The Electronic Alice - Part Two
Jabberwocky
for
Mixed Chorus, Piano, Amplified Harpsichord and Electronic Sounds
Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky is, arguably, the finest nonsense poem in the English language.  It is the whimsically told tale of the killing of the Jabberwock who came
"whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!"
Carroll's poem was originally set in medieval type, as a relic of ancient poetry.  Walker's musical setting, beginning at the words
"He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought"
introduces the ancient cantus firmus L'homme arme´- The Armed Man and follows the tale through to its triumphant conclusion.
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy."
Partial score available below
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SUNY Geneseo Chamber Singers - James Walker Conducting
Jabberwocky - Lewis Carroll

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One two! One two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.