No. 1 - Opening Chorus - Act I

from "His Excellency"
Music by Frank Osmond Carr
Words by W. S. Gilbert
Sequenced by Colin Johnson
All Rights Reserved

Set the merry bunting flying,
Fire the cannonring the bells--
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la,
Our great townsman glorifying,
Who with sculptor's skill undying,
All competitors excels.
He, with his artistic spells,
So the stubborn marble quells,
He, with his artistic spells,
So the stubborn marble quells,
That, to all intents elastic,
It assumes, in manner plastic,
Shapes heroicshapes fantastic,
As his mighty will compels!
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.

Chosen from his fellow creatures
By our King'twas wisely done-
To perpetuate the features
Of the Regent Prince, his son-
Then created, by a penmark,
At our gracious King's decree,
Sculptor to the Court of Denmark
And the Royal Familee!
Sculptor to the Court of Denmark
And the Royal Familee!
Leisure take festina lente-
You have time before you, plenty,
When at only twoandtwenty,
(Nemine dissentiente)
Leisure takefestina lente-
You have time before you, plenty,
When at only twoandtwenty,
(Nemine dissentiente)
You're created with a penmark
Sculptor to the Court of Denmark-
Sculptor to the Court of Denmark
And the Royal Familee!

Most worthy Syndic and all kind friends assembled,
I thank you for your kind and cordial greeting,
But when you sing my praises, oh remember,
How many worthier brethren pine and perish
For lack of that sunbeam of Royal favour,
Which, by sheer April chance, had fallen on me
And warm'd by budding powers into blossom!

No, no, No, no, no, no, no, no!
No April chance is here-
Thine art hath no compeer-
It triumphs all completely:
And, sooth to say, 'twere well
If Royal sunbeams always fell
So wisely, So wisely, So wisely, So wisely,
So wisely, so discreetly!
So scatter flow'rs at his feet,
Scatter flow'rs at his feet,
Sing him songs of jubilation,
And the king of sculptors greet
With a rosy coronation!

Raise him on our brawny shoulders
Cynosure of all beholders.
Hail him, scholar, hail him, gownsman
As your worthiest fellow townsman!
Hail him, dunce and ignoramus,
For his fame will make you famous!
Hail him great, and hail him small,
Hail him one, and hail him all!
Hail him one, and hail him all!

My pretty one, why silent and alone?
Why sit you thus in pensive meditation?
Has melancholy marked you for her own,
Or sad disaster check'd your heart's elation?
I pray reply!

Good sir, although I sit apart all day,
I am no prey to grief or sad disaster.
Truth is, I cannot tear myself away
From this fair formthy work, oh, mighty master!
I'll tell you why!

I see with a silent awe,
In this faultless form allied
The exquisite grace
Of a royal race,
And the glory of knightly pride:
No blemish, or fault, or flaw,
But perfect in all is he,
I've learnt, in fine,
What a god divine
A chivalrous knight may be.
As gentle as lover's lay,
Or the dawn of a bright Mayday,
Yet cast in the knightly mould
Of the glorious days of old!
My eyes are open'd; at last I see
What he who would win my heart must be.

Why look at the men we've known-
Their mouths will open and close-
They've ears likewise,
And a couple of eyes,
And the usual nubbly nose;
Each has a head of his own,
They've bodies, and legs, and feet,
I'm bound to admit
That in every whit
The catalogue's quite complete:
But where is the godlike grace
That lights that marvellous face?
Where is the brow serene?
Where is the lordly mien?
Ah, dullards and dolts are all I've known,
Compared with that marvellous, matchless stone!

Karaoke version compiled by Colin Johnson

No. 1 - Opening Chorus and Ballad - Christina
Soft karaoke
Words
Christina
Mats Munck
Erling
Sopranos
Contraltos
Tenors
Basses
Right Hand
Left Hand
Karaoke Track