What is the story behind the song Ashokan Farewell?
Background. The piece is a waltz in D major, composed in the style of a Scottish lament (e.g., Niel Gow’s “Lament for His Second Wife”). Jay Ungar describes the song as coming out of “a sense of loss and longing” after the annual Ashokan Music & Dance Camps ended.
How did Ken Burns find Ashokan Farewell?
In 1984 in particular, Burns was on the lookout for songs that could serve as the soundtrack for the documentary. He heard Fiddle Fever’s album. He heard “Ashokan Farewell.” He got in touch with Ungar and Mason. He asked for permission to use the song in the documentary.
What is the meaning of the word Ashokan?
Ashokan is the name of a camp in New York’s Catskill Mountains where I, and my wife, Molly Mason, run music and dance programs for adults every summer. The name is said to be a local American Indian word meaning, “A place to fish.” In 1982, shortly after the camp had closed for the season, I was feeling melancholy.
Is Ashokan Farewell Irish?
Ashokan Farewell was written in the style of a Scottish lament. I sometimes introduce it as, “a Scottish lament written by a Jewish guy from the Bronx.” I lived in the Bronx until the age of sixteen. In 1983, our band, Fiddle Fever, was recording its second album, Waltz of the Wind, and we needed another slow tune.
How old is Ashokan Farewell?
Jay Ungar’s “Ashokan Farewell” sounded so much like a 19th century melody that even he developed some doubts about its origin. A popular folk musician and composer who lives in the Hudson Valley, Ungar wrote the song back in 1982.
Who wrote the Ashokan Farewell?
Jay Ungar
Ashokan Farewell/Composers
Who composed the Ashokan Farewell?
Ashokan Farewell/Composers
Jay Ungar’s “Ashokan Farewell” sounded so much like a 19th century melody that even he developed some doubts about its origin. A popular folk musician and composer who lives in the Hudson Valley, Ungar wrote the song back in 1982.
