Performance by John Frank from Recital #17 - 2010-02-15
- Performer: John Frank
- Location: Central PA
- Experience: 4 yrs. +
- Composer: Jay Ungar
- Piece: Ashokan Farewell
- Duration: 208
- Music Link: click to play
- Video Link:
- Music Source: Individual sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Co. and available from (among others) sheetmusicplus.com.
- Instrument: Yamaha CVP-301 Digital Piano
- Recording Method: Digital to PC
- Info: Many will recognize "Ashokan Farewell" as the main theme of the excellent PBS documentary series "The Civil War" by Ken Burns. However, this gorgeous work was not composed by Jay Ungar for that purpose. Instead it was written some 6 years earlier as a parting, or farewell, waltz for those attending the Ashokan Fiddle and Dance Camps that Jay and his wife Molly Mason run in upstate New York. The original recorded piece, as used with such inspired brilliance by Burns, has Ungar on "fiddle" and Mason on guitar (and can be seen/heard on YouTube with scenes from the documentary).
If any piece of music can be appropriately described as "hauntingly beautiful" it is this inspired and stirring conception of Ungar's. And as a tribute to Jay I open this version with a solo violin statement of the theme of the first section of the work (using the violin "voice" on my DP), which then transitions into my performance of this very fine piano arrangement.
The piece consists of two 16-measure sections each with it's own distinctive (and yet interrelated) theme. This piano arrangement by the prolific and creative Dan Coates first takes us through the two sections in a lovely but uncomplicated style, and then repeats them in a slightly more complex arrangement. I didn't change the music at all, but some of the dynamics and tempo changes are mine.
It was a real pleasure to work on this wonderful piece of music and it's an absolute joy to play. I hope you enjoy this version. It is played here from memory.
JF