Product Description
"Simple Gifts" is a Shaker song written and composed in 1848, generally attributed to Elder Joseph Brackett from Alfred Shaker Village.
There are two conflicting narratives of Shaker origin as to the composer of the song. One account attributes the song to a "Negro spirit" heard at Canterbury, New Hampshire, which would make the song a "gift song" received by a Shaker from the spirit world. Alternatively, and more widely accepted, the song's composer is said to be Joseph Brackett (17971882) of Alfred, Maine. A lifelong resident of the state, he first joined the Shakers at Gorham when his father's farm helped to form the nucleus of a new Shaker settlement. [Wikipedia]
'Tis the gift to be simple, tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shant be ashamed,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.
This arrangement is for the Concert Band A slow introduction is followed by a bright up-tempo version of the tune and change of key in the last verse and a fanfare-like climax in the last few bars. There are parts for both Euphonium in TC and BC.
The MP3 was recorded with NotePerformer 3.
Grade = 3 Duration = 4:08 mins
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