Ashokan Farewell by Jay Ungar

[@squeaky342]

I am so sick of people ripping creativity to shreds in the comment section. Have you ever considered that young, hopeful musicians might be reading your comments and then deciding not to write something because they are scared of the lashing they will get in the comments? Anyway, I though this was a wonderful arrangement. It gives the piece a whole new meaning, but the beautiful simplicity of the theme remains. Bravo!

[@WarblerWannabe]

I love this song. It kind of grew on me, though. When I first heard it in class, it was groans galore. After we played it, our lead violinist loved it. I'm a cellist myself, and once the cellos got the melody, I was hooked too. Now I can't even stop humming it to myself!

[@lynnelipiano]

My heart melted at the cello's solo... The rich mellow sound... it's just too much.

[@murdelabop]

The tempo is just a bit too fast, but once you brought in the cello and expanded the chord I think you did it justice. You captured the essence of the original Scottish lament. Well done. IMHO, most of the problems that people are complaining about in this thread are due to the arrangement, not the performance. It needs more of the cello to give it that warm minor "soulful" feeling.

[@Unanimous_Vox]

Thanks for the show

[@ThrowMeAPillow]

the cellist's smile said it all! thanks!

[@findmejak1]

Beautiful Ashokan Farewell, you can hear the Scottish lament in this piece

[@annanuzhacello]

Right, we tried our best:)

[@artlinetrio]

Thank you!

[@jedbo75]

I love the simpler versions. This song has so much feeling and it only takes a guitar and a fiddle bring it out. That said, this arrangement is not only beautiful but full of a different kind of soul. I fail to understand how anyone could not feel it in the harmonies. To appreciate the joy and beauty of the quiet tree by a stream does not diminish the majesty and splendor of the Taj Mahal.

[@StevieB1362]

Lovely rendition. Very full & harmonic. Interesting to hear the melody on cello. Sounds very soulful to me...just a different kind of soul. Great job.

[@artlinetrio]

People are different...and comments, of couse, tooo...Thank you for very nice words!

[@zvakanakaman]

Hi Anna, this is one of my current favourite pieces to play on the piano. However I also play in a string quartet and would love to know how to get hold of the music? Any suggestions? Many thanks, Paul.

[@WLDFLWR101]

A beautiful rendition of a charming melody. Thanks.

[@artlinetrio]

Thanks for such right words!

[@brentberry1]

Bravo!! Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful recording. You all are amazing players!!

[@m.a.mathews776]

This composition is so powerful that it would still have it's soul if you whistled it. While I've never heard anyone but Ungar hit all the nuances clearly, this version is very rich as well. Just because I prefer Toblerone to Godiva chocolates doesn't mean that I don't find Godiva excellent ... very well done,

[@GingerInk2]

I love this. I love the tune, I love the arrangement, I love the quartet's rendition of it. Thank you for posting!

[@rodneishahopes3081]

Beautiful played loved the tone played on time great job 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@annanuzhacello]

Thanks!:)

[@Violanjo]

This is simply a wonderful arrangement!

[@SnapSuplexSeanVA]

Goodness gracious that was beautiful..job well done!

[@jeffreysterling8720]

moving and lovely rendition

[@stradMN]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[@annanuzhacello]

Ohhh, so many thanks! :)

[@Nectratoplixs]

beautiful

[@jabezcreed]

Very nice take on this great song!

[@Beaver2Beaver1]

My school gets to play a version of this piece for our spring concert! It is such an emotional, moving piece, cannot wait for us to play it.

[@Burfordfiddler1962]

Anna, you and your group have done this piece very well. Take care, and take some comments here with a grain of salt. Thanks!

[@callunas]

So beautiful :)

[@Elisabeth4844]

Played well or poorly, perfectly or imperfectly - it is a beautiful piece of music & its bittersweetness is there for those who can hear...

[@jonhwalsh4900]

COOL!!!

[@GlennMakin1]

Actually when Ungar performs his own song its FOLK and much simpler and beautiful. But I like this version as well, nothing wrong with it at all. A love of music played professionally regardless of version. Thanks

[@TaureanBlueSoul]

If this is live, holy shit. This is gorgeous musicianship.

[@Arabian64]

I absolutely despise comparisons when it comes to art. Each of us has our own concept and plays accordingly. What's the point in trashing someone else who is obviously great, not good, but GREAT!

[@louie12349]

Even though I don't know the music, I like your rendition. I wish I can play like you!

[@bufalomm]

Muito bom, very nice.

[@burtvillefarms]

I'm a fiddler too but I really thought the whole arrangement was beautiful! Really fantastic actually!

[@artlinetrio]

@cscdigitalgraphics Thanks for comment! Sweet words,so nice to here!

[@Djummandji]

Вы так душевно сыграли, что "метро" не "было слышно"!! Спасибо!!!

[@LoveAllReality]

oh, the harmonies, dissonants, can't get enough of it. where to buy sheet music like this? can anyone give some direction? thanx!

[@jbaumun]

God ! This is great . "nough said.

[@artlinetrio]

Thank you for comment!

[@isafe99]

we listened to this exact video today in orchestra class today! :) we r playing it, but it is pretty hard but beautiful! :)

[@LoveAllReality]

with watery eyes i have to say i'm already homesick

[@vrartist]

You are great what original ideas to do, thanks so much! I found you accidentally by searching "Orange Blossom Special"

[@annanuzhacello]

Jack, thanks a lot! :)

[@artlinetrio]

Dear Fiddlemike, some monthes ago we got a letter from Matthew Naughtin (author of arrangements).He wrote,what our performing of "Ashokan"-the best on KZbin. With you a good day, Fiddlemike! Like is beautiful!

