The Genesee (Alma Mater of the University of Rochester) - Thomas T. Swinburne

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 22 October 2005, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. WORLD HAVE MANY RIVER BEAUTIFUL, SUN MAKE SHINY. STILL BEST ME FEEL WHICH? OUR O-W-N SWEET G-E-N-E-S-E-E HON.-IX-left. WE LOVE YOUR-lf COAST AND WATERFALL FORMAL. WHY? HELP-us US VISUALIZE (pause) OUR O-W-N UNIVERSITY. LOOK-BACK REMEMBER HELP-us MATURE.

2. ROMAN CASTLE SET-UP MOUNTAIN HAVE-NONE. NO SONG TELL-STORY HISTORY SHINY HAPPEN UP-TO-NOW. (<) WAR RAMPART, (>) STORY CREATIVE FINE, BUT MORE IMPORTANT "WHAT"? (pause) LOOK-BACK OUR COLLEGE IDEA~LIKE MOTHER RAISE US.

3. KNOW-THAT RIVER FLOW FASTER+ NOTHING PREVENT CAN. PARALLEL HAPPEN LIFE HARD-KNOCKS HOPE WE STRONG RESIST OFF-POINT-lf&rt. PLUS HOPE OUR HEART LOYAL ANY PLACE WE GO. (pause) ANNOUNCE OUR UNIVERSITY WE CHERISH BEST HERE G-E-N-E-S-E-E.


Notes: SHINY - (2h)[open 8], POs down, FOs away, twist rapidly at wrists while rising. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Shine.

HON.-IX - [B], PO up, FO > the thing to be honored.

COAST - (2h)[B], POs ><, FOs up, NDH is held still and DH smacks against it and moves up with wg to show waves crashing on the shore.

(pause) - The music has a caesura (long hold) here. You can hold the last sign a little bit and then slowly put your hands down if needed.

LOOK-BACK - (2h)[H or V] are brought back over the shoulder, POs down, FOs back.

CASTLE - (2h)[V:], POs away, FOs up, hands separate and descend a number of times to show the castle walls. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Castle.

HAVE-NONE - (2h)[B], POs > signer move upwards past mouth and swing upwards and apart while mouth blows on hands as they pass.

RAMPART - (2h)[S], POs down, FOs ><, elbows are held high and arms overlap as in TABLE and DS arm descends and strikes NDS arm from above, then DS arm is held in place and NDS arm descends and strikes DS arm from above.

IDEA~LIKE - a blending where IDEA has a [Y] instead of an [I] in anticipation of LIKE which - signed smoothly right afterwards.

RAISE - (2h)[B], POs down, FOs away, lower slightly, supinate, and rise up.

KNOW-THAT - Starts like KNOW but twists and descends, looking almost like DON'T-KNOW except the hand twists down at the end.

HARD-KNOCKS - Fists alt. stike chest as if life were beating on you.

OFF-POINT-lf-AND-rt - DH [S], PO > NDS, flicks finger off to the left and then to the right.

LOYAL - [L], PO > signer, FO > NDS, circles at NDS pec and lands.

Lyrics:

1. Full many fair and famous streams beneath the sun there be. Yet more than any seems our own dear Genesee. We love thy banks and stately falls, for to our minds they bring (caesura) our dear old Alma Mater's halls, where sweetest memories cling.

2. No castled crags along her way Roman splendors cast, no fabled or historic lay recalls the golden past, but more than battlemented walls or legend they may bear (caesura) are dear old Alma Mater's halls and memories lingering there.

3. As flows the river, gathering force, along her steadfast way, may we along life's devious course grow stronger day by day, and may our hearts wheree'er we roam forever loyal be (caesura) to our beloved college home beside the Genesee.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to The Genesee (1895) - University Alma Mater (2:14) : by Thomas T. Swinburne, Class of 1892; arrangement by Herve D. Wilkins, Class of 1866; performed by Daniel Harrison, carilloneur.

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