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Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953) had multiple lives. As Ruth, she was an aspiring poet and teacher, who longed to become a mother. Crawford the composer wrote some of the most daring pages of 20th-century American music, granting her a place among the group of the 'Ultra-Modernists'. And, as the matriarch of the Seeger dynasty, she collected and arranged countless pieces from treasures of the folk tradition. With Kate Molleson, discover the extraordinary life and work of a major American composer, in a story of creative experimentations, of family bonds, and most of all, of joy in music-making, accompanied by the memories of Crawford's daughter and folk legend, Peggy Seeger.

In this fourth episode, we explore how a radical change in her life opens a major new chapter of Ruth Crawford Seeger's musical story, one dedicated to preserving America's folk heritage.

Trad, arr Ruth Crawford Seeger:
"Singing in the Land"
from American Folk Songs for Christmas
Mike, Peggy and Penny Seeger

Andante for strings
Lucerne Symphony Orchestra
James Gaffigan, conductor

Trad:
Cindy
Mike Seeger and Peggy Seeger

Béla Bartók
3 Hungarian Folksongs from Csík, Sz.35a
Zoltan Kocsis, piano

Nineteen American Folk Songs for Piano
"Darby’s Ram"
"What’ll We Do With The Baby?"
"Mammy Loves"
Virginia Eskin, piano

Trad:
"New River Train"
Pete Seeger, vocals and banjo

Trad:
"Midnight Special"
Lead Belly, vocals and guitar

Trad:
"Irene (Goodnight, Irene)"
Lead Belly, vocals and guitar

Charles Seeger:
John Hardy
Schönberg Ensemble
Oliver Knussen, director

Piano Study in Mixed Accents
Jenny Lin, piano

Suite No 1, for five wind instruments and piano
Ensemble Aventure

Elizabeth Cotten:
"Wilson Rag"
"Freight Train"
Elizabeth Cotten, guitar and vocals

Four Piano Preludes
No 1, Andante tranquillo
Sarah Cahill, piano

Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Julien Rosa
A ´óÏó´«Ã½ Audio Wales & West production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3

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