Tune Req: Burns' Civil War waltz /Ashokan Farewell

Subject: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: GUEST,Dunkle
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 08:54 AM

The Civil War is being shown on PBS - I missed it the first time around - and I can't get the tune of that waltz out of my head. Would someone remind me of its name, and where I might be able to find tab for it on the web? Thanks.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: JJ
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 09:00 AM

"Ashokan Farewell," written by Jay Unger and performed by Jay Unger and Molly Mason with Fiddle Fever.

When the series first came out I called my local PBS station the next day to ask what that wonderful tune was, and they treated me like I was an idiot. Fortunately, everyone didn't feel the same way WNET did.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: fretless
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 09:12 AM

There is a huge number of past threads with info on this wonderful tune, including links to some lyrics that have been set to Unger's music -- just do a search in the Forum for Ashokan Farewell.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 09:33 AM

Search also with the misspelling "Ashoken," I think there were a few.

~S~

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: GUEST,Taliesn
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 10:25 AM

Considering the power of this series and what it has meant to the further depth of definition of whom Americans have become, I would've been glad to have had this melody played as part of the commemoration observances and memorial ceremonies of the 9/11 attacks.

Perhaps this application of this most beautifully haunting melody will yet evolve in this vein in remembering those whom were "cut down" and what may "yet" occur due to the fuse set by the 21st century's equivilancy of "firing on Fort Sumter".

For better and worse it's obviously only just begun.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: fretless
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 10:55 AM

That's a great suggestion, Taliesn. Certainly, AF fits the mood a lot better than some of the other tunes that have been played in that context.

AF has its own Web site: http://www.jayandmolly.com/ashokanfarewell.shtml, including midi of the tune, links to sources for recordings, guitar tab, sheet music, and Grian MacGregor's fine and moving lyrics.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 01:12 PM

A chicky for Jay and Molly's site Ashokan Farewell
I remember the threads on Ashokan Farewell, but they are well hidden. Ashokan, Ashoken and Civil War don't bring them up.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: Deckman
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 10:16 AM

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: tar_heel
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 10:28 AM

also another song that comes out of this great epic by ken burns..."the vacant chair",a song remembering lt.john william grout,who was killed in the battle of balls bluff,virginia...the song expresses the memory of him at a gathering of family and friends on thanksgiving...

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: tar_heel
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 10:31 AM

we have that song,The Vacant Chair, on a cd,"memories of home",by the hemrick family singers...if interested contact me at: [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: Peter T.
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 10:31 AM

Interesting that Abraham Lincoln went out of his way to be fired upon first at Fort Sumter. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: Deckman
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 04:14 PM

I am just now finishing the 26 books on the Civil War ... Time Life Series. I couldn't put them down, this time around. As my daughter commented the other day, the more you read, the more you learn just how much history repeats itself. And, Peter T., you are quite correct that Lincoln did make very sure that the confederates fired first. How times change ... or do they? CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: Kaleea
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 03:09 AM

I just got back from the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. Seems like wherever I went on the campgrounds, someone was playing that tune as they have since it first came out. I also noticed a very nice sheet music folio of Ashokan Farewell in the Mel Bay booth which included performance notes by the composer. While it is not a traditional tune, it has become a tradition for many folks to play this at jammin circles all over our nation! I got home the other night & turned on the tube, and wouldn't you know--that same tune was playing at the precise time I tuned in. Just then some music students showed up for some extra coaching for an upcoming performance. I may never see the Civil War Series.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Burns' Civil War Waltz
From: GUEST,Taliesn
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 10:02 AM

Caught the closing segement portraying the substantial degree of color & clarity improvement that the digital enhancement process acheived working from the original 16mm film print and it brought to mind the another possible enhancement.

With this in mind and being a life-long lover of Aaron Copland's work and the way he further enobled the old Shaker theme in the final movement of "Appalachian Spring", I;m now actively imaginig just what such a Coplandesque orchestration treatment of the "Ashokan Farewell" expanded to a "Civil War Suite"would sound like.

That project is only a string synthesizer keyboard away. ( that or multi-track recording a single violinist playing several times ).

All I intuitively know is that the potential orchestration of this Civil War Theme sounds just beautiful in my mind's ear. Probably gonna haunt me for quite a while.