Work
Three Desperadoes
for SSA choir and piano
Films, Audio & Samples
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About
When Jane Money brought her choir Boston City Singers to New Zealand, she left me with a copy of American Ballads and Folk Songs (edited by John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax). This collection of songs was originally published in 1934, and collected together songs from various folk traditions from across the USA: railroad sings, songs about outlaws, Creole songs, spirituals, minstrel songs, reels, songs of childhood and so on.
In choosing three songs to arrange I decided to turn to three songs about desperadoes - those living on the fringes of the law. Each comes to an unfortunate end - two by hanging and the third shot by the law. Of the three, Billy the Kid (who purportedly killed twenty-one men) is the best known.
Dedication note
Written for Boston City Singers and conductor Jane Money
Contents note
Three songs:
- Spanish Johnny
- John Harty
- Billy the Kid
Text note
Traditional American folk songs