mommaduck Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Was anyone else bothered by this being played by the quartet? It could be taken one of a couple of ways...I have a hard time believing they just picked it for fun. (sorry for the double thread...the board is acting funny for me today...I've a more than a few replies to other threads just not go through) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2boys Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) They said that they played "Simple Gifts", not "Lord of the Dance". Same tune but different lyrics. "Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free..." not "Dance, dance where ever you should be". Does that make you feel better? Edited January 20, 2009 by Mom2boys oops - "Gifts" not "Things" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I must have missed something. When did the quartet play Lord of the Dance? The piece I heard was a John William's arrangement of Simple Gifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I thought the quartet was beautiful, and the tune seemed familiar. I don't know anything about its origins, though. Could someone please explain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 They said that they played "Simple Things", not "Lord of the Dance". Same tune but different lyrics. "Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free..." not "Dance, dance where ever you should be". Does that make you feel better? Thank you...yes, it does. I didn't know that there was another song with the same tune. I had stepped into this room while they were playing it and couldn't resist humming along. That's when I figured out what they were playing because that song (Lord of the Dance) is pretty familiar, and dear, to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2boys Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I thought the quartet was beautiful, and the tune seemed familiar. I don't know anything about its origins, though. Could someone please explain? Simple Gifts is a Shaker hymn. Here is a link to a Wikipedia article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Gifts There is another, newer version, called "Lord of the Dance", which is a hymn we sing at my church (Presbyterian). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 John Williams composed this piece ("Air and Simple Gifts"--using the American folk song) which I thought was exquisite--very American in its sound. In my opinion, Yo-Yo Ma and Ishtak Perlman add class to any act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2boys Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Thank you...yes, it does. I didn't know that there was another song with the same tune. I had stepped into this room while they were playing it and couldn't resist humming along. That's when I figured out what they were playing because that song (Lord of the Dance) is pretty familiar, and dear, to me. It's dear to me too. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova mama Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) As someone already said, according to Wikipedia, "Simple Gifts" is an 1848 Shaker song by Elder Joseph Brackett. The song has been adapted or arranged many times by folksingers and composers. Probably the best known example is by English songwriter Sydney Carter, who adapted the Shaker tune for his song "Lord of the Dance," (one of my favorite songs!) first published in 1963. The song played today was "Air and Simple Gifts," a new John Williams composition. Edited January 20, 2009 by nova mama I mean Lord of the DanCe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Simple Gifts is a Shaker Hymn, relatively unknown till Aaron Copeland arranged it as an orchestral piece. It has since become associated with classic Americana. Sometime later, someone set new lyrics to the tune, titled Lord of the Dance, which is about the crucifixtion and resurrection. I'm pretty sure classic Americana is what they were going for at the inauguration, and they billed the arrangement they played as Simple Gifts. I'd bet many people don't even know there are other lyrics. The Wikipedia article on Simple Gifts doesn't even mention it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Okay...thanks. I had no idea that Lord of the Dance was that new and only knowing it as THAT song (and knowing the lyrics), I think you can understand my misunderstanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Thank you...yes, it does. I didn't know that there was another song with the same tune. I had stepped into this room while they were playing it and couldn't resist humming along. That's when I figured out what they were playing because that song (Lord of the Dance) is pretty familiar, and dear, to me. Ah. I'd never heard of Lord of the Dance (at least, not outside of an Irish dancing context). You can read the wikipedia article on Simple Gifts here. It mentions that the tune was later used for Lord of the Dance and has a link to the article on that song as well. (I thought it funny that the wikipedia article on Simple Gifts has already been updated to include its performance at the inauguration.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 All I could hear was "hey, hey, hey". Classy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lorna Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Aaron Copeland's Appalachian Spring also has a variation on 'simple gifts' too. I think John Williams piece may have been a nod to that. Very beautiful. From Wikipedia: The story told is a spring celebration of the American pioneers of the 1800s after building a new Pennsylvania farmhouse. Among the central characters are a newlywed couple, a neighbor, a revivalist preacher and his followers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 John Williams composed this piece ("Air and Simple Gifts"--using the American folk song) which I thought was exquisite--very American in its sound. In my opinion, Yo-Yo Ma and Ishtak Perlman add class to any act. I thought this song was outstanding! I wonder what it sounded like standing in the mall?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lorna Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 John Williams composed this piece ("Air and Simple Gifts"--using the American folk song) which I thought was exquisite--very American in its sound. In my opinion, Yo-Yo Ma and Ishtak Perlman add class to any act. :iagree: Wasn't Yo-Yo Ma just outstanding! How anyone can play so perfectly, in front of two million and the rest of the world, and smile as if it were the most natural fun to be had ever. Well, wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 :iagree: Wasn't Yo-Yo Ma just outstanding! How anyone can play so perfectly, in front of two million and the rest of the world, and smile as if it were the most natural fun to be had ever. Well, wow. I don't even remember what he played, but the intensity of his concentration and the perfection of his playing was of a different order to anything I had ever experienced before. I hated that the BBC commentator talked over the piece yesterday. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My young cellist was excited to see Yo-yo Ma play and my violinist was wondering hwo Itzhak Perlman's fingers could be so nimble in 20 degree weather. I was wondering too-wouldn't the cold effect a reed instrument too? I've never played one, I'm just wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I LOVE that piece of music - although since my son's school used it in their 8th grade "graduation" exercises it always make me cry. His school is for mentally disabled ("simple") kids and no one leaves at 8th grade graduation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I loved the piece. Not knowing the background it reminded me of a brook. I pictured it like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I am sure their hands were gloved until the very last moment and the wind players that I know would have had the reed in their mouthes. That's what I was thinking...that they threw off their coats and scarves and mittens halfway through the person before them finished! They probably had their instruments under their coats too! There was probably a pile, just out of our view. The pianist had fingerless gloves it looked like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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