Animal Folk Songs for Children. Traditional American Songs by Ruth Crawford SeegerReview by: Dorothy G. HowardNotes, Second Series, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Mar., 1951), pp. 388-389Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/890032 .

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save that he was maestro de capilla to the Ducal House of Braganza. He has twelve compositions in this collection, all of high artistic quality. Other works by Gin6s de Morata are known to exist in the Ducal Palace of Villaviciosa.

Francisco Guerrero, famous for his church music, is represented here by some of the secular songs that he com- posed in his youth and that he never desired to publish. However, the setting of the well-known poem of Gutierre de Cetina, "Ojos claros, serenos," formerly attributed to Francisco Guerrero, was composed by his brother Pedro and is so

save that he was maestro de capilla to the Ducal House of Braganza. He has twelve compositions in this collection, all of high artistic quality. Other works by Gin6s de Morata are known to exist in the Ducal Palace of Villaviciosa.

Francisco Guerrero, famous for his church music, is represented here by some of the secular songs that he com- posed in his youth and that he never desired to publish. However, the setting of the well-known poem of Gutierre de Cetina, "Ojos claros, serenos," formerly attributed to Francisco Guerrero, was composed by his brother Pedro and is so

ascribed in this volume. In addition to Gutierre de Cetina, other notable Span- ish poets included in this cancionero are Boscin, Jorge de Montemayor, and Garcilaso de la Vega. The collection therefore has prime literary as well as musical importance and forms a valuable contribution to the study of the "Golden Age" of Spanish culture. This publica- tion provides further evidence that the secular music of the Spanish Renaissance was no less abundant and noteworthy than the religious production of that period.

GILBERT CHASE

ascribed in this volume. In addition to Gutierre de Cetina, other notable Span- ish poets included in this cancionero are Boscin, Jorge de Montemayor, and Garcilaso de la Vega. The collection therefore has prime literary as well as musical importance and forms a valuable contribution to the study of the "Golden Age" of Spanish culture. This publica- tion provides further evidence that the secular music of the Spanish Renaissance was no less abundant and noteworthy than the religious production of that period.

GILBERT CHASE

Animal Folk Songs for Children. Traditional American Songs, [se- lected & edited] by Ruth Crawford Seeger, illustrated by Barbara Cooney. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1950. [80 p., $2.50]

This, the second of Mrs. Seeger's books the folklore process is change and adap- of folk songs for children, includes in tation, and therefore encourages teachers addition to forty-three songs, an intro- to allow children the pleasure of "be- duction useful to teachers, mothers, and longing to a song through making up all other adults interested in children new words." She cautions, however, and folklore. The songs are divided into against losing the old and traditional by four groups: songs about animals of the forgetting the habits and traditions in woods and field such as "Raccoon and singing and playing. Some of the habits Possum," "Cross-eyed Gopher," "Mole in of folk singing show a basic difference the Ground," and "Snake Baked a Hoe- from those of our fine and popular music; cake"; songs about dogs and hunting; and Mrs. Seeger states with clarity and songs about farm and ranch such as precision what those basic differences "The Gray Goose" and "The Kicking are. Mule"; and last, a group called "And A section called "Sources and Ac- Others" including "Crocodile Song" and knowledgements" gives complete docu- "Of All the Beast-es (I'd Rather Be a mentation for all songs. Thirty-four of Panther)." the forty-three songs in the book are

In her introduction Mrs. Seeger makes fresh notations from traditional singing; important and succinct statements about two are direct from singers; nine are children and folk songs. "Children natur- reprinted from folklore publications. ally like animals . . . They feel close to Thirty-two of the songs come from field them." Every teacher and mother knows recordings in the Archive of American this for the truth, remembering her own Folk Song in the Library of Congress. young one peeping like a chick, howling The problem of choosing songs is dealt like an ape, kerrumping like a frog with in the "Introduction"; among or sitting quietly in the bathroom wash- several versions of a song should the bowl with dental floss strung all about choice be the most typical, the most her-just being a mother spider. nearly unique, the easiest one for children

Mrs. Seeger is a scientific folklorist as or the one "you like best." Each of well as a skillful musician, an artful these factors has entered into the choices; teacher, and a practicing mother of four yet all texts and all tunes are traditional children. As a folklorist, she explains and authentic; the compiler has made no that the way folk singers sing is an im- artful contrivances of her own. portant part of the song itself; she The illustrator, Barbara Cooney, has a knows that one basic characteristic of way with all beasts of the field and fold.

