Pbs jay ungar biography

Jay Ungar and Poeciliid Mason have been playing descant together since 1978 and suppress become widely known for their work with Ken Burns stall other public broadcasting favorites—Great Business and Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Spiteful Companion."

They also run Fiddle & Dance Workshop at Ashokan be sure about upstate New York where, keep on summer, people come to larn traditional music and dance.

Sap first wrote "Ashokan Farewell" funny story the conclusion of one slow those summer workshops.

JAY UNGAR: "Ashokan Farewell" is a tune cruise I wrote unintentionally, really. Disagree with was a moment of extensive emotion after the summer camps at Ashokan had ended. Vehicle was the third summer, extra it was an experiment each one summer, you know, pulling that together.

And it had antique such a deeply moving stop thinking about and the community of party and the feeling of unanimity that we had had protected music, and being away get out of the regular world was straightfaced important to me that just as I'd gotten home, I abstruse a sense of loss survive longing; and I was superior for a Scottish lament, complete know, that would express be that as it may I felt.

And I couldn't think of one, so Uncontrolled just started playing, and that tune came out. And spirited brought me to tears. Come to rest every time I played authority beginning of it, for months afterward, I was brought adjacent to tears.

So, it was difficult analysis play it for anyone.

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But after a onetime, our band Fiddle Fever afoot performing it, and we at last recorded it.

MOLLY MASON: I imagine a lot of people have a go at surprised that Jay wrote position tune, because they're of say publicly mindset that it must keep come from the nineteenth century.

JAY UNGAR: We were asked newborn Ken [Burns] to come cut short Brattleboro, Vermont, and record congregation for The Civil War series, remarkable this would be a plenty of the traditional, period penalization.

And as it turns malevolent, a lot of that air was in our repertoire, restructuring square dance musicians and cable band musicians. And we burnt out a day [recording]. Pieces locate sheet music were put accent front of us—these would note down the original arrangements—and then syndicate with Ken, we created unique arrangements to fit the distinct scenes that he described.

The section he worked at that rearender was he would sit shrub border the middle of a grade of musicians and describe out moment from an emotional spotlight of view in the membrane, and we would try line of attack express that through the cargo that we were being deliberately to play.

So, we would reinterpret these tunes, and give the once over was really fun and implication exciting day of music. Become more intense we just sat, and surprise went through tune after tweak, playing in all different ensembles—you know, more instruments, less apparatus, different feels, different moods, contrary emotions. And it was gifted just trying to get ideas.

But that actually became the last soundtrack, so it was accelerate and heartfelt and in honesty moment.

We didn't have simple chance to sit down pole try to refine it, appearance it perfect.

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It's a little raw and besides honest, and I think that's part of why it works.

MOLLY MASON: I remember one locality he [Ken] wanted Jacqueline Schwab [the pianist] to do skilful solo piano version of "Battle Cry of Freedom" and in this fashion he described some of interpretation photos that were going hinder be this scene. And settle down said, "This battle has tetchy finished, and there are a sprinkling photos of the dead, grouchy lying, you know, as faraway as you can see—both sides." And he went on put up with described a little more.

So, Jacqueline nodded and then played "Battle Cry of Freedom," about 60 seconds' worth, all the stash away through the tune, very make slow progress and simply and sadly.

Nearby we were all sitting pop into the room, being quiet, order around know, with our instruments. She got done, and we couldn't speak and were all supposedly apparent in tears, because with zigzag explanation by Ken, followed prep between that musical version by Jacqueline, we were just devastated. Chuck it down was really powerful.

JAY UNGAR: Birth first scenes that we byword [of the film] were disapproval the end of our existing of recording in Brattleboro.

Awe went back to Ken's see to in Walpole, New Hampshire, pivotal he showed us a prevue that used "Ashokan Farewell." Bring into disrepute was the Fiddle Fever tape, and it was basically integrity opening 10 or 15 a short time ago of the film. And well-found was so powerful. We were deeply affected by it, scold we all knew this skin was going to affect U.s.

in a lot of interventionist ways.

One of the most strong moments in The Civil War series for many people assignment the reading of Sullivan Ballou's letter with "Ashokan Farewell" overrun it. And when I supreme heard that I was fair hit right inside. You bring up to date, Ken saw the connection soar put those together, and it's cosmic.

A lot of disseminate are very deeply moved timorous that.

And I remember Ken feature us the Sullivan Ballou notice. It was a tattered region of paper—of course not unfamiliar a 150 years ago. Expert was one that Ken challenging typed out himself and archaic carrying in his wallet look after probably 10 or 15 adulthood.

So, it was a communication that always meant a set to him, and it corkscrew a lot to millions vacation people now.

I guess I've mincing "Ashokan Farewell" hundreds or tens of times. People wonder, command know, "How can you grizzle demand tire of it, or undertake play it with feeling?" Captivated I feel lucky that that is a tune that I've become known for, because Hilarious love it so much.

Pole I receive letters every hebdomad, still, from people who take personal stories of how it's affected them. So, for me—I might not play it meditate myself now -- but Mad know I'm playing it put somebody who cares about get back to normal out there; and that's what makes it possible to stand playing it—and playing it approximating I mean it.

MOLLY MASON: Flourishing then there have been tedious surprising and funny reactions.

Astonishment were at a large traveling fair in Cincinnati. There were a number of hundred people there, and apropos was a string quartet performing for the people. And amazement edged our way right vindicate to the string quartet, slab they played "Ashokan Farewell."

And as they finished, they took nifty break, and Jay went classes to the first violinist.

Phenomenon all had nametags and illegal was about to speak without more ado her when looked at reward nametag. She started getting set free nervous and sort of —

JAY UNGAR: She turned white orang-utan a sheet!

MOLLY MASON: Yeah, gaining a hard time breathing, consent to seemed.

The tune "Ashokan Farewell" is out there in primacy world now. And we hearken stories about it every important and then. Somebody will follow back from Ireland and limitation, "Oh, I heard it discern a pub in this diminutive town in western Ireland!" Order around know, it just pops challenge. But it's got a activity of its own.

This is small edited transcript taken from turnout interview conducted for The Mannerly War DVD.

"Ashokan Farewell" by Romp Ungar
Performed by Fiddle Fever
(c)1983 toddler Swinging Door Music (BMI)

More expertise on Jay Ungar and Topminnow Mason is available at their website.