Post by reTrEaD on Apr 28, 2023 13:34:10 GMT -5
I've long been a fan of Aaron Copland. He's an American Composer who was active during my lifetime and his works are an express a slice of American culture. Many of his pieces occupy my favorites list. Today I'd like to use one of them, Appalachian Spring, as my starting point. But rather than examining his work, I'll be using a portion he lifted from the public domain.
Simple Gifts is song written by Shaker Elder, Joseph Bracket. It flew under the radar for century. Popular within the Shaker community but unknown to the public at large. Copland changed that in the mid 20th Century with Appalachian Spring.
The melody is easy to sing. Lots of stepwise movement with a few leaps that aren't difficult.
The lyrics express a gratitude for life itself and celebration of simple pleasures.
My first example is a rather folksy rendition. It's up-tempo and pleasant.
Now, some drama. No lyrics here but the instrumentation lends itself to a loud, proud presentation. Majestic. Grandiose. These emotions are quite antithetical to the original but a richly emotional experience.
Even more drama? Yes. But this time it's subtle, stirring. The version by Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss is a masterclass in doing more with less. A cello and a single voice. The first time through it's a solitary cello. Alone but not really lonely. Here the cello has the responsibility of carrying the melody. Later, it will be employed to create harmony with the voice. Harmony is not always what one would expect. Sometimes the intervals are more complex and often he lingers on one note while the voice is in motion.
There's a judicious use of dynamics in the performance, creating a sense of expansion and contraction at the appropriate moments. There a delicate and fragile quality to the last note the cello plays before the voice joins in. This is unexpected but not jarring. It's like a whisper to the soul. This note is pivotal. There's a modulation when the voice appears. The note on the cello remains constant but has a different role in the new key. If your eyes are still dry after the final note of the piece, check your pulse. Okay, maybe I'm overselling this. Maybe not.
Feel free to take the conversation on a tangent. American folk music, Aaron Copland, Drum Corps Alison Krauss, Yo-Yo Ma, whatever. Or present examples of a different song where different versions have substantially different emotional characteristics.
Simple Gifts is song written by Shaker Elder, Joseph Bracket. It flew under the radar for century. Popular within the Shaker community but unknown to the public at large. Copland changed that in the mid 20th Century with Appalachian Spring.
The melody is easy to sing. Lots of stepwise movement with a few leaps that aren't difficult.
The lyrics express a gratitude for life itself and celebration of simple pleasures.
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we will not be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.
My first example is a rather folksy rendition. It's up-tempo and pleasant.
Now, some drama. No lyrics here but the instrumentation lends itself to a loud, proud presentation. Majestic. Grandiose. These emotions are quite antithetical to the original but a richly emotional experience.
Even more drama? Yes. But this time it's subtle, stirring. The version by Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss is a masterclass in doing more with less. A cello and a single voice. The first time through it's a solitary cello. Alone but not really lonely. Here the cello has the responsibility of carrying the melody. Later, it will be employed to create harmony with the voice. Harmony is not always what one would expect. Sometimes the intervals are more complex and often he lingers on one note while the voice is in motion.
There's a judicious use of dynamics in the performance, creating a sense of expansion and contraction at the appropriate moments. There a delicate and fragile quality to the last note the cello plays before the voice joins in. This is unexpected but not jarring. It's like a whisper to the soul. This note is pivotal. There's a modulation when the voice appears. The note on the cello remains constant but has a different role in the new key. If your eyes are still dry after the final note of the piece, check your pulse. Okay, maybe I'm overselling this. Maybe not.
Feel free to take the conversation on a tangent. American folk music, Aaron Copland, Drum Corps Alison Krauss, Yo-Yo Ma, whatever. Or present examples of a different song where different versions have substantially different emotional characteristics.
); local families, pubs.. literally all over the place.
