Five Songs from Appalachia

From fast pickin' banjo music to the most beautiful ballads, Appalachia has produced some of the most cherished and memorable music to come out of the United States. Having grown up around the people of Appalachia, I have been hearing these folk songs for my whole life. I wanted to capture the beauty and fun of this music with this piece. The first movement, "One Morning in May" is a light piece in 3/4 time with an assortment of fun low reed parts. The second movement is the classic song from Stephen Foster, "Hard Times Come Again No More." The song was written in the 1850's and became popular among those suffering during the American Civil War. The third movement is based on the song "Swing and Turn/Jubilee," which was a game song that children and adults alike would dance to. During my time writing, I was especially inspired by the performances of Jean Ritchie, who was one of the first to record music from the region. Her hauntingly beautiful rendition of "Oh, Love is Teasin'" is what I based the rhythmic form of the fourth movement on. The final movement is based on one of the most famous American folk songs, "Oh Susanna." Throughout the movement, there is a scattering of other tunes such as "My Old Kentucky Home" and "Rocky Top" to name a few. This piece was written as a celebration of the rich culture of Appalachia and the joy that music has brought me!