Recently, I came across the recording of the joint faculty voice recital that I did with my colleague and friend Amy Haines.   The year was 2004.  She sang Ned Rorem (definitely doing the heavy lifting of the evening)  while I did all ten of the Old American Songs of Aaron Copland.  This is the first song,  “The Boatman’s Dance” – and it’s one of the hardest of the songs.  I vividly remember the very first faculty voice recital I saw at Luther, back in the fall of 1978 when I was a freshman.  David Judisch (who was my advisor)  sang a really exciting recital, which included this song-   and I remember thinking that it was SO much harder than anything I had ever attempted to sing myself … especially because it was so darned high!  Nowadays,  these Copland songs are available in more than one key, but not back then-  and this song was incredibly tricky and taxing for any baritone because of its relentless tessitura,  and also because it demanded a wide range of dynamics.   Anyway,  I gave it my best shot!   (Carol Wallace is at the piano, by the way- and I enjoyed this rare chance to collaborate with her.)