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  • This is a gemstone rendition of Ungar's tune! It's as satisfying as a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns, and sagebrush coffee.

  • One of the most emotive pieces of music ever written. It never fails to stop me in my tracks. It will be an ever enduring classic.

  • "plus twenty"...definitely my experience.

    i came across this song a few years ago and fell in love with it. i got a copy of the music ASAP and actually played it in gettysburg on the battlefield.

  • i love this song.... i love the Violin solo (though i play the Viola as indicated by my name) so i stole a 1st violin part from the music stash and am now playing it Violaified great video and playing :)

  • QUE HERMOSA MUSICA...ME ENCANTO!!!

  • burfordfiddler1962, hi,i,v just come across your video, and i think it is a beautiful piece of music , its a real classic, and very well played , you are a master of the fiddle , and thanks for posting. oh and i like your hat too .

  • Add a nice Texas-style flair to this awesome waltz.

  • Very nice well done

  • the music transports you and the playing makes the journey very very sweet

  • Great version of the song, played with real passion. A heck of a lot better than nothing! :-)

  • Great job. Love this tune.

  • always makes me cry

  • Love this version! I play Irish fiddle but would love to learn Old Time. Thanks for posting!

  • @irishgrrrl Glad you stopped by. Old Time isn't too far from Irish as it is made from Irish and Scottish etc. Take care.

  • @Burfordfiddler1962 Well it soothes my Irish & Scottish blood, Stops me dead in my track - Good work

  • At the end "better than nothing"?! Are you kidding?!? It sounded wonderful! Good job sir!!

  • Hey, I love your version of the song. I really want to learn how to play it, and I think I have most parts down, but I just can't figure out the double stops. Is there some sort of rule of thumb I can use when deciding which two notes to play? I especially love the one at 2:16.

  • Lovely, thanks.

  • its funny. i just have to learn this song for my violin lesson, and then i came upon this version of this song, and i loved it! beautiful!

  • @Tigresswoman97 Thanks, glad you like it.

  • wow we played this for our winter concert

  • what a wonderful piece...we will learn it and go on playing, thanks to your dad and you!

  • @NUBDUK I agree, Jay Ungar wrote such beautiful piece, and yes, thanks to his daughter now I am hopeful that those visiting this video will realize that it is not an old Civil War song but his own original. Thanks for dropping in, hope you liked my version of it.

  • Hi everybody. My Dad, Jay Ungar, did write this tune. I was six at the time and it was about 8 years later that Ken Burns used it in his film. But that is not him playing in the video. Whoever you are, Bufordfiddler, you sound great! I love your style. Is it possible to add your name to the description and say "played by . . ." so people will know who you are?

  • Hi There ruthyuke, thanks for stopping by. Most will know the difference and know I am not your dad (just look at my other vids lol) I just used the format most are using for cover tunes by putting your father's name in brackets, I don't use my real name on this site. But I see what you mean. I actually thought about re-wording the title of the video so it would be more clear so that's what I will do. He is an awesome fiddler and composer your dad!!!

  • @ruthyuke I have been asked to play at a wedding and was wondering where the best place to get the piano sheet music for "Lover's Waltz" (to accompany me) ? Thanks

  • God has blessed my live by allowing me to find this beautiful performance of Ashokan Farewell, Jay Ungar is truly a genius. I listen to this song over and over and still feel the message in every note. This is such an amazing way to communicate with another human being.

  • Thanks Sandra!

  • Loved it!sweet!!

  • Is this recording on iTunes? It's great and I'd like to own it.

  • Fantastic rendition thank you so much for recording this.

  • wow amazing! i play a very easy version of it and have it on youtube but im almost embarrassed now to have it up after seeing this.

  • Glad you like this version! I will check yours out too!

  • fantastic! this is my favorite version of a great song.

  • Lovely. It's hard to find really good versions of this piece. Four people hate music, by the way.

  • Thanks, glad you like this version!

  • Did you really do 147 takes?

  • Yessirree! actually 167 takes...I was darned withered for the trail by the time I got that last one.

  • I think it is a tribute to Mr. Ungar that squirrelhunter thinks that "Ashoken Farewell" is an old Civil War ballad. I write Mr. Ungar from time to time, and I can assure you that he wrote this beautiful music. It is a very interesting story as to the composing of this piece.

  • Thanks, wonder what Mr Ungar thinks of all these Youboob versions of his song and all the comments every walk of life going...lol!

  • this song is not from jay ungar it is just being played by him ashokan is an old civil war tune thks for posting

  • @squirrelhunter101111

    This song WAS composed by Jay Unger in 1982. It is associated with the Civil War largely due to its prominence in the 1990 Civil War documentary film by Ken Burns.

