Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier piano improv

Another on-the-fly performance, no sheet music, of this old Irish tune. There have been several versions, the most notable being written for the American Revolution, though it has been played throughout the centuries.

The best recording of this song can be found on the Ken Burns "The Civil War" soundtrack. http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/

If you would like a free mp3 file of this recording, please message me and I'd be glad to send it to you. :)

Enjoy!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• civil
• war
• irish
• tune
• piano
• arrangement
• folk
• revolutionary
• keyboard
• no
• music

[bobman623]

Ms. Heckman, I came across your lovely improv by accident and was moved to the verge of tears. I am a lifetime warrior and it brings back memories of many a long dead comrade-in-arms and others who have died for this country over the last 235 years. Thank you dear. Your music was a wonderful gift to me on a lonely night for an old man. RDCW IV

[rachel1865]

@bobman623 I'm so glad I was able to have such an impact on your day. :) Thank you for all your years of service to our beloved country!

[MyMoppet52]

Your version is lovely. I wanted to hear music similar to the Ken Burns Civil War, and this is perfect. I love your playing and the emotions that it reveals. Thank you!

[rachel1865]

@MyMoppet52 I love Ken Burns and Jacqueline Schwab, too! Glad I could fill that hole for you. :)

[rachel1865]

Okay, I think it's time for some clarification.

"Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier" is an American folk song set to a tune that is similar (but not identical) to the Irish tune "Siúil A Rúin."

So no one here is right. Hope that settles things!

[folkiefreek]

sorry to put a dampner on ot but the trad 17th centary one was siuil a ruin and the lyrise were changed in the american civil; war the johnny has gone for a ......

great song thanks

[rachel1865]

It's still an Irish folk tune, though. And I stated in the summary that several different versions have been written, but to the same melody.

But you're welcome!

[rainloverbabe]

i love it.

[AIOvideos]

"Before the war, people said 'the United States are.'  After the war, they began saying 'the United States is.'"

[caycug1]

Very nice...

[mbyaffe]

This is a beautiful version. Thank you for posting this!

[pianino4ever]

I really love this song, it's beautiful... thanks for posting it!

[Mongo1940]

Beautifully done. It was played and sung during the American Revolution. Perhaps the Irish soldiers who served in the British Army heard it and took it back home with them therebye making the claim that they created the tune. Not that unusual, they claim some of Tom Paxton's original songs as their own now. So the Irish invented ALL the good American songs and whatever an American invents, the Russians did it first. What else is new?

[carainstitute]

fabulous!