[@enilegnave21]

A truly lovely arrangement. Unfortunately, I thought the violinist was stiff and the rendition lacked the passion and haunting emotional quality which makes the piece transcend time and space. I'd love to hear this again with more heart. A nice job, but not all it could be had you elevated it to that sacred realm of the heart.

[@adrianirvine2406]

try closing your eyes? certainly doesn't sound stiff to me...

[@SuMinhNiem-GiangPhap]

This song makes me miss playing my cello!!! =(

[@SuperAllanjames]

On Studio 60 (the TV series) "The City of New Orleans" (a small jazz orchestra) performed a killer version of 'O Holy Night' a version that to me silences all others. I would love to hear their take on this tune.

[@TheDORO1234]

This is how I imagined this song should sound like :) Need to find 3 more friends - musicians so we could play like this :) BRAVO :)

[@irgski]

Hi Anna, Ashokan Farewell was written by Jay Unger.

[@annanuzhacello]

Jay Ungar-as written in scores.Thanks.

[@Nomoreidsleft]

Very hoity toity sounding.

[@camaysar222]

I rather liked it's purity. Sometimes we must put ourselves into the heads of the musicians, and get out of our own.

[@HotZTrain]

@fiddlemike I loved it! What is there to say about a remark as your's? Maybe Sir Doyle said it best, "Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself."

[@isafe99]

@WarblerWannnabe Ikr? Same here! :D Im a violist... CELLOS AND VIOLAS ROCK! :D

[@Alte_Rego]

There's Naughtin special about this version!

[@marcwitham]

Very nice. It adds a bit of la vieille Europe to a song devoted to the US civil war. An odd and beautiful contrast.

[@amule323]

Agreed, however, I think the lead violinist puts more of the Scottish feel into the song. I think Ungar wrote it based on that sound, and with the accompanying violins it almost sounds like bagpipes :)

[@amule323]

Also, check out "Doc and the Lady" do their arrangement of this song. Talk about soul!

[@sinrboy]

Wow, what acoustics:-O Does lack soul, but this is a classical quartet;) I prefer the lonesome sound, but I'm a fiddler, NOT a violinist;) Any more that is:P

[@isafe99]

@3rdbase04 Im a violist and i totally agree! :)

[@joshuaglassman7558]

Any chance at locating the sheet music for this? It's the best quartet version of this I've ever heard.

[@last9bars]

I liked it, but then, what do I know?

[@skiprydell1]

Was the original a quartet? (I dont think so). Yet, in spite of the cumbersome opening movements, the group exhibited a heart-felt rendition of the original...as applied to the subject matter ( the Civil War). Recall, the music originally had nothing to do with 1860-1865,,,

[@citybeautiful6]

the original is pretty similar in tempo. it is the quartet that adds too much at this tempo. the playing is excellent, but IMHO with this much backing it should slow down. even if the original was played at this speed. i still love this as a modern american composition.

[@GlennMakin1]

I should have said AMERICAN FOLK. Maybe thats why it was selected for a Civil War Documentary.

[@LoveAllReality]

sheet music, please! i could find all arrangements by mr. Naughtin but this one...

[@sailingsam]

Nice version, more classical than original folk..

[@bestkindofanswer]

Nice... But very fast.

[@cl7player]

@fiddlemike Yes, you are entitled to your opinion. But why? Because it's not done in "fiddling" style? Ungar's own background is very broad, you know.

[@Petermax99]

@LFD254 I agree

[@jteternal2]

@1xstew Agree

[@mchang55]

Musically its beautiful but it kind of lost the main narrator of this piece. tho I don't mind the different interpretation~

[@gortroe2]

Anyone hear shades of "Maggie"?

[@enilegnave21]

... and it was rushed... too rushed. Was everyone racing to a fire when you were done? Sorry for the joke. Slow down and inject the feeling back in and this is just lovely.

[@NintendoCaprisunish]

it's Jay Ungar, not Joy Ungar.

[@kellyfisher5794]

Where can I find this arrangement?

[@annanuzhacello]

On website of arranger. Here it is: matt-naughtin.myshopify.com/

[@yumanbeen1]

I think some music is enhanced by orcastration, this is not and as a matter of fact I think the more basic the instrument is the better it comes across.I,d even venture to suggest a mouth organ!

[@wupeide]

@JDFeniello Actually that's not what the song is about...

[@jedispy]

Agreed, there's no soul in this performance. I wouldn't say it was "poor", just missing something....

[@Rosaninyei]

Creative/interesting arrangement, beautiful even. Definitely something you might hear in Kiev or in the music halls in Vienna (which makes it brilliant), but a far cry from the simple American original. A tad too 'polished', a little too affected and so lacking in it's original 'soul'.

[@ShawDAMAN]

I also much much prefer a simply fiddled version. This is nice but doesn't tug at the heartstrings at all.

[@Ursula5196]

Very nice but yes slow it down and more cello! :) Less violin....

[@fiddlemike]

Ain't that just swell. Jay Ungar wrote the piece. Matthew whoever's arrangement removed the soul from it. And although your rendition may be technically perfect, it also lacks soul. This is my OPINION. If you are happy with it, then life is peachy.

[@fraOppland]

Lol, you said hoity toity

[@LFD254]

It NEEDS the guitar.

[@plushowner]

This arrangement is missing the soul of the piece.It is supposed to haunting and evoke a tear. The tempo is too fast.

[@1xstew]

Too much going on . . all the instruments are fighting each other . . that's what I think . . !!

[@jonappleton100]

Sorry, I wasnt a fan of your version. Check out: "Ashokan Farewell" Doc and The Lady. A much better arrangement.

[@Unanimous_Vox]

Tttt

[@TheGalen62]

Meh.