Legends and Heroes

The fifth piece in the concert is entitled Legends and Heroes. It is subtitled “American Folksong Suite No. 1”. It is actually three pieces, a collection of three popular American folk songs, arranged by Pierre La Plante (see below) in 2003.

The first piece in the collection is “Patrick on the Railway”; the tune is a variant of a traditional Irish folksong. The American folk song originated in the 1840s and refers to the Irish immigrants, who faced discrimination as they emigrated to the United States during the Potato Famine. The song makes lighthearted reference to the fact that the immigrants could find only menial jobs as common laborers, or work no one else would do.

In eighteen and forty-one,

I put my corduroy breeches on,

I put my corduroy breeches on

To work upon the railway.

Fili-me-roo, ree-oo-ree-ay,

To work upon the railway.

The work was hard. The middle section of the setting is intended to suggest the back-breaking, never-ending job of laying the track.

The tune is very similar to “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”, composed by the famous Irish-American bandmaster, Patrick Gilmore, twenty years later, during the American Civil War.

The second piece in the suite is “Sweet Betsy from Pike”. The song first appeared in a collection called Pat’s Golden Songster in 1858. The tune derives from a popular English comic song “Villikins and his Dinah”, first published in London in 1853 and which had become a hit in America by 1855. Villikins and his Dinah closely parodies the lyrics of an old street ballad extant in England from the early 19th century, William and Diana; but it is unclear whether it simply borrowed the same melody as the existing ballad it parodies, or used a different tune written especially for theatrical performance. The song was popular with the “49ers” who had set out for California during the Gold Rush of the 1850s. It tells of the travails and adventures of a woman from Pike County, Pennsylvania and her husband Ike as they cross the prairie. The setting is a brief group of variations intended to paint a musical picture of some of these episodes.

Oh, do you remember Sweet Betsy from Pike,

Who crossed the wide prairie with her husband, Ike,

With two yoke of oxen, one spotted hog,

An old Shanghai rooster, an old yellow dog,

Singing “too-ra-lee, too-ra-lee, too-ra-lee-ay”?

The third and final song of the suite is “Little David, Play on!” It is a traditional gospel song that celebrates the story of David, a shepherd boy from the Bible who defeated the giant Goliath and became king of Israel. The song encourages listeners to have faith and stay true to their beliefs, even when facing challenges and adversity.

The lyrics of the chorus invite David to play his harp and praise God, as a symbol of his devotion and gratitude. Through this act, David demonstrates his faith and trust in God’s power, and inspires others to do the same.

Little David, play on your harp, hallelu, hallelu,

Play on your harp, hallelu!

A lifelong student and teacher of music, Pierre LaPlante was born on September 25, 1943, in West Allis, Wis. He grew up in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. where he was active in the high school band, choir, and theater. LaPlante received a Music Clinic tuition scholarship to attend the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he earned his Bachelor of Music (1967) and Master of Music (1972) degrees.

In the fall of 1967, LaPlante began his teaching career in the Blanchardville, Wis. public school system (now Pecatonica Area Schools). There, he directed the high school band and chorus. In 1972, LaPlante went to Prescott, Wis. to direct the high school concert band, marching band, and choir. He returned to Blanchardville in 1975 to teach general music for grades K—6 and beginning band. He retired from Blanchardville in 2001.

His many years of working with beginning band students has proven very helpful when writing music that is accessible to young players. An accomplished composer, LaPlante's catalog of musical works has been performed by high school bands in Australia, Europe, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. His first piece, Western Portrait, was published in 1976.

LaPlante has adjudicated for solo and ensemble contests and played bassoon in regional orchestras, including the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Beloit-Janesville Symphony. He is currently a member of NAfME and ASCAP, as well as the Madison Wind ensemble. He resides in Oregon, Wis. with his wife, Laurie, where he enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, and spending time with his family. His daughters, Amy and Elizabeth, enjoy careers in graphic design and teaching, respectively. He also has three grandchildren, Emily, Parker, and Kate.

The music for Legends and Heroes was provided for the band by Al and Sue Reiter.