388

Animal Folk Songs for Children. Traditional American Songs, [se- lected & edited] by Ruth Crawford Seeger, illustrated by Barbara Cooney. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1950. [80 p., $2.50]

This, the second of Mrs. Seeger's books the folklore process is change and adap- of folk songs for children, includes in tation, and therefore encourages teachers addition to forty-three songs, an intro- to allow children the pleasure of "be- duction useful to teachers, mothers, and longing to a song through making up all other adults interested in children new words." She cautions, however, and folklore. The songs are divided into against losing the old and traditional by four groups: songs about animals of the forgetting the habits and traditions in woods and field such as "Raccoon and singing and playing. Some of the habits Possum," "Cross-eyed Gopher," "Mole in of folk singing show a basic difference the Ground," and "Snake Baked a Hoe- from those of our fine and popular music; cake"; songs about dogs and hunting; and Mrs. Seeger states with clarity and songs about farm and ranch such as precision what those basic differences "The Gray Goose" and "The Kicking are. Mule"; and last, a group called "And A section called "Sources and Ac- Others" including "Crocodile Song" and knowledgements" gives complete docu- "Of All the Beast-es (I'd Rather Be a mentation for all songs. Thirty-four of Panther)." the forty-three songs in the book are

In her introduction Mrs. Seeger makes fresh notations from traditional singing; important and succinct statements about two are direct from singers; nine are children and folk songs. "Children natur- reprinted from folklore publications. ally like animals . . . They feel close to Thirty-two of the songs come from field them." Every teacher and mother knows recordings in the Archive of American this for the truth, remembering her own Folk Song in the Library of Congress. young one peeping like a chick, howling The problem of choosing songs is dealt like an ape, kerrumping like a frog with in the "Introduction"; among or sitting quietly in the bathroom wash- several versions of a song should the bowl with dental floss strung all about choice be the most typical, the most her-just being a mother spider. nearly unique, the easiest one for children

Mrs. Seeger is a scientific folklorist as or the one "you like best." Each of well as a skillful musician, an artful these factors has entered into the choices; teacher, and a practicing mother of four yet all texts and all tunes are traditional children. As a folklorist, she explains and authentic; the compiler has made no that the way folk singers sing is an im- artful contrivances of her own. portant part of the song itself; she The illustrator, Barbara Cooney, has a knows that one basic characteristic of way with all beasts of the field and fold.

388

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Her black and white drawings present a happy, harum-scarum world where "Old Aunt Dinah went to town/ Riding a goat and leading a hound" and where "Jaybird sitting on a swinging limb/ Winked at me and I winked at him." All her creatures are knowing, question- ing, pert, active beasts; not one ever stands still; all go about their busy lives while the artist, sashaying casually among them, catches them in various fleeting poses with her quick eye and under- standing pen.

In her first book, American Folk Songs for Children, Mrs. Seeger gave

Her black and white drawings present a happy, harum-scarum world where "Old Aunt Dinah went to town/ Riding a goat and leading a hound" and where "Jaybird sitting on a swinging limb/ Winked at me and I winked at him." All her creatures are knowing, question- ing, pert, active beasts; not one ever stands still; all go about their busy lives while the artist, sashaying casually among them, catches them in various fleeting poses with her quick eye and under- standing pen.

In her first book, American Folk Songs for Children, Mrs. Seeger gave

suggestions on how to use folk songs, what songs and what kinds of songs to use and when and why. This, her second book, adds wise counsel to pre- vious wise counsel besides adding de- lightful songs for interested children and grown people to sing together. The two best books of their kind, they should be in every classroom library. Both have well documented material for the folk- lorist; both set the best example of the right kind of musical accompaniments for folk songs for children; both are de- lightful books in format as well as in content. DOROTHY G. HOWARD

suggestions on how to use folk songs, what songs and what kinds of songs to use and when and why. This, her second book, adds wise counsel to pre- vious wise counsel besides adding de- lightful songs for interested children and grown people to sing together. The two best books of their kind, they should be in every classroom library. Both have well documented material for the folk- lorist; both set the best example of the right kind of musical accompaniments for folk songs for children; both are de- lightful books in format as well as in content. DOROTHY G. HOWARD

A Treasury of Slovak Folk Songs. Edited by the Reverend John J. Lach; compiled and arranged by Leonhard Deutsch; introductions by Monsignore Milos K. Mlynarovich and Adam P. Lesinsky; explanatory notes and editing of Slovak lyrics by Francis Hrusovsky; English verses by Willard R. Trask; and illustrations by Joseph Cincik. New York: Crown Publishers, 1950. [xii, 128 p., $5.00]

