley.
Please limit to 3 boxes or
one large trash bag per car
and don’t forget to bring a
nonperishable food donation
for the Weld Food Bank.
April 27
Beer & Wine Tasting to
benefit Meals on Wheels of
Greeley and Weld County.
Enjoy music, food and a
silent auction from 5:30-8:00
pm at Weld County Garage,
2699 47th Ave., Greeley.
Senior Life is sponsored by the
Weld County Area Agency on
Aging. If you have a story idea
or something to share, please
contact us at (970) 346-6950
or [email protected]. All
content is subject to editing
and/or approval by Weld County.
The defining characteristic of
barbershop singing is the ringing
chord, where an “overtone” is
perceived as a “fifth voice” above
the tuned and balanced four voices
actually singing. Overtones do
not occur on modern keyboard
instruments with equal-tempered
tuning, one reason barbershop
singing is a cappella.
Barbershop arrangements stress
“ringing” chords, which result
in high scores in competitions
held by the Barbershop Harmony
Society for men and Sweet
Adelines International for women.
Most music can be arranged in
the barbershop style. Today’s
barbershop quartets and choruses
sing a variety of music from all
eras, including show tunes, pop,
and even rock music. Check it
out - your community may have a
barbershop chorus you can listen
to or join!
Sources:
www.acappellafoundation.org; www.
glcsin.org/History;
www.barbershop.org/history
WHO WAS MOTHER GOOSE?
Given that we have all heard
of her, you might think that
identifying Mother Goose would
be easy. But when you start to dig
it goes a little the way of Robin
Hood or King Arthur. There are
multiple opinions and none seem
to be clearly based on any mutually
agreed-upon facts. There must be
something about history’s iconic
figures that feasts on ambiguity.
Of course there is the touristdriven answer to this, which bases
the real Mother Goose in 17th
century Boston, Massachusetts.
You can find any number of
tourist guides who will argue that
Mother Goose was one of the
wives of a man named Isaac Goose,
although it isn’t clear whether it
was first wife, Elizabeth, or second
wife, Mary. But that confusion
is acceptable because Isaac’s
name might actually have been
Vergoose or Vertigoose. Again, the
ambiguity intrudes. In this version
Lady Goose told tales to children
and had an indirect connection to a
publishing house which eventually
gathered them up into a marketable
package. Leave it to America to
figure out how to commercialize
Mother Goose.
But others trace the roots back
further. One researcher, Katherine
Elwes-Thomas, suggests that the
real Mother Goose was the wife
of Robert II of France, who lived
from 972 to 1031AD. According
to this researcher the queen was
called both “Bertha the Spinner”
and “Goose-Footed Bertha”
(for hopefully obscure reasons),
and was known for the tales she
told to children. However, other
by Bill Crabbe
researchers are less convinced and
many simply think of the Mother
Goose character as being more
figurative than representing an
actual historical person.
But perhaps the most interesting
spin on the Mother Goose saga
is the reasonably well-supported
claim that the rhymes were actually
intended as political satire. In this
version Humpty Dumpty was
mocking the fall of King Richard
III, while Jack and Jill and Baa Baa
Black Sheep were targeting Henry
VIII and Edward VI respectively.
In those days it was a little risky
criticizing leading political
figures and it had to be done less
transparently if one wanted to keep
one’s head.
As with many things historical
I fear the truth behind Mother
Goose will forever remain an
unsolved CSI episode. Perhaps it’s
just as well. It seems to be rather
fun for people to speculate.
Celebrating Colorado Centenarians!
Who: Colorado Centenarians (100 years or older in 2017)
What: Celebration of their lives and contributions to Colorado
communities
When: Friday, May 19, 2017
Time: 11a.m. – 1:00p.m. (registration begins at 10:45a.m.)
Where: Greeley Senior Activity Center at 1010 6th St. Greeley, CO 80631
Contact: Tara Franck @ [email protected] ; 303-866-5288
Governor John Hickenlooper has proclaimed May 19, 2017, as Colorado Centenarian Day and the
Colorado Commission on Aging is hosting a very special celebration, ceremony, and luncheon for all
Coloradans (and their guests) who have reached or will reach 100 years of age or older in 2017!
This event will be held at the Greeley Senior Activity Center located at 1010 6th St. Greeley, CO 80631
from 11a.m. – 1p.m. (registration/check-in begins at 10:45a.m.)
The program, held in conjunction with Older Americans Month, will include recognition of the
Centenarians by appointees of the Colorado Commission on Aging. In addition to a complimentary
lunch, participants will be entertained by live music.
An RSVP for this celebration is requested. Please call 303.866-5288 or email . Tara Franck at tara.franck@
state.co.us by May 12, 2017.
SENIOR HEALTH & Fitness
A Matter of Balance
Workshop:
Learn ways to reduce the
fear of falling and break
the fear of falling cycle
by increasing activity
levels. The program
focuses on practical coping
strategies. A variety of
activities address physical,
social, and cognitive
factors affecting fear of
falling. Workshop meets
once a week for 8 weeks.
Registration required by
calling Whitney JanzenPankratz at (970) 346-6950
ext. 6117. Free for 60+.
Tuesdays, 4/11/17 to
5/23/17 from 9:00-11:00
am: Northern Colorado
Medical Center, Greeley
Visually Impaired, Mondays,
4/17/17 to 6/5/17 From
9:00-11:00 am: Centennial
Area Health Education
Center, Greeley
NEXT WEEK’S SENIOR
NUTRITION LUNCH MENU:
mon 4/17
BBQ Pork, Wheat Bun,
Baked Sweet Potato, Green
Pepper Slaw, Pineapple
with Blueberries
tues 4/18
Cream of Asparagus Soup,
Wheat Crackers, Tuna
Salad Sandwich on Wheat
Bread, Melon Mix, Cherry
Crisp
wed 4/19
Beef Stew, Brussel
Sprouts with Malt Vinegar,
Watermelon, Buttermilk
Biscuit, Margarine
thurs 4/20
Salisbury Steak with
Gravy, Baked Potato, Sour
Cream, Vegetable Blend,
Wheat Roll, Margarine,
Strawberries, Bananas
fri 4/21
Meat Lasagna, Spinach
and Garbanzo Bean Salad,
Mandarin Oranges, Apples
and Bananas, Tapioca
Did you know?
Sweet potatoes are a
superfood and they taste
great! They are excellent
accompaniments to poultry,
pork, beef, lamb or seafood.
They can also be substituted
in virtually any recipe that
calls for apples, squash or
white potatoes.