Aaron Copland: Old American Songs
Recital 2024 Tour Bristol - London - Singapore
BRISTOL
Sat 17th Aug 3-4 pm Westbury Park Methodist Church with Piano Olwen Kirkham
SINGAPORE
Sun 1st Sept 12 noon The Voice Company with Tenor Leslie Tay, Piano Pauline Lee
LONDON
Fri 27th Sep 12:30 St George’s Church Beckenham with Piano Mutian Xu
Artwork with kind permission from Suzanne Carroll Korn
www.facebook.com/earlyamericanpainter
www.instagram.com/earlyamericanpainter
In 1950, composer Benjamin Britten and tenor Peter Pears commissioned Aaron Copland to arrange a set of American folk songs that they could perform at the Aldeburgh Festival with Britten at the piano. Copland obliged with an arrangement of five traditional American songs scored for voice and piano The Boatmen's Dance, a minstrel show tune by Daniel Decatur Emmett, composer of "Dixie," is a lively tune with imitation banjo playing in the accompaniment. The Dodger is a satirical political song found by Copland in a collection by John and Alan Lomax. It dates from the political campaign of 1884 when Grover Cleveland defeated James G. Blaine. Long Time Ago is a setting of a lyrical nostalgic ballad discovered by the composer in the Harris Collection at Brown University. Simple Gifts is the Shaker song used in Appalachian Spring arranged in a straightforward style closer to the original folk version. I Bought Me a Cat, a children's nonsense song, repeats a refrain adding a farm animal as it proceeds. The harmony and accompaniment simulate barnyard sounds.The second five songs written in 1952 were also drawn from diverse sources: The Little Horses is a lullaby from the South based on a version from a Lomax collection. Zion's Walls, a revivalist song with words and music credited to John G. McCurry, was used again by Copland in his opera, The Tender Land. The Golden Willow Tree is a variant of a well-known Anglo-American ballad which Copland first heard for banjo and voice on a recording at the Library of Congress. At the River is an arrangement of the beloved 1865 hymn tune by Robert Lowry. It has been sung on many occasions, including the memorial concerts for Copland and for Leonard Bernstein. Ching-a-Ring Chaw was originally a minstrel song.
The Boatmen’s Dance High row the boatmen row, Floatin' down the river the Ohio. The boatmen dance, the boatmen sing, The boatmen up to ev'rything, And when the boatman gets on shore He spends his cash and works for more. Then dance the boatmen dance, O dance the boatmen dance. O dance all night 'til broad daylight, And go home with the gals in the mornin'. I went on board the other day To see what the boatmen had to say. There I let my passion loose An' they cram me in the callaboose. O dance the boatmen dance. . . The boatman is a thrifty man, There's none can do as the boatman can. I never see a pretty gal in my life But that she was a boatman's wife. O dance the boatmen dance. . .
The Dodger Yes the candidate’s a dodger, Yes a well-known dodger. Yes the candidate’s a dodger, Yes and I’m a dodger too. He’ll meet you and treat you, And ask you for your vote. But look out boys, He’s a-dodgin’ for your vote. Yes we’re all dodgin’ A-dodgin’, dodgin’, dodgin’. Yes we’re all dodgin’ Out away through the world. Yes the preacher he’s a dodger, Yes a well-known dodger. Yes the preacher he’s a dodger, Yes and I’m a dodger too. He’ll preach you a gospel, And tell you of your crimes. But look out boys, He’s a-dodgin’ for your dimes. Yes we’re all dodgin’, etc. Yes the lover he’s a dodger, Yes a well-known dodger. Yes the lover he’s a dodger, Yes and I’m a dodger too. He’ll hug you and kiss you, And call you his bride, But look out girls, He’s a-tellin’ you a lie. Yes we’re all dodgin’, etc.
Long Time Ago On the lake where droop’d the willow Long time ago, Where the rock threw back the billow Brighter than snow. Dwelt a maid beloved and cherish’d By high and low, But with autumn leaf she perished Long time ago. Rock and tree and flowing water Long time ago, Bird and bee and blossom taught her Love’s spell to know. While to my fond words she listen’d Murmuring low, Tenderly her blue eyes glisten’d Long time ago.
