Nov 3: Appalachian Spring

This piece of music deserves a blog post by itself.

'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free,
'Tis a 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.

Appalachian Spring is music for a ballet by Martha Graham, written by Aaron Copland and first performed in 1944 with Martha Graham playing the Bride.

The ballet takes place in a small Appalachian settlement in 19th-century Pennsylvania. 

There are four main characters: the Bride, the Husbandman, the Pioneer Woman, and the Revivalist; the last is accompanied by four Followers.

Appalachian Spring follows the Bride and the Husbandman as they get married and celebrate with the community. Themes of war are present throughout the story; it is suggested that the Husbandman leaves for war, causing worry and anxiety among the community. 

Shaker themes also influenced the ballet, notably in the music, where Copland incorporated a theme and variations on the common Shaker tune "Simple Gifts".

The title was chosen by Martha Graham.

“To be great, art... must belong to the country in which it flourishes, not be a pale copy of some art form perfected by another culture and another people."

Martha Graham

The piece evolved over time.

It has been recorded many times.

It's seen as an evocation of America's wide open spaces.

Every performance of Appalachian Spring – indeed, of any of Copland's populist works – proclaims loud and clear: "This is America!"

It ends with an interpretation of 'Simple Gifts' / tune of 'Lord of the Dance' I remember singing in Prmary school assemblies.

Appalachian Spring, explores the lives of a young pioneer husband and his bride beginning a life together on the American frontier. Opposing forces dominate the dance—youthfulness versus maturity, and physical love opposed to spiritual devotion. The couple is in love and full of joy and hope. They express their optimism with sweeping arms and leaps and turns, as well as tender embraces.

In contrast, The Preacher and Pioneer Woman are very reserved. The Preacher’s sharp movements chastise the lovers, and he points harshly at them as if accusing them of wrongdoing, or reminding them to exercise restraint. He is followed by The Worshippers, a group of four women, who swarm busily around him with blind devotion. The dance ends with The Bride and The Husband together, quiet and strong, in their own home.

Here's a Kennedy Center recording, filmed in 1959... this is Part 1 - you will see links to the other parts on YouTube too...

Source: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/dance/martha-graham--appalachian-spring/

And a more recent recording...

This quality stuff...