The Building of the Ship

The Building of the Ship is a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)[1].

The original text

The poem[2] was conceived and written in 18,43, and was first published as the opening piece in the collection The Seaside and the Fireside (Ticknor, Reed and Fields, Boston, 1850).

A renowned emotional reading of the play was done on February 12, 1850 by Fanny Kemble (1809-1893)[3], before the Mercantile Library Association, to an audience of more than three thousand.

Translations and adaptations

A cantata (Opus 35), based on the poem, was composed by John Francis Barnett (1837-1916)[4] and first performed at the Leeds Festival on 13 October, 1880. Patey & Willis, London, published a vocal score of the piece, which when on to see numerous editions.

Performance history in South Africa

1872: Two performances of Narnett's cantata was done by the Cape Town Choral Society, in collaboration with the Rondebosh Choral Society, under the direction of Mr Burke. The second as a benefit performance for the director.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Wadsworth_Longfellow

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44626/the-building-of-the-ship

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Kemble

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Francis_Barnett

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantata#:~:text=A%20cantata%20(%2Fk%C3%A6n,movements%2C%20often%20involving%20a%20choir.

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 287-8

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