Thursday, May 22, 2014

ASHOKAN FAREWELL REVISTED #1

Using the words of the late Ed McMahon on the Johnny Carson show, “Here is all you ever wanted to know about this tune (and a lot more too)! Recently a piece has been performed and later discussed in events of the Yellowstone Bluegrass Association.  Terry Indreland, who is doing a very good job of learning fiddle as an older adult, played it a few weeks ago at a YBA jam.  The Wilson youngsters played it at the Boys and Girls Chapel on May 9th.  For some reason it came up again in a plea for a copy of the “music” (standard music notation, I hope) by a couple at last week’s YBA Lincoln jam. I don’t think it was desired to be performed by a fiddler/violinist, but I said I would bring them a copy this Friday anyway (But, I question whether they can use what I bring). Also at that time a couple of our better mandolin players began picking out the melody at that jam. This Ashokan Farewell all started some 32 years ago when a hauntingly beautiful tune was composed in upstate New York by a fiddler named Jay Ungar.  Years later many fiddle instructors began teaching it to their intermediate students. This piece is definitely NOT  bluegrass music although I have heard it played in bluegrass jams. It is also NOT a dance piece although I have heard it played at Old Time Fiddler’s dances. Playing this at bluegrass or dance speeds just absolutely butchers this beautiful melody in my opinion. Of course anyone is free to disagree with me on that. I have decided to make four posts on my blog regarding this topic. This one should be read first. Thank you.  

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