A Treasury of Slovak Folk Songs will choly; from simple melodic patterns to have a special appeal to about a million strange, almost exotic-sounding lines; Americans of Slovak ancestry. But even from well-known, widespread tunes to non-Slovaks who love folk music will those which so far were slumbering in be able to enjoy singing these folk songs, rare library books." since the lyrics are in English as well The volume's usefulness is broadened as Slovak. by the use of English words under the

This is an outstanding collection. The music. Transcribing the Slovak lyrics editors have collaborated with compe- into English was no light task. In spoken tency, scholarship, and loving care, and Slovak the accent falls on the first syl- the publishers have matched their efforts lable of a word, but in singing, the accent by producing a beautiful book. It is a may be laid on any syllable. Thus pleasure to recommend it, especially to Slovak verses can be fitted easily to the music librarians. rhythmical style of Slovak tunes, but it

Dr. Leonhard Deutsch has done well. is far more difficult to accomplish this Out of approximately 10,000 recorded with English verses whose accented Slovak folk songs he has selected about syllables must be placed on the heavy 100 tunes solely for their artistic and beats of the music. Mr. Trask has kept musical values, offering a fairly com- closely to the rhyme patterns, spirit, and prehensive picture of Slovak folk music meaning of the original. The songs are in the various idioms. Many of the quite singable in either language. songs were originally sung without ac- A word about the many pen-and-ink companiment. Dr. Deutsch has shown sketches scattered through the volume. considerable restraint in his arrange- They have the crude strength and beauty ments, adding harmonies only when he of folk art and evoke the Slovaks' way felt they were implicit in the melodies. of life in their homeland. Dr. Deutsch's The piano arrangements employ simple preface and Adam P. Lesinsky's intro- rhythms with a minimum of melodramatic duction enhance our understanding and effects. appreciation of these folk songs.

"This selection," Dr. Deutsch explains The volume has a song index and a in his preface, "runs the gamut from pronunciation guide. childlike cheerfulness to deep melan- GEORGE KORSON

389

A Treasury of Slovak Folk Songs. Edited by the Reverend John J. Lach; compiled and arranged by Leonhard Deutsch; introductions by Monsignore Milos K. Mlynarovich and Adam P. Lesinsky; explanatory notes and editing of Slovak lyrics by Francis Hrusovsky; English verses by Willard R. Trask; and illustrations by Joseph Cincik. New York: Crown Publishers, 1950. [xii, 128 p., $5.00]

A Treasury of Slovak Folk Songs will choly; from simple melodic patterns to have a special appeal to about a million strange, almost exotic-sounding lines; Americans of Slovak ancestry. But even from well-known, widespread tunes to non-Slovaks who love folk music will those which so far were slumbering in be able to enjoy singing these folk songs, rare library books." since the lyrics are in English as well The volume's usefulness is broadened as Slovak. by the use of English words under the

This is an outstanding collection. The music. Transcribing the Slovak lyrics editors have collaborated with compe- into English was no light task. In spoken tency, scholarship, and loving care, and Slovak the accent falls on the first syl- the publishers have matched their efforts lable of a word, but in singing, the accent by producing a beautiful book. It is a may be laid on any syllable. Thus pleasure to recommend it, especially to Slovak verses can be fitted easily to the music librarians. rhythmical style of Slovak tunes, but it

Dr. Leonhard Deutsch has done well. is far more difficult to accomplish this Out of approximately 10,000 recorded with English verses whose accented Slovak folk songs he has selected about syllables must be placed on the heavy 100 tunes solely for their artistic and beats of the music. Mr. Trask has kept musical values, offering a fairly com- closely to the rhyme patterns, spirit, and prehensive picture of Slovak folk music meaning of the original. The songs are in the various idioms. Many of the quite singable in either language. songs were originally sung without ac- A word about the many pen-and-ink companiment. Dr. Deutsch has shown sketches scattered through the volume. considerable restraint in his arrange- They have the crude strength and beauty ments, adding harmonies only when he of folk art and evoke the Slovaks' way felt they were implicit in the melodies. of life in their homeland. Dr. Deutsch's The piano arrangements employ simple preface and Adam P. Lesinsky's intro- rhythms with a minimum of melodramatic duction enhance our understanding and effects. appreciation of these folk songs.

"This selection," Dr. Deutsch explains The volume has a song index and a in his preface, "runs the gamut from pronunciation guide. childlike cheerfulness to deep melan- GEORGE KORSON

389

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