Four Fantasies on American Folk Songs for Orchestra
Douglas Townsend
About this work:
This piece was first broadcast nationally on public radio in 1962 by the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra (now the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra), with Guy Fraser Harrison conducting. "Johnny Has Gone for a Solider" aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on March 16, 2009. "The New River Train" aired on WNYC-AM, streaming live on the web, on December 23, 2006. The folk songs are: Follow the Drinking Gourd, New River Train, Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier, Two in One (Old Joe Clark and Sourwood Mountain). The piece is tuneful, festive and very accessible and engaging. "Follow the Drinking Gourd" is a rousing underground railroad song. "Johnny Has Gone for a Solder" is a slow lament, perfect for a pas de deux. "Two in One" is also very balletic, as well as kinetic and energetic. The most recent performance of all four fantasies was the NY premiere at a Memorial Day concert in New York City (van Cortlandt Park) by the Bronx Arts Ensemble Orchestra, David Gilbert conducting, May 25, 2008. (No review) On rental from C.F. Peters. (See also the version for concert piano four-hands, listed here with all of my compositions.) Two of the four fantasies would be appropriate for a youth orchestra or high school orchestra: to perform: "New River Train" and "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier." A good college orchestra might be able to perform all four fantasies. They are composed for a professional orchestra.
Version: Orchestra
Year composed: 1957
Duration: 00:15:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 2 Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 English Horn, 2 Bassoon, 4 Horn in F, 3 Trumpet, 3 Trombone, 1 Tuba, 2 Timpani, 1 Percussion (General), 1 Strings (General), 1 Harp, 1 Banjo
Instrumentation notes: Banjo ad libitum in fourth fantasy. Can substitute piano for harp. Good percussion
parts.