Four Folk Tunes

With possible origins in Virginia, Shenandoah originated as a river shanty and then became popular with sea-going crews in the early 1800s. The author of Barbara Allan is unknown, but there are dozens of settings of the words to music. The earliest known mention of the song is in Samuel Pepys' diary of January 2 1666 where he refers to the “little Scotch song of 'Barbary Allen'”. Here, Elgar Howarth has used a traditional English version.

The words to Come Rest in this Bosom are those of the Irish Poet Thomas Moore. Moore was also a balladeer, and it is possible that he also wrote the tune, although it is also likely to be of traditional Irish origin. Londonderry Air was first published by the Society for the Preservation and Publication of the Melodies of Ireland in the 1855 book The Ancient Music of Ireland. The tune was listed as an anonymous air, with a note attributing its collection to Jane Ross of Londonderry. This led to the descriptive title "Londonderry Air" being used for the piece.