  • @squirrelhunter101111 as wexgoblue said plus the reason this was wrote is because the camp he ran was closing down and on the last day he wrote this piece to convey his emotions of closing the camp down.......

  • @squirrelhunter101111

    Yes, this is from Jay Ungar. Ashokan Farewell was made by him and featured on PBS.

  • ATTENTION: This is fine, I really appreciate both of you stopping in and leaving comments. I am really glad that there is a fair amount of traffic through this video. Regardless of whether it was written to sound like a 1860's tune or if it is an actual Civil War tune. It doesn't matter. The tune is great and according to 162,880 (minus 4) they enjoyed my version of it. Please, if you two wish to continue this discussion by all means, exchange inbox messages with one another. Thanks :)

  • @Burfordfiddler1962

    I like your version the best of all and I've listened to quite a few. If I could play this like you I'd learn the violin but your effortless style, I feel, hides a lifetimes practice not to mention natural skill! It's just lovely - bring out a CD and I'll buy it on Amazon.

  • @squirrelhunter101111 Look it up dingus. This was used in Ken Burns great series but it is a modern piece written in 1982. It is the -ONLY- non-period music in The Civil War miniseries.

  • Thanks again.

  • Wow.

    

  • i'm playing this for my violin exam!! you play it soooooo beautifully. makes me sound like a klutz( i am) or an ass playing violin!

  • Incredible resemblance to "Waltzing Matilda".

  • I can hear David McCullough's voice in my head every time this song comes on.

  • The dodge challenger drove me to this video.

  • Awesome!! Love that car!!

  • Now THIS is American

  • so calming i love it my gosh ♥ i remember this song i wish it had the words tho :/ i had to sing it :) but its amazingly beautiful

  • Thank you! I will have to check out the singing version of it.

  • Makes me think of middle school watching the civil war documentary(song wasn't written back then though)

    but it gives this sort of somber image of a past that really wasn't too long ago and was much simpler than today.

  • I am learning this song in a simpler version and it sounds beautiful either way (or at least thats what everyone says) and the entire time i was in Virginia on a field trip (from California) with my friends all i could hear playing in my head was this song. I wish i could have taken my fiddle but it would've been too much luggage and no practice time!

  • this just a little too fast but otherwise great.

  • @thisisrainerstein It would be nice to hear your version to show him where he is going wrong.

  • Molly is a distant relative from Battle Ground, WA. Her brother is also very gifted with his fiddle and played at my wonderful mother's funeral...what beautiful music their family can compose!

  • They surly are! Thanks for stopping by :)

  • Molly is a distant relative from Battle Ground, WA...I am proud to know I am related to her. Her brother is also very talented and played fiddle at my mom's funeral...what beautiful music the entire family can perform!!

  • That was really beautiful, thank you!

  • We played this song as a tribute to a student from my school that died in a car crash.

    This is such a beautiful piece!!!!!!!!!

  • Another native Virginian here (unfortunately stuck up North, lol). This is just absolutely gorgeous...I can't stop listening to your rendition. Beautiful playing!

  • I was looking for the exact song from the Civil War but I just might like this version better.

  • Proud to be a Virginian!

  • When I die, this better be playing softly in the background !!

  • I was introduced to this song from the Ken Burns Civil War Soundtrack that I keep in my big truck. I'll play this one song over and over again a few times. It brings me back in time. You do it great justice Burfordfiddler. Great justice my friend.

  • love the lighting on this video

  • I love this tune, it should always be played on a fiddle for the purists.

  • Epic.  You should cover Heart of the Heartland.

  • This isn't Jay Ungar playing.

  • This tune sounds so Scottish. Its no surprise that Jay Ungar said that he wrote it in the style of a Scottish lament.

  • I know this was written as a waltz, but this is the first time I've actually heard it played as one. Good stuff!

  • The novel is called Road to a Misfortune

  • I'm a writer and I'm writing a novel on the civil war and hearing this song gives me a lot of inspiration it rely does

  • "Better than nothing..." especially for us, because we get to enjoy it. Thanks for performing this and posting it!

    Did you have a guitar player, or was that a backing track?

  • I SO WISH I COULD PLAY THAT! I LOVE IT! :,)

  • really beautiful :) this is one of my favorite songs to play

  • This is a fun song, i recently played it with some friends on the cello.

  • NEED THE MUSIC FOR THIS BUT FOR CELLO MELODY! D"D"D"D""D:D:D:D:D::DD:

  • This is very close tohow I fiddle it also, fast paced upbeat waltz., w/similar embellishments as U. Before I play it I announce to people that this isa tribute to allof those who sacrificed their lives in the civil war, especially those who fought with intent to freethe slaves& I tell them that I will first play it fast to celebrate theirwonderful happy lives before the war& then I tell themthat the second time I will play it through slowly as amemorial to their suffering& sacrifice of life..

