Copland, Aaron: Old American Songs - First Set (1950,orch.1954) 13'
for medium voice or chorus and orchestra

Music Text  
traditional (E)

Scoring
1.The Boatmen's Dance 2.The Dodger 3.Long Time Ago 4.Simple Gifts 5.I bought me a Cat 1(=picc).1.2.1-1.1.1.0-harp-strings.
Abbreviations (PDF).

Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.

Programme Note  
Baritone William Warfield sang the premiere performance of Copland's folk song arrangements at Town Hall in 1951. He said, "The songs were a tremendous success. Aaron was an excellent pianist and, of course, knowing the flavor of them so well, it was a tremendous experience working with him."
The Boatmen's Dance, a minstrel show tune by Daniel Decatur Emmett, composer of "Dixie," is a lively tune with imitation banjo playing in the accompaniment. The Dodger is a satirical political song found by Copland in a collection by John and Alan Lomax. It dates from the political campaign of 1884 when Grover Cleveland defeated James G. Blaine. Long Time Ago is a setting of a lyrical nostalgic ballad discovered by the composer in the Harris Collection at Brown University. Simple Gifts is the Shaker song used in Appalachian Spring arranged in a straightforward style closer to the
original folk version. I Bought Me a Cat, a children's nonsense song, repeats a refrain adding a farm animal as it proceeds. The harmony and accompaniment simulate barnyard sounds.

-Vivian Perlis, 1998