A Collection of Simple Gifts

Simple Gifts, one of my favorite songs since childhood, was written by Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett, Jr. in 1848. My Grandparents, Conservative Friends, used to have us children sing it in a round for them.

The lyrics are as simple, humble and plain (as in not-proud) as can be:

‘Tis the gift to be simple,
’tis the gift to be free,
’tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
‘Til by turning, turning we come round right.

This version by cellist Yo Yo Ma and vocalist Alison Krauss would have to be one of my all-time favorites.

Simple Gifts performed by solo pianist David Tolk at a J. Kirk Richards concert:


To my mind, one of the most beautiful parts of Aaron Copland's famous 1944 work Appalachian Spring is towards the end where he weaves in the melody of this simple Shaker hymn . This is an excerpt of the "Simple Gifts" section taken out of Appalachian Spring (not meaning to desecrate a great work) but hopefully the transition doesn't sound too awkward. Please enjoy the photographs by Ansel Adams which accompany the music.


Another famous version, this by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (click here if embedding is dodgy):


And one of my treasured memories, attending the Carnegie Hall Centennial Gala in 1991 with my family and seeing Marilyn Horne performing, among other works, this Shaker classic:


Wishing my friends happiness, health, love, safety, blessings and an appreciation of simplicity.