SKU: PR.114414450
ISBN 9781598064087. UPC: 680160597635. 9x12 inches.
Inspired by the tale of a legendary folk hero, Adolphus Hailstork’s tour-de-force for trombone and piano is a riveting portrayal of the steely strength and stamina of John Henry, a former slave who helped build the American railroads and ultimately outperformed a steam engine. This composition uses quotes from the spiritual Every Time I Feel the Spirit and the folk song The Ballad of John Henry. For advanced players. Duration: 13’__________________________________________Text on the scanned back cover:JOHN HENRY'S BIG(MAN vs. MACHINE)FOR TROMBONE AND PIANOInspired by the tale of the legendary hero, Adolphus Hailstork’s tour-de-force for trombone and piano is a riveting portrayal of the steely strength and stamina of John Henry, a former slave who helped build the American railroads and ultimately outperformed a steam engine.PROGRAM NOTES by the ComposerJohn Henry was born a slave in the 1840’s or 1850’s. It is important to remember that no one knows for sure if John Henry existed or is a tall tale created by writers. That is one of the things that makes the legend so intriguing.According to the legend, he grew to stand 6 feet tall, 200 pounds – a giant in that day.Though the story of John Henry sounds like the quintessential tall tale, it is certainly based, at least in part, on historical circumstance. There are disputes as to where the legend originates. Some place John Henry in West Virginia, while recent research suggests Alabama. Still, all share a similar back-story.In order to construct the railroads, companies hired thousands of men to smooth out terrain and cut through obstacles that stood in the way of the proposed tracks. One such chore that figures heavily into some of the earliest John Henry ballads is the blasting of the Big Bend Tunnel, more than a mile straight through a mountain in West Virginia.Steel-drivin’ men like John Henry used large hammers and stakes to pound holes into the rock, which were were then filled with explosives that would blast a cavity deeper and deeper into the mountain. In the folk ballads, the central event took place under such conditions. Eager to reduce costs and speed up progress, some tunnel engineers were using steam drills to power their way into the rock. According to the great American tall tales, on hearing of the machine, John Henry challenged the steam drill to a contest. He won, but died of exhaustion, his life cut short by his own superhuman effort.This composition uses quotes from the spiritual Every Time I Feel the Spirit and the folk song The Ballad of John Henry.JOHN HENRY’S BIG was composed for trombonist David Jackson.
SKU: HL.148619
ISBN 9781495029684. UPC: 888680078515. 9.0x12.0x0.492 inches. With a Foreword by Thomas Riis.
Late in his life, composer J. Rosamond Johnson (Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing) submitted to his longtime publisher, E.B. Marks, a list of songs that would comprise a volume of his best early popular songs written with his pre-1910 partner Bob Cole and his brother, James Weldon Johnson (Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man). That list was never put into print...until now. Featuring an introductionby Dr. Thomas Riis (Just Before Jazz) and several rare photos, this new compilation is the latest legacy offering from the Marks archive, which contains a rich heritage of turn-of-the-century African-American, and thus distinctly American, pre-jazz-era popular song. Includes: Ain't Dat Scan'lous * Big Indian Chief * The Big Red Shawl * The Bleeding Moon * Congo Love Song * The Countess of Alagazam * Fishing * I Don't Want to Be No Actor Man No Mo' * I'll Always Love Old Dixie * I'll Keep a Warm Spot in My Heart for You * I've Got Troubles of My Own * The Katy-Did, the Cricket and the Frog * Lazy Moon * Lit'l Gal * Louisiana Lize * Lovely Daughter of Allah * Ma Mississippi Belle * The Maiden with the Dreamy Eyes * Mudder Knows * My Heart's Desiah is Miss Mariah * My Castle on the Nile * Nobody's Lookin' but de Owl an' de Moon * Oh, Didn't He Ramble * The Old Flag Never Touched the Ground * On the Road to Monterey * The Pathway of Love * Roll Them Cotton Bales * Save It for Me! * The Spirit of the Banjo! * Sugar Babe * Two Eyes * Under the Bamboo Tree * When de Jack O'Lantern Starts to Walk About * When It's All Goin' Out, and Nothin' Comin' In * Who Do You Love?
