Simple Gifts from Appalachian Spring for Concert Band

It has been stated Copland’s Appalachian Spring captures the essence of an ideal America, one of open fields and endless possibilities. It's begins with the the plain melody and ends with an A-men.

The tune was written by Joseph Brackett (1797–1882) in 1848. Brackett, a lifelong resident of Maine, first joined the Shaker community at Gorham, Maine, where his father's farm helped to form the nucleus of a new Shaker settlement.

’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 shan’t be ashamed, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come ’round right.

This Simple Gifts from Appalachian Spring has been transcribed for Concert Band. This transcription is a bit of a simplification of the original. The major change is the key. I have modified the opening section by a 4th and dropped the fast section by a major second. This puts it into a better playing key.