Southwestern Suite for Flute and Guitar Part II - Cowboy Songs

Part II consists of cowboy songs. While the musical origin of these songs are often European and the words are created by cowboys in regions other than the southwest United States, they are included in this suite because the cowboy culture is important to this region and the songs are universal among cowboys. Movement 4 is a Night Herding Song, a lullaby for cattle claimed to have been written by Harry Stephens while herding in Yellowstone Park. The phrases of this song are separated by guitar obbligatos, and modulation and altered chords are used extensively. Old Chisholm Trail is the source for movement 5. According to legend, this song had a verse for every mile of trail from Texas to Kansas. The refrain may have been borrowed from the Indians. Syncopation, modulation, mode change, and polytonality are some of the techniques used in this setting. Movement 6 � Get Along Little Dogies was used by cowboys to sooth the restless Dogies, the cowboy�s name for yearling calves. The setting is soothing with lush harmonies and contains a cadenza for flute and guitar.