Music to Grandmother’s House

 

It’s Thanksgiving time, with the popular song about going over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house. For centuries, composers have been inspired by the country life in their compositions. Here is a sampling.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" is a classic example, with movements like "Awakening of cheerful feelings on arrival in the country" and "Scene by the brook," and even includes a musical depiction of a thunderstorm.

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, in particular for now its autumn season, evokes a carefree feeling: of letting go and embracing change.

Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2, 1st movement is often described as having a countryside feel.

Strauss’s An Alpine Symphony depicts depicting a mountain landscape, reflecting  pastoral qualities with its nature-inspired themes. 

Singing as you go visit the family is a great start for Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving for Music

 

Thanksgiving is a well known holiday in the United States, and there are several classical music pieces that fit for this time of year.

A popular choice is Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring, which was composed as a ballet to tell the story of American pioneers building a farmhouse. A piano arrangement can be heard at https://youtu.be/zyrOl4vwyD0. Even though the season is spring, this suite expresses the American frontier spirit associated with Thanksgiving.

Vivaldi’s third movement, “Autumn,” from his 1725 composition The Four Seasons certainly capture the feeling of fall. In addition, the lyrics “celebrate the peasant, with songs and dances, and the pleasure of a bountiful harvest.”

England has celebrated days of Thanksgiving for centuries. The 18^th century English composer Maurice Greene wrote the anthem “Thou Visited the Earth, which is very appropriate for Harvest Thanksgiving. The lyrics are based on Psalm 65: ‘Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it; and crownest the year with thy goodness.”

The hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth,” written in 1864 by Folliott Sanford Pierpoint, was first considered a communion hymn, but soon became a popular song for Thanksgiving.

William Lloyd Webber -- a London composer, organist, and choirmaster—wrote “A Hymn of Thanksgiving” in 1936. You probably know his son Andrew Lloyd Webber better because of his 21 musicals and other scores.

But the 4^th century Saints Ambrose and Augustine could be considered the earliest Thanksgiving composers with their “Te Deum,” although Saint Niketas, bishop of Remesiana about the same time in history, is also credited for this hymn of Thanksgiving. The Te Deum is still part of the Liturgy of the Hours, giving thanks to God.

In all these cases, we can be thankful for such classical composers.

Japan's Thanksgiving

 

Tomoko is thankful that she immigrated to the United States and became a U.S. citizen. She is thankful for her family and friends, including her musical family. Before she left Japan, that country has established its own national Thanksgiving Day on November 23, more specifically called Labor Thanksgiving Day: kinrōkanshahi.

Both the U.S. and Japan have celebrated fall harvest festivals for centuries. Japan’s harvest celebration dates back over 2500 years ago, and more formal observances are almost 1500 years old. The tradition celebrated the year’s hard work, and the harvest was dedicated to kami (spirits). The current form of Japan’s Thanksgiving was established in 1948, and focused on human rights and expanded worker rights.

While both countries give thanks, in Japan the holiday focuses on thanking workers and their good labors. Children sometimes write thank you cards to local public workers such as firefighters and healthcare workers. In that sense, Japan’s Thanksgiving is more political than the U.S.’s.

Turkey is not on the plate on Japan’s Thanksgiving Day, but families do get together and enjoy each other’s company. Fireworks also mark that holiday in Japan.

As a lifelong hard worker and distinguished teacher, Tomoko deserves our thanks – every day.