Simple Gifts ‘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 shan’t be asham’d, To turn, turn will be our delight, ‘Till by turning, turning we come round right
The Little Horses Hush you bye, Don’t you cry, Go to sleepy little baby. When you wake,You shall have, All the pretty little horses. Blacks and bays, Dapples and grays, Coach and six-a little horses. Blacks and bays, Dapples and grays, Coach and six-a little horses. Hush you bye, Don’t you cry, Go to sleepy little baby. When you wake, You’ll have sweet cake and All the pretty little horses. A brown and gray and a black and a bay and a Coach and six-a little horses. A black and a bay ad a brown and a gray and a Coach and six-a little horses. Hush you bye, Don’t you cry, Oh you pretty little baby. Go to sleepy little baby. Oh you pretty little baby
Zion’s walls Come fathers and mothers, Come sisters and brothers, Come join us in singing the praises of Zion. O fathers, don't you feel determined To meet within the walls of Zion? We'll shout and go round The walls of Zion.
The Golden Willow Tree There was a little ship in South Amerikee, Crying O the land that lies so low, There was a little ship in South Amerikee, She went by the name of the Golden Willow Tree, As she sailed in the lowland lonesome low As she sailed in the lowland so low. We hadn’t been a sailin’ more than two weeks or three, Till we came in sight of the British Roverie, As she sailed in the lowland lonesome low, As she sailed in the lowland so low. Up stepped a little carpenter boy, Says “What will you give me for the ship that I’ll destroy?” “I’ll give you gold or I’ll give thee, The fairest of my daughters as she sails upon the sea, If you’ll sink ‘em in the lowland lonesome low, If you’ll sink ‘em in the land that lies so low.” He turned upon his back and away swum he He swum ‘till he came to the British Roverie, He had a little instrument fitted for his use, He bored nine holes and he bored them all at once. He turned upon his breast and back swum he He swum ‘till he came to the Golden Willow Tree. “Captain, O Captain, come take me on board, And do unto me as good as your word For I sank ‘em in the lowland lonesome low I sank ‘em in the lowland so low.” “Oh no, I won’t take you on board, Nor do unto you as good as my word, Tho’ you sank ‘em in the lowland lonesome low, Tho’ you sank ‘em in the land that lies so low.” “If it wasn’t for the love that I have for your men I’d do unto you as I done unto them, I’d sink you in the lowland lonesome low, I’d sink you in the lowland so low.” He turned upon his head and down swum he, He swum ‘till he came to the bottom of the sea. Sank himself in the lowland lonesome low, Sank himself in the land that lies so low.
At the River Shall we gather by the river, Where bright angel’s feet have trod, With its crystal tide forever Flowing by the throne of God? Yes, we’ll gather at the river, The beautiful, the beautiful river, Gather with the saints at the river That flows by the throne of God. Soon we’ll reach the shining river, Soon our pilgrimage will cease, Soon our happy hearts will quiver With the melody of peace. Yes, we’ll gather at the river. The beautiful, the beautiful, river. Gather with the saints at the river, That flows by the throne of God.
Ching-A-Ring Chaw Ching-a-ring-a ring ching ching, Ho a ding-a-ding kum larkee, Ching-a-ring-a ring ching ching, Ho a ding kum larkee. Brothers gather round, Listen to this story, ‘Bout the promised land, An’ the promised glory. You don’t need to fear, If you have no money, You don’t need none there, To buy you milk and honey. There you’ll ride in style, Coach with four white horses, There the evenin’ meal, Has one two three four courses. Ching-a-ring-a ring ching ching, Ho a ding-a-ding kum larkee, Ching-a-ring-a ring ching ching, Ho a ding kum larkee. Nights we all will dance To the harp and fiddle, Waltz and jig and prance, “And Cast off down the middle!” When the mornin’ come, All in grand and splendour, Stand out in the sun, And hear the holy thunder! Brothers hear me out, The promised land’s a-comin’ Dance and sing and shout, I hear them harps a strummin’.