Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair

James D Ployhar

Traditional, arranged by James D Ployhar

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General Info

Year: 1963
Duration:
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Byron-Douglas Publications
Cost: Score and Parts - Out of Print

For availability information, see Discussion area.

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
Cornets I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion

(percussion detail needed)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Black Is the Colour (of My True Love's Hair) is a traditional folk song first known in the Appalachian Mountains region of the United States in 1915, but most probably originating from Scotland, as attributed to the reference to the Clyde in the song's lyrics. The musicologist Alan Lomax supported this Scottish origin, saying that the song was an American "re-make of British materials."

Many different versions of this song exist, some addressed to females and others addressed to males, as well as other differences. These words are set to two distinct melodies, one of which is traditional and the other was written by the Kentucky folk singer and composer John Jacob Niles. Niles recalled that his father thought the traditional melody was "downright terrible", so he wrote "a new tune, ending it in a nice modal manner." The song has become a part of the traditional repertory of Celtic music artists. The first recording was made by Mrs. Lizzie Roberts in 1916 as Black Is the Colour.

- 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

• University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory Wind Ensemble (Joseph Parisi, conductor) – 14 March 2016

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

• Black Is the Colour (Of My True Love's Hair), Wikipedia Accessed 14 March 2016
• Ployhar, J. (1963). Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair [score]. Byron-Douglas Pub.: [s.l.]