Lyrics set to music from Appalachian Spring?

[eleny]

Good choice.

[dhill926]

1. originally a Shaker hymn.......

[eleny]

2. Lovely - thanks!

[RainDog]

3. Tis A Gift To Be Simple is the song

it's an old hymn

[scarletwoman]

4. The hymn long predates Appalachian Spring. (nt)

[eleny]

5. It's beautiful

[SharonAnn]

7. The melody was taken from Simple Gifts and used in Appalachian Spring.

But kudos to you for recognizing it!

[scarletwoman]

10. I learned the hymn many (many!) years ago.

:)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. It is a beautiful song...

One of my favorites.

[blondeatlast]

8. Kudos all around on the musical choices--appropriate, simple, and superb. nt

[klook]

9. Traditional tune, incorporated into "Appalachian Spring" by the great

Aaron Copland. I was glad they used his "Fanfare for the Common Man" also -- although the performance of that one was a little rushed for my taste.

If you want to hear something really great, check out Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" with Henry Fonda as narrator in a performance by the London Symphony, conducted by Copland himself. One of the most profound recordings of all time.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

15. I met Aaron Copland when I was a kid, at the Symphony.

He was conducting the Houston Symphony. They probably did Appalachian Spring, and maybe the Rodeo Suite.
Saw him in the Green Room afterwards and I said "I saw you on TV last week!"
He had conducgted a concert that I had seen on PBS.
He said, "Was I good?" and I said "Yes!"

Yhis was in the mid sixties and I was probably 12.

There is another version of Simple Gifts called Lord of the Dance.
People say it is about Jesus, but I think it could also be Shiva, because he is the Dancing God.

[klook]

17. Wow, cool

Lucky you. Thanks for sharing that story.
:fistbump:

[Kalyke]

11. Chris Hayes loved it. I hated it.

I'm Appalachian and Chris is not.

LOL.

I really don't like the piece and I happen to like Copeland!

P.S. My opinion, obviously not shared. :)

[Kurovski]

12. It's my favorite hymm.

Gets me every time. (I didn't like the performance, and I was still moved by it again.)

[peacefreak]

13. here you go...

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the 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.

[Kurovski]

14. Just reading it gives me chills.

They used to regularly play a beautiful version of it on WFMT in Chicago.

[AngryOldDem]

18. Just the message we need right now.

Also, it took me back to the inauguration where it was played by Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman.

Brought tears to my eyes then, and now.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

16. liked it very much.

I CANNOT STAND Amazing Grace.

First of all, I am not a "wretch" and I don't think anybody else should be called a "wretch", either.

LOVED Simple Gifts. Cool arrangement. Excellent choir, IMNSHO.