Bury Me Beneath the Willow

Description

Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto, Piano — Bury Me Beneath the Willow is a favorite folk tune for generations and has been performed by many Blue Grass singers, as well.  Its origin is from my home state of Missouri, where the first citation of the song appears in Henry Marvin Belden's 1909 compilation Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society as "Under the Willow Tree."  My introduction to the song was when I heard it performed as a trio by Dolly Parton, Emmy Lou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt.  Their performance gave me inspiration for this arrangement.  The lyric is sad and heart-breaking and I think the plain and repetitive melody along with the simple and anticipated harmonies create a setting of longing emotion that can be expressed beautifully through the choral art of SSA voices. Bury Me Beneath the Willow, arranged by Greg Gilpin offers a fresh SSA setting of the beloved folk ballad. Written in a gentle bluegrass style, the arrangement features flowing vocal lines and a graceful accompaniment that captures the song’s plaintive beauty. Accessible harmonies and natural phrasing make it an ideal choice for developing treble choirs exploring expressive singing within a folk-inspired sound.

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