I know it’s not the traditional realm of the tin whistle, but I am looking for a particular song from around the Civil War (American Civil War, that is). I can’t even remember any of the tune or it name (obviously). It’s used a lot in Civil War documentaries and is a particularly sad song, usually heard on the violin. I know it’s not much to go on, but that’s all I can remember. Any help would be appreciated.
I could be wrong, but have a feeling you are talking about “Ashoken Farewell”. It’s a modern composition by Jay Ungar that was used in Ken Burns’ Civil War series.
Too fast for me, Peter! 
hehe
Aura Lee is a classic mournful Civil War song, but is probaby not what you’re looking for. Its also the tune for Elvis’ ‘Love Me Tender’.
Quite nicely sung by Kate Purcell as ‘Nora Lee’ too
Stephen Foster’s ‘Hard Times’ was also used in that series if I recall rightly. It dates from about 1851 (from memory) which places it at about the right time but it is not about the war although it expresses sentiments that many thousands must have felt shortly afterwards because of the war.
I had some classes w/ david kincaide in milwaukee this week and would suggest checking out his site:
Gee, it is so strange to just hear someone sing some songs without alot of goofy messing about with them. I listened to quite a number of clips from that David Kincaid’s CD’s and they are really quite nice I think. I don’t know anything about authenticity, etc., but they were certainly very interesting and rousing and pleasing to the ear. You could understand the words too. Thanks for that tip, AiglosCelt.
I always have to put in my two bits about “Hard Times”, when it’s mentioned, being one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.
He is a historian as well as a musician, and all of his songs are sung EXACTLY as they would have been back then…it’s really cool stuff
And let’s not forget Allan Sherman –
Every time you take vaccine,
Take it orally.
As you know the other way
Is more painfully.
I am a pround member of the “Sons of Confederate Veterans” and there are several songs that can be done on whistle, but you need to understand that “Ashoken Farewell” although very pretty is not a “War for Southern Independence tune”. It was written specifically for the burns film.
Here are several southern tunes that date to the war:
- I’m a good’ole Rebel
- Rose of Alabama
- Dixie
- Cheer boys Cheer
- Riding a Raid
- Lorena
- Yellow Rose of Texas
Somebody’s Darling - Maryland, my Maryland
- The Carpet-baggers Lament
But of these I bet its Lorena.
This should help you in your search.
Good Luck
I think that when you look at Jay Ungar’s website you’ll find even that is not the case.
Edited to insert word that had initially gone astray
Yep, it’s a dance camp tune, chosen (if I remember correctly) because it didn’t come from either side of the conflict.
Jay and Molly have appeared on Prairie Home Companion and have provided tunes to other Burns projects, notably “Not for Ourselves Alone” on the suffragettes. “Lover’s Waltz” was used as a recurring theme.
M
I beleive Peter is right on. Here is the link:
http://www.jayandmolly.com/ashokanfaq.shtml
After watching the tapes of Burns Civil War , the song just gets into your blood…
Tangent alert! In related Ken Burns “Civil War” news, historian Shelby Foote, who had a prominent role in that series, passed away in June. Here’s an interesting and quick biography–interesting fellow.
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/english/ms-writers/dir/foote_shelby/
My arguement was that the tune was NOT used in the "war for suthern Independence as stated by the following:
The piece used as the theme music for The Civil War is called Ashokan Farewell. (Pronounced a-shó-kun or a-shó-kan). Ashokan Farewell was named for the Ashokan Field Campus of the State University of New York (in the Catskill Mountains). This camp, generally just called “Ashokan”, is where Molly Mason and I run a series of week-long music and dance camps for adults known as Fiddle & Dance Workshop.
Ashokan is the name of a town, most of which is now under the Ashokan Reservoir, a very beautiful and magical body of water that is across the road from our home. According to our local historian, Alf Evers, Ashokan first appears in print as a place name in 17th century Dutch records. He thinks that it may be a corruption of a local Indian word.
I composed Ashokan Farewell in 1982 shortly after the summer programs had come to an end. I was experiencing a great feeling of loss and longing for the lifestyle and the community of people that had developed at Ashokan that summer. The transition from living in the woods with a small group of people who needed little excuse to celebrate the joy of living through music and dancing, back to life as usual, with traffic, disturbing newscasts, “important” telephone calls and impersonal relationships had been difficult. I was in tears when I wrote Ashokan Farewell . I kept the tune to myself for months, slightly embarrassed by the emotions that welled up whenever I played it
So as one can see this tune was written several years following the war.
My arguement was that the tune was NOT used in the "war for suthern Independence as stated by the following:
The piece used as the theme music for The Civil War is called Ashokan Farewell. (Pronounced a-shó-kun or a-shó-kan). Ashokan Farewell was named for the Ashokan Field Campus of the State University of New York (in the Catskill Mountains). This camp, generally just called “Ashokan”, is where Molly Mason and I run a series of week-long music and dance camps for adults known as Fiddle & Dance Workshop.
Ashokan is the name of a town, most of which is now under the Ashokan Reservoir, a very beautiful and magical body of water that is across the road from our home. According to our local historian, Alf Evers, Ashokan first appears in print as a place name in 17th century Dutch records. He thinks that it may be a corruption of a local Indian word.
I composed Ashokan Farewell in 1982 shortly after the summer programs had come to an end.
So as one can see this tune was written several years following the war and according to many which cannot be supported by fact, it was modified for the burns film.
Hey, KD, my dad started the first SCV camp in Wisconsin a few years back! I made my debut at the SCV Convention in Chattanooga in 1995. Nice to know that I’m not the only rebel on the board.
The guy who wrote “Lorena” (popular on both sides of the war) lived in Elkhorn, WI, where I work. His house is now open to the public, but I’ve never been there though I’ve lived in the area for 18 years.
“Paddy’s Lamentation” is a song that has Irish connections that dates back to that era.
A few more songs/tunes
“Plains of Manassas”
“Shiloh Hill”
“All Quiet along the Potomac Tonight”