Music of the Country

Hello, Music Lover!

Aaron Copeland’s Appalachian Spring was composed as a ballet in 1944, a commission from choreographer and dancer Martha Graham, who performed the lead role. It was composed without benefit of knowing what the title would be, its working title being simply “Ballet for Martha” right up until the eve of its premiere! It was Graham who suggested the title “Appalachian Spring”, based on a phrase from a Hart Crane poem which alludes to a spring in the Appalachians as a source of water. This was an inspired choice as it turned out, since many people feel that the music perfectly captures the character of the Appalachians.

The story line of the ballet is built around a spring celebration of 19th century American pioneers after building a new farmhouse. The scenes of daily activity for the bride and her farmer husband include five variations on a Shaker melody known as “Simple Gifts". In 1945 Copland rearranged the work as an orchestral suite, and it is this version that has proved the more popular. Although most of the music has been preserved, there is much less emphasis on the Shaker melody, which does not appear until the seventh movement. Since it was originally composed for dancing, however, and since the Shaker tune has also been used for a popular hymn “Lord of the Dance”, I wanted to maintain the dance aspect in this square. So I have shown a couple square dancing against a landscape that could be in the Appalachian Mountains, and a river that must have begun as a little spring.

Kathy has made our next square, inspired by Gabriel's Oboe, by Ennio Morricone. It was composed as the theme song for the film The Mission starring Jeremy Irons. His character Father Gabriel, a Jesuit priest, goes to the South American jungle to convert the Guarani community to Christianity, and the music of his oboe captivates the Guarani warriors, and prevents them from throwing him over the falls after his predecessor.

Gabriel’s song on the oboe is about stillness, and the tune swirls like a feather until it gently comes to a stop. The tune, as does any oboe solo, brings back memories for Kathy of her son David practising at home. He played in a community orchestra, and whenever she hears the haunting sound of an oboe, it reminds her of the times he used to practice the oboe sections. Kathy chose to portray a young goatherd playing to his animals, a more pastoral setting than the perilous South American jungle, and without the roar of the falls in the background!

Love Letters Straight From the Heart, from 1945, by Vic Young and Edward Heyman, has been sung by over 30 artists and groups. It was used, without the lyrics, in the movie of the same name.

Every cover of this song (most recently in 2008!) has its own character, but none of them can take away from the classical “box” shape of this song, the aabb rhyming pattern and the irresistibly predictable chord sequence. It’s one of those tunes that gets stuck in your head – ooops - sorry about that!

Talk to you soon -

Susan