Woodwind quintet - Digital Download SKU: IZ.CMS1612 Composed by Stephen Foster. Arranged by Judith Katz. Score and Parts. 18 pages. Imagine Music - Digital #CMS1612. Published by Imagine Music - Digital (IZ.CMS1612). 9 x 12 in inches.Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair is one of the most enduring, and popular American songs of all times.Characterized as a parlor song, it was written by Stephen Foster, and published by Firth, Pond & Co. of NewYork, in1854.In 1850, Foster married Jane Denny McDowell, whose nickname was Jennie. However, this was an unhappymarriage, short-lived, with numerous conflicts and separations. Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair, was written asperhaps an attempt to win his wife back. To add to his problems, Foster also ran into deep financial difficulties.Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair was virtually unknown during its time. When it was first published, the royaltieson the ten thousand copies sold, earned just $200 for Stephen Foster. To make ends meet, he had to sell the rights toJeanie, as well as other songs. After his death, the rights to Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair reverted back to hiswife and daughter.It would indeed be a pleasant surprise to Stephen Foster, if he only knew what a wide range of artists have adaptedthis song to different genres. Among solo instrumentalists, Jascha Heifitz, and William Primrose have arranged itfor solo violin and viola. The big bands of Gene Krupa, and Glen Miller have recorded it. The great R & B artist,Sam Cooke used it, as well as opera stars, Marilyn Horne and John McCormick, who added it to their concertrepertoire.The song's frequent airplay in the 1940's, led Spike Jones to create a parody, called, I Dream of Jeanie with theLight Blue Jeans. Les Brown in 1941, created a big band song, Joltin' Joe DiMaggio with the line.....We Dream ofJoey With the Light Brown Bat. Even Bugs Bunny got into the act. The 1960 short, From Hare To Heir, featuresBugs singing, I dream of Jeanie, she's a light brown hareMy arrangement, for woodwind quintet is written to capture a lyric, singing style, which I think Foster had in mind.