  • what a treat to hear you play your composition ~ I'm in love with your music... truly an inspiring piece....

  • what a treat to hear you play your composition ~ I'm in love with your music...

  • My favorite fiddle tune, hands down. So sweet and slightly sad. <3 Thank you for sharing.

  • I'm just setting this song as a practice piece for my student Jack D sitting here.  So you've been an inspiration to him!

  • that was beautiful man. Thanks so much for sharing!

  • great version!!!

  • My god that was AWESOME

  • Thanks!

  • This is just wonderful -- thank you so much, great version, kudos.

  • Glad you liked it!

  • @Burfordfiddler1962 oh you got MAD skills! I'm super jealous.

  • absolutely amazing! Youve inspired me to learn to play the fiddle: were do I begin??? Really....

  • Mr. Unger's piece of music helped give some of the vital soul to Ken Burn's classic documentary series.

  • Wonderful.......

  • Thanks for stopping in!

  • Bravo!

  • Thanks!

  • Wish I could coax as sweet a tone out of my fiddle. Very Nice.

  • I really like this. Much better than the syrupy "classical" playing elsewhere on YouTube. Great to hear - and I love that the video looks appropriate too! Thanks for posting.

  • Wonderful!

  • Im learning how to play this song but hearing you play it makes it sound like a great and amazing song cant wait to learn how to play it:)

  • Wow! That's amazing. How'd you learn to play fiddle music so well?!?! You're Awesome!!

  • Beautiful!!

  • I just got through listening to Jascha Heifitz performing Paganini's caprice 24# and that is a tough act to follow, but there is an emotional quality in Jay's playing that is emotionally stirring and stands as a masterpiece in its own right.

  • Very nice.  Nothing better than fiddle music.

  • Thank you for stopping by, and glad you liked it :)

  • @Burfordfiddler1962 Thank you for this presentation.

  • Thanks! I've played this tune with you 147 times, it's sounding good, finally. I like the faster tempo, accompaniment and your style.  Thanks for the fiddle lesson.

  • I love it! Must learn to play that. Beautifully played.

  • Thanks!!

  • This version is just perfect. I thought it was Jay Unger playing it until I saw some of the comments. I was going to say that I liked him playing it much better than the version that was used throughout the entire Civil War series on PBS. THEN I saw that you were playing it. Excellent playing and love your version! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I appreciate your music!

  • Thank you for checking my channel out and I am glad you liked this version.

  • Great job! Much more joyful than when Jay Ungar plays it.

  • i love the slightly faster version here. really played to perfection. not a musician, but i KNOW when i hear perfection !!

  • 4 people cryed so much after listening to this beautiful rendition of Ashokan Farewell that their tears momentarily blinded them and they mistakenly pressed the dislike button.

  • Comment removed

  • Hi BurfordFiddler... I am a newbie fiddler and have listened to this clip many times now -- probably my favourite version of this classic, which I'm about to try to learn. Very inspiring, thanks for all the effort. Beautiful double-stops/drones. Someday I hope to sound half as good as you!

  • Beaitiful, but i think it was plaued much to fast.

  • Thanks. To each their own right? Well I was playing it waltz time for olde tyme dancing purposes. The original tempo would cause the whole barn full of Beekersville folks to fall flat on their faces for it be too slow to dance to lol. Thansk for stopping in here to the coop. Come by anytime.

  • It's a nice waltz tempo for dancing either way. Thanks for posting this, I've learned the song, but am not quiet as good as you. I am trying to figure out how to get the same tone, especially when you play the 'G' notes. It has a sweeter tone, my 'G' is much sharper and harsher. I have a pretty fair quality fiddle and use supersensitive strings. I can get a little closer through the amplifier, but can't quiet figure out what you are doing.

  • I can almost hear the crackling of the bonfire in the background. Very nice!

  • The bonfire should have been going tonight but it had rained for the past two days so all was soaked :( ...oh welll, nothing like pullin' up beside the computer to record another vid :) Take care. Thanks

  • Wow! Nicely done

  • Whatcha mean, "better than nothin'"? I got the waterworks again!

  • That's a really nice version - I've worked on the "plaintive" original version which is great but this takes it somewhere else! Thanks very much.

  • Ive never heard this tune before, but I had to look up the sheet music,

    simply beautiful.

    Thank you

  • Thank you for this. I've always loved this song and hearing your interpretation made a crappy day just a little better.

  • Glad to hear that. Thanks for stopping by!

  • Hey, are your really Jay Ungar in disguise?

  • Nope, sorry! lol

  • How wonderful! Thank you for your gift. This melody reminds me of the Civil War series that ran on public television, way back when . . . and of the patriotism and service of so many Americans then. It's guaranteed to bring a tear to my eye, and that's good! Thanks again.

