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Melody's 350-Year Journey: From Ballad to Rock
9 May
Summary
- The song's origins trace back to a 17th-century ballad.
- It traveled from England to the Appalachian Mountains.
- Alan Lomax recorded it in the 1930s, revitalizing its fame.
The program 'Time to the Music' delves into the extraordinary journeys of enduring melodies across centuries. It examines how songs evolve through revival, musical shifts, and discoveries, transcending genres, social strata, and continents.
The third episode focuses on "The House of the Rising Sun." Its lineage is traced to a 17th-century broadside ballad originating in northern England. This ballad journeyed to the US Appalachian Mountains, passed down through generations.
Musicologist Alan Lomax recorded a key version in the 1930s. This recording fueled the 1960s folk revival, culminating in a major hit for the band The Animals in 1964.
The exploration extends to other music that has traversed time, featuring insights from musicologists and musicians. The origins of such timeless tunes and their reinterpretation across diverse cultural landscapes are a central theme.
