Mary Goetze presents here a setting of the most familiar variant of this traditional folk ballad, "Scarborough Fair," in which two lovers make impossible requests of each other. The texture shifts from homophonic to imitative counterpoint. Brief dissonances created and resolved by stepwise progression of the accompanying voices reflect the bittersweetness of the text. "Hold the Wind," a simple yet stirring melody in the mixolydian mode, was sung by a blacksmith. The simple harmonization highlights the beauty of the melody. "Shenandoah" is set with very simple ideas which complement and support the motion of the beautiful melody. The accompanying voices can be learned quickly, for they sing like melodies and progress by step. "Old Joe Clark," a familiar fiddle tune of our American heritage is arranged in a playful setting which captures the flavor of the jocular text. |
