Oh Shenandoah (for violin and piano)

Digital Sheet Music

By Traditional

Item Number: A0.522283

This beautiful song is one of the most popular American folk songs, evoking

images of the river life of yesteryear. It is sure to be a popular addition

to your violin recital, or it would make an excellent encore piece. The

music lies easily under the hand and the top note is B just above the

treble staff. The standard is about ABRSM violin Grade 3-4 (UK). The

duration is 03:55.

As with most folk songs, there are many different versions of Shenandoah,

and it’s impossible to determine the song’s exact provenance with any

degree of certainty. It probably has its origins among the French Canadians

who traded with Native Americans around the Great Lakes during the

sixteenth century. In most versions of the song, the lyrics tell of a

seafarer, possibly a canoeing fur-trader, who was in love with the daughter

of Shenandoah, a Native American Chief who lived in what is now the state

of Virginia. Shenandoah was a real person: an individual of commanding

presence who lived for over a hundred years.  

Sailors heading down the Mississippi picked up the song and made it a

capstan shanty, which they sang while hauling in the anchor. By the mid-

1800s versions of the song were heard almost everywhere the American clipper ships

ventured. Shenandoah was one of the most popular capstan shanties, a slow

song which set a manageable pace for the crew in a heavy and lengthy task.

Add this lovely American song to your violin repertoire today!

This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard’s global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.

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