Deep River (arr Ployhar)

James D Ployhar

Arranged by James D Ployhar

This article is a stub. If you can help add information to it, please join the WRP and visit the FAQ (left sidebar) for information.

General Info

Year: / 1959
Duration:
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Music
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print

Instrumentation

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Deep River is an anonymous spiritual of African American origin. The song was first mentioned in print in 1876, when it was published in the first edition of The Story of the Jubilee Singers: With Their Songs, by J.B.T. Marsh. By 1917, when Henry T. Burleigh completed the last of his several influential arrangements, the song had become very popular in recitals. It has been called "perhaps the best known and best-loved spiritual".

At least one commentator has suggested that the song is intended to offer advice to slaves who want to run away, i.e., you should escape via a "river" to your "home…over Jordan" because the water will wash away your scent.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Commercial Discography

None discovered thus far.

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Clarke Central High School (Athens, Ga.) Wind Ensemble (Robert Lawrence, conductor) – December 2014

Works for Winds by this Composer

• Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair (as arranger) (1963)
• Blue Tango (arr Ployhar) (as arranger)
• Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (as arranger) (1941/1975)
• Burtonwood Overture
• Caravan (as arranger) (1937/1975)
• Castlebay Overture
• Castle, Loch, and Heath
• Christmas Sing-a-Long (as arranger)
• Christmas "Pop" Sing-a-Long (as arranger)
• The Civil War (as arranger) (1991)
• Clarinets on the Run (1986)
• Concerto for Faculty and Band (1972)
• Cool Blues for Trumpets
• Crazy Clock
• Crusader's Hymn (as arranger) (1997)
• Deep River (as arranger) (1959)
• Devonshire Overture
• Ding! Dong! Merrily on High (as arranger) (1987)
• Fantasy on Joy to the World
• Fantasy on "The Marine's Hymn" (as arranger) (1994)
• Flight of the Flutes (2007)
• A Holly Jolly Christmas (as arranger) (1997)
• Korean Folk Song Melody
• March of the Irish Guard (1988)
• Morning Has Broken (1931/1977)
• An Old English Christmas (1958)
• Patriotic Sing-a-Long (as arranger) (1976)
• Santa Meets the Big Bands
• Simple Gifts (arr Ployhar) (as arranger) (1968)
• Sleigh Ride (as arranger) (1948/1980)
• Still, Still, Still (as arranger) (1988)
• Sunderland Overture
• Swingin' Old Saint Nick (as arranger) (1867/1998)
• Theme from "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (as arranger)
• Travelin' Trumpets (2006)
• Tunbridge Overture
• Vaudeville Favorites (as arranger) (1969)
• Vikingland (as arranger) (1986)

Resources

• Deep River (song), Wikipedia Accessed 5 March 2016
• Ployhar, J. (1959). Deep River : Arranged for Band [score]. Byron-Douglas: Melville, N.Y.