Ashokan Farwell -- Youtube Link Commentary from Paul

I started working on the Ashokan Farwell the week that Grandpa (Dad) fell in late October and had to be taken to the hospital for many stitches by Mark and Evan who had just arrived for a visit. The occasion for my learning the piece was a private recital of mostly middle school and high school students held in our home that same week--right before Kay and I headed to Goshen to join Mark, Evan, Janice and Frank to have an early celebration dinner for Dad's upcoming 90th birthday that weekend. Kay and I agreed to host the recital of students and teachers playing cello, violin, and piano and, in turn, I was asked to participate.

The Ashokan Farwell was used in the Ken Burns American Civil War Documentary series seen on PBS some years ago. I had become more familiar with it last summer when some friends in Tennessee indicated they loved the piece and wanted me to see if I could play it. When the recital came up I realized the piece should be within my ability to play and selected it, having found a piano part from which I could derive the melody. The motivation to play it was personal and kept private at the time. I had come to realize Dad's increasing frailty and felt the end was getting much closer, particularly with the last fall. I also felt sorrow at not being closer to him to offer more comfort in his final months. I remembered how hard it had been for him to let go of me when we hugged to say good-bye on the previous visit. Practicing the Farwell allowed me an outlet for that sorrow. It was my way to start to say good-bye in my thoughts and to come to terms with losing Dad. About a month later, Dad passed away.

I was not aware that Kay had recorded my rendition until much later, after the funeral. That's fortunate because I would have been more nervous and likely made more mistakes had I known the camera was running. I am thankful Kay did record it because I've rarely had a chance to hear what my instrument sounds like, standing back from it. I am also grateful that Katie could accompany me at short notice and that Bill was able to take the recorded file last weekend and make it available for Windows MediaPlayer, and that Mark was then able to figure out how to upload a link to it here.

This is for you, Dad.................. --Paul