I can't believe this is the same Jay Ungar when we were friends at the High School of Music and Art in 1963 in NYC. We both lived in the Bronx. It's been decades since the last time I saw him. He was a terrific violinist when he was just 17.
I remember being a young boy listening to my music teacher talk about how instrumental music tells a story. At the time that made no sense to me. 30 years later i totally understand. This song bring me to tears everytime i listen to it.
So much beautiful music in the World and I have only scratched the surface. These two pieces, especially Midnight on the Water, are particularly fine and I've just heard them for the first time . I only knew of Bonaparte's Retreat from another Country Song which mentioned it, but I'd never heard it 'til now. Superb rendition by the Player's. THANK YOU.
It truly is a wonderful thing. This still is the most beautiful and haunting rendering of this tune that I know of. My wife and I recently had a little guy, so I'm learning this tune on my guitar right now, to play to him as a lullaby. I just spent an hour rewinding the video to watch Molly's playing, and where exactly she puts her little walks and chord changes.
@@MichaelHarvill98 So very, very true. I am 72 years old and have been studying violin/fiddle now for three years. Learn an instrument, it is easy. Yeah, right.
Seeing jay perform this brought me back to when I took fiddle lessons from him, 40yrs ago or so. I still have his breakdown of midnight on the water and bonepartes retreat on cassette tape. He helped me get my 1st decent bow. I probably could have been a better student but his prowess with the fiddle was mighty intimidating to a 15yr old!!!
Some music/tunes bring tears unbidden to my eyes. Such a tune is Midnight on the Water as was the effect ,at aged 13, of hearing Sibelius 2nd Symphony whilst standing in my Grandmother's kitchen. Tishimingo Blues too.
been attending Fiddle and Dance Camp for many years , andlove everything Jay and Molly do ! The Judson Mem. Church has special meaning because I belong to N.Y.C. Friends of Clearwater , and we meet there.
Copeland's Rodeo came out In 1946... Commissioned By Agnes DeMille... This piece they are playing is Part of Rodeo. My Father Was a Rodeo rider in 1946. I think of him when I hear it.
Here's another thing. I can listen to folk music from 12th century England. Music that has persisted throughout the ages. One of my favorite most cryptic songs of that time is one called The Cutty Wren. Survived 800 years without a dime of stimulus.
You know, most musicians and creative types back then had patrons-- often royal or nobles. That was the feudal version of "stimulus." Not to mention many, many of the traditional American folk songs were collected in the depression by people working in the WPA- FDR's employment stimulus project. Even now, the Smithsonian-- a government institution, not to mention many public universities and state museums-- assemble recordings and songbooks of traditional music. Stimulus rocks. :)
Aaron Copland's Hoedown (on his work, Rodeo), was based on a field recording he heard from the Library of Congress, mistakenly listed on RU-vid as William H. Stepp's Bonaparte's Retreat, which was really called Napoleon's Bony Part. Notice on Stepp's recording found on RU-vid ("Bonaparte's Retreat" ~ William H. Stepp, 1937), at 00:22, where he says, while playing, "Now this [undecipherable], the 'bony' part. That's the 'bony' part." (The undecipherable word may be "next" or "makes".) You can hear, on RU-vid, Audrey Williams - Bonaparte's Retreat, Hank Williams Bonaparte's Retreat, and others that show how different Bonaparte's Retreat is to Hoedown, and what Jay Ungar and Molly Mason are playing above, which sounds great, by the way! But, it is Napoleon's Bony Part (or, Bonypart), not Napoleon's Retreat, as others have thought.
+Rock Drumr blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2013/11/bill-stepp-aaron-copland-and-bonapartes-retreat/ Looks the Library of Congress folklorist has already corrected you on this: blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2013/11/bill-stepp-aaron-copland-and-bonapartes-retreat/#comment-286990 I'd recommend citing your source on your dubious claim, please.
What moves me about Jay Unger is, although he has tremendous command, his playing isn't about virtuosity--look at how good I am. His playing is about depth. Where does this song reside? He conveys where the song is coming from and introduces the listeners to that place within themselves. Excuse me for being sappy, but the beauty in the music is undeniable.
No, he didn't. However, it was considered public domain and no copyright, since it was so old and the origin untraceable (no one knows who first played it). So legally he didn't have to... but I'm with you, it would have been nice to do from an ethical standpoint.
i don't know how i got here but i'm sure glad i came....not familiar with any of these folks before tonight but that is fine playing. second song i recognized as lifted by Emerson Lake and Palmer in their song 'Hoedown'....
"That's popular music. It was popular before anybody could make money off it." Vic Mullen used to have a show on CBC radio which gave him a free hand to choose the music. He came out with that assessment just as an A.P. Carter record ended.