  • I like that this version is the uniquely American fiddle type. I sent the link to a friend in Europe and told her that it never occurred to me that Ashokan Farewell is a waltz.

  • Thanks, glad you liked it and glad you passed it on to your friend. It has always been a waltz but if it is played too slow then some "waltzers" my fall off their feet and not be able to dance to it as my grandfather said! lol I play it about a nice pace good for the waltz.

  • you are making me love my country

  • Music has a way of doing that! Thanks for stopping by.

  • Wonderful, this is a great rendition. I hope I can play like you some day

  • Great job! Makes me think about the mountains of Virginia

  • @vaballa1224 Greetings from the mountains of Virginia and I agree this song does!

  • @vaballa1224 I love the mountains of Virginia. I grew up in a small town just outside of the Blue Ridge. They (and Virginia) will forever be my home and wherever I go I will bring them with me. Nice to know their are others out there who thinks of them as fondly as I do.

  • @vaballa1224 Greetings from the southwesternmost mountains of Virginia!

  • reminds me of 19th century movies

  • reminds me of the 19th century 

  • Great job, this is one of my favorites! Keep up the good work.

  • outstanding job on this beautiful song!

  • You're very good. I love the fiddle and Askohan Farewell is one of my favorites.

  • Thanks, I am greatful for yet another positive responce to my version of this song. I don't always get positive responces...but the thumbs-down number has remained at "3" and the thumbs-up number is now 195, so I'm feeling better. Had a very negative responce yesterday on this one, which I deleted. Thanks for stopping in, take care and hope none of my other vids turn you off or make you disgusted with me :)

  • Nobody is taking credit for anybodys work here, just that fine folks come sauntering in from all over the globe and a few of them are perhaps confused and somehow think this is my song...I can't help it!!

  • How can I get an mp3 of this?

  • I listen to each note as it resonates within the deepest corners of my heart. Forever will I cherish this waltz and the comfort it brings to my restless soul. How lucky the woman who sits at your side as you serenade her on a warm sunlit afternnoon.

    Gods Blessings Mr Burfordfiddler & may the coming year of 2011 bring many cherished memories your way......

  • Thank you so much for your kind words, best wishes to you and yours this new year 2011!

  • Incredible rendition of one of my all-time favorite tunes.

  • Thank You!

  • Dang, Burfordfiddler, you play this so darn well. My cousin, Linda, posted this video on her Facebook page! I think you do one of the best versions of this. It is beautiful!

    I hope 2011 holds many blessings for you.

  • Thanks! Happy new Year to you too!!

  • Beautiful! 

  • Thanks :)

  • One of the most beautiful pieces of American folk music ever composed. Thank you for writing it!!

  • I'm tickled pink that you thought I wrote it...boy do I wish I wrote it!! However, sorry but I only came up with this very old tyme version of it which is quite different from the original that Jay Unger wrote. Have a nice Christmas and thanks for stopping in anyway. Pop by anytime :)

  • @Burfordfiddler1962 well,THAT is a compliment,eh? so someone actually thought you had written this,how cool is this ?

  • I know, it was a shock to me because I'm still worried that the actual composer of the waltz will show up yet and have an aneurysm because of the more country fiddle arrangement I did to it...lol

  • @Burfordfiddler1962 nah, I think he would start doing the happy dance seeing how much perseverance you put into working on this!

  • He could at least make his presence known...lol

  • @Burfordfiddler1962 he he he he, would YOU fall flat on your face if he actually DID show up to compliment you about your rendition of his creation! It would go "THUD" and he would pick you from the floor! :)

  • I found Jay and Molly's page on Facebook and left a message there so we'll see, perhaps they will take the bate and saunter on over to this site and see, lol!! I would crap myself probably.....YIKES!!!!!!!

  • love this. can easily see a civil war soldier playing this

  • Watched the whole thing. Very well done. Nice harmonies and grace notes added. Nice commentary too lol.

  • Thanks very much!

  • aww that was adorable. "better than nothin!" all embarrassed. :) Good job

  • Thank you....shucks and gosh darn. lol, I actually did play it 167 times in a row trying to get one that was good enough to post, so I ended up getting sick of playing it and havn't played it much since. Glad you liked it though.

  • @Burfordfiddler1962 /I liked your version so much on fiddle, I am now trying it on mandolin. Sounds wonderful, thanks so much for sharing this!Q

  • @Burfordfiddler1962 You played it well. Can't fault you. Cheers

  • Nice job ..nice chords ....tis type of music is becoming scarce.

  • For Bob Farrow from Patrick B Naughton. I'm so sorry for your loss

  • Thank you, I am honoured.

  • I was listening to buddy play neil gow's lamet to wife#2 - and it put me in mind of your tune - and I navigated over found this version. Lovely.