Ashokan Farewell

The piece is a waltz in D major, composed in the style of a Scottish lament (e.g., Niel Gow's "Lament for His Second Wife"). Jay Ungar describes the song as coming out of "a sense of loss and longing" after the annual Ashokan Music & Dance Camps ended. that is now mostly covered by the Ashokan Reservoir. ==Use in The Civil War documentary series==

In 1984, filmmaker Ken Burns heard "Ashokan Farewell" and was moved by it. He used it in two of his documentary films: Huey Long (1985), and The Civil War (1990), which features the original recording by Fiddle Fever in the beginning of the film. The Civil War drew the greatest attention to the piece. It is played 25 times throughout the eleven-hour series, The tune was later used in the Louie episode "The Road: Part II", where Louie dresses up in a Civil War uniform for an old-time photograph. Most recently, the tune is used in the 2018 premiere and 2024 Season 5 finale of the television series Yellowstone. ==Other versions==

The tune has been covered and rerecorded numerous times: • 1990 - Adapted by composer John Welsman for "Gus Pike's Theme" in the critically acclaimed television series Road to Avonlea. • 1993 – Country violinist Mark O'Connor released Heroes, containing an "Ashokan Farewell" duet with Pinchas Zukerman. • 1994 – Bluegrass guitarist Tony Rice covered it on his release Live. • 1994 – Priscilla Herdman also released it on Forever and Always, with lyrics by Grian Mac Gregor. Both Ungar and Mason accompanied her. • 1994 – Folk guitarist Tommy Emmanuel recorded it on his album Terra Firma with his brother Phil Emmanuel. He also does a version of the song with his band which includes drumming from the Civil War time period, a standing bass, and a second harmony guitar. • 1997 – James Galway and Phil Coulter, featuring James Galway on the flute. • 2001 – A cover version appears on Chuck Leavell's solo piano recording Forever Blue. • 2005 – The all-female Irish musical ensemble Celtic Woman released a cover version by Máiréad Nesbitt (violin/fiddle) in their first album and live DVD recording of the same name. • 2006 – Time for Three covered it on We Just Burned this for You, recorded live at Bowling Green State University in Ohio on January 13. • 2008 – British vocal band Blake covered the song for their self-titled debut album. • 2011 – Keith Kenniff, under his moniker Goldmund, covered the song on his album All Will Prosper. • 2011 – The Band Of Her Majesty's Royal Marines released a cover of Ashokan Farewell • 2011 – The Ebony Hillbillies on their album Barefoot and Flying. • 2012-2013 – In the BBC America TV series Copper, which takes place in the Five Points of New York City in 1864, almost 120 years before the tune was written. • 2013 – Performed by solo violinist Major John Perkins of The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines was voted no. 36 in Classic FM's (UK) Hall of Fame. • 2015 – A remixed version is used in the soundtrack of the Japanese Anime TV series Owarimonogatari called Euler, Composed by Kei Haneoka. • 2017 – The American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic recorded the tune for their album Simple Gifts • 2020 – A medley of the hymn Softly And Tenderly along with Ashokan Farewell was recorded by Keith and Kristyn Getty with Vince Gill, Sierra Hull, Ellie Holcomb, and Deborah Klemme, and appears on the Gettys’ album Evensong: Hymns and Lullabies at the Close of Day. • 2025 – Performed by solo violinist Emlyn Drake, direct-to-video single. ==See also==