Sample played by Burning River Brass

8013 – I Wonder as I Wander

John Jacob Niles (1892 – 1980)

Arranged by Roger Harvey

Octet and SATB chorus

(4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba)

Difficulty: Medium

Price: £22.50

(Vocal scores can be photocopied by purchaser at £0.50 per copy)

Programme notes:

Until recently it was believed that John Niles had collected this tune from the inhabitants of the Appalachian Mountains in the 1930s. He published it as such in his Songs of the Hill Folk. It now seems that he composed all but the opening bars himself and that it is one of several songs, including ‘Black is colour of my true love’s hair’, written by himself but published as folk songs. Whatever the derivation of the tune, it is an exquisitely haunting melody that has become very popular, particularly as a Christmas carol.

Performance notes:

The opening should be played in a free, quasi-improvised manner and have a distant, nostalgic feel. The tenor line at A should also be freely phrased, not sung too strictly in time. It may be sung as a solo if wished. The interlude at C will be played more strictly in tempo but still expressively. The coda from J should be relaxed but there is no need to make any rallentando at the end.