Great Christian Hymns Simple Gifts Simple Gifts is a Shaker song written and composed in 1848 by Elder Joseph Brackett. It has endured many inaccurate descriptions. Though often classified as an anonymous Shaker hymn or as a work song, it is better classified as a dance song. The tune was written by Joseph Brackett (1797–1882) in 1848. Brackett, a lifelong resident of Maine, first joined the Shakers at Gorham, Maine, when his fathers farm helped to form the nucleus of a new Shaker settlement. The song was largely unknown outside Shaker communities until Aaron Copland used its melody for the score of Martha Grahams ballet Appalachian Spring, first performed in 1944. Copland used Simple Gifts a second time in 1950 in his first set of Old American Songs for voice and piano, which was later orchestrated. Many people thought that the tune of Simple Gifts was a traditional Celtic one but both the music and original lyrics are actually the compositions of Brackett. Simple Gifts has been adapted or arranged many times since by folksingers and composers. Simple Gifts was written by Elder Joseph while he was at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine. These are the lyrics to his one-verse song: Tis the gift to be simple, tis the gift to be free Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, Twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gained, To bow and to bend we shant be ashamed, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come round right. Several Shaker manuscripts indicate that this is a Dancing Song or a Quick Dance. Turning is a common theme in Christian theology, but the references to turning in the last two lines have also been identified as dance instructions. Additional lyrics have been written with references to love, better to give than receive, salvation and new birth. https://youtube/watch?v=amcGIfMu0bw
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 12:53:41 +0000
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