Hudson Valley Serenade: A Song History

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"Hudson Valley Serenade" is a contemporary tune by Jay Ungar.[1] It appears on page 33 of Catskill Mountain Waltzes and Airs, a collection by Ungar and Molly Mason offered in the duo's online store.[2] In the store's introduction, the pair tie the collection to the Catskills' long history as a place where American and international fiddling traditions meet, and say its tunes came from decades of their writing.[2] Ungar, who married Mason in 1991, wrote "Ashokan Farewell," which became the main theme of Ken Burns's PBS series The Civil War.[3]

Painting of a calm river with trees and distant blue hills

Eliza Pratt Greatorex, On the Hudson River, Near Idlewild, oil on paper mounted to board, 1864. Shown for the valley of the tune's title.

Melanie Johnston includes it, credited to Jay Ungar and set in DAD tuning, in 22 Selections From Jay Ungar & Molly Mason's Book "Catskill Mountain Waltzes And Airs", a download of 22 mountain dulcimer tablature arrangements from that book with computer-generated piano MP3s of each song, published by Melanie Johnston.[1]

Our book that contains the song "Hudson Valley Serenade"

Sources

  1. Melanie Johnston: "22 Selections From Jay Ungar & Molly Mason's Book Catskill Mountain Waltzes And Airs".
  2. Jay Ungar & Molly Mason (official store): "Catskill Mountain Waltzes and Airs".
  3. Jay Ungar & Molly Mason: "About".
  4. Image: Eliza Pratt Greatorex, On the Hudson River, Near Idlewild, oil on paper mounted to board, 1864. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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