The madness of a headmistress

from What shall I sing you by David Warin Solomons

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Poem by Gavin Ewart with kind permission of Gavin Ewart and Random House UK Ltd.
The schoolchildren's "mocking theme" (nya nya nya nya nya) can be heard in the guitar part straight away and the recorder part echos it and eventually blows its top in the "overblow" bar.
I only hope that Gavin Ewart was inventing Miss Oysterley, no real headmistresses would go mad like that....
Nevertheless, it is great fun to perform.
I have performed it with various recorder players, but Angela here made the most of the "overblow" technique so I've chosen that recording for this CD.

lyrics

Don't be a fool; don't go to school; don't put a foot outside.
Old Miss Oysterley is eating bubble gum
Sellotape tin-tacks and Tide.
Be like a mouse; stay in the house.
Her mouth is open wide.
Weird Miss Oysterley is drinking printer's ink,
paint and insecticide!
Don't go near the Head. Just stay in bed.
Jump in a box and hide.
Old Miss Oysterley is fond of little ones,
roasted or frittered or fried.
It's very sad she's gone quite mad.
Her brain is quite putrified.
Poor Miss Poor Miss Oysterley is munching through Infants One,
that was once her joy and her pride.

credits

from What shall I sing you, released March 13, 2017

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David Warin Solomons Sale, UK

Composer from UK born in 1953, concentrating on lyrical and tonal works for chamber music combinations, solo voice and choral works.

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