Mountain Ayre and Wedding Dance

I’ve always been attracted to “mountain music,” especially the sad songs for their plaintive melodies and simple harmonies. And so, as I thought about this piece for a community near the Piedmont Mountains, my first thought turned to writing music that alluded to that stereotypical genre.

However, it was a group of pictures placed on a former student’s Facebook page that actually generated the biggest inspiration for this work.

The pictures were of an “old-fashioned” country wedding, where the guests all rode hay wagons to the horse barn where the ceremony occurred followed by an old-fashioned barn dance. All the participants were dressed in “Country Sunday-best” (suspenders and bowties for the gents) and frilly frocks for the bride's party. It actually looked like a scene out of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” - a rollicking musical from back in the 60’s that I remember. When I talked to Debbie about her niece’s wedding, I was caught up in the happiness of the occasion (even though I had no idea who any of these people were!) and consequently, when I sat down at the piano to write the music, it was certainly an easy task. In fact, this may well be the quickest writing I have done in years. Happiness does that, you know.