MONTANA SONG (1989 Essay on Montana)

By George Winston

Every year, or every other year, I tour Montana playing solo

piano concerts. I spent most of the 1950’s growing up in Miles

City and Billings, and we've traveled to other parts of the

state, such as Chico Hot Springs near Bozeman, Yellowstone Park

and Glacier Park. A major highlight of traveling in Montana for

me is listening to pianist Philip Aaberg's music while I am

PLAINS recording. This piece, titled "The Big Open," totally

captured and heightened my sensitivity to this location. I later

found out that this song was written for this exact area. Al-

though I could have inferred it from the title, I didn't realize

this at the time. He has written other great evocative pieces

about many other parts of the state such as "Marias River Break-

down," "Going-To-The-Sun," "Westbound" (about traveling on the

railroad line near Highway 2 on the Hi-line), "Sweetgrass"

(about the Sweetgrass Hills), and many others. It's wonderful

hearing his music in other parts of the world, but no matter how

"Remembering This Place" and "No Wonder They Sing" (written for

the state bird, the Western Meadowlark). Phil's first recording

HIGH PLAINS, reminds me of Montana in the daytime. His second

recording OUT OF THE FRAME, reminds me of Montana at dusk, and

his third recording UPRIGHT, reminds me of the Montana night --

both of impressionistic scenes and of the Saturday night dances.

Phil also did some great music for a Japanese film SHAPE OF THE

LAND, about the late explorer Noami Uemura. Especially effective

was the great piece When it Snows. I wish I could give Phil's

recordings to everyone in the state. I wish visitors could get

his recordings at a crossing stop when they crossed the border

into Montana. The experience of listening to Phil and being in

great people; it's the unbelievably beautiful music of the

Western Meadowlark, but it is something else that I can't put

into words. It's the greatest feeling of love and inspiration I

have ever had. Each Western Meadowlark seems to have a simple

song and at least two different complex songs. Their music

pierces right through me -- I not only hear it, I feel it. I

have tried learning their songs from tapes at half speed, but

they are just impossible to play. Each one often sings the same

song repeatedly but I never tire of it. They are perfect songs -

- I never think "why doesn't it sing something else." One time I

hear them. Often they can be heard answering each other at

various distances which is a very enchanting effect, especially

if you can't see them. You will not see them if there is cold,

wind, rain or overcast skies. I have made quite a few recordings

of them, some of which were used on the nature recording

MERIDIAN -- A JOURNEY OF SPRING, compiled by bio acoustician

Bernie Krause, for which Phil Aaberg recorded some background

music. I would very much like to find out more about the Western

Meadowlark, and if anyone knows of any in-depth articles you can

write to me at: George Winston, P O Box 4287, Santa Cruz, CA

95061.

Regarding my own solo piano recordings, AUTUMN is mainly about

inspired song, as is ironically, "Woods" on the AUTUMN recording

(the big cottonwoods all around Miles City seemed like a forest

to me, especially in contrast to the eastern Montana plains).

Although I am mainly Montana inspired, my influence is not quite

as pure as Phil Aaberg's because he spent more years there. My

next recording will be about the Spring/Summer seasons in Mon-

tana and should be out in 1991.

I also play solo guitar, and I am very inspired and influenced

by the solo fingerpicking guitar styles of Hawaii called slack

key guitar. This way of playing began around 1830 when the

several influences: slack key guitar (I play quite a few of

Hawaii's slack key guitar pieces as Montana pieces -- some sound

more like Montana than Hawaii to me -- in fact, when I go to the

Big Island of Hawaii I get a feeling similar to being in

Montana, both for the diverse topography and for the feeling of

being off the beaten trail); Irish music; American folk songs

and fiddle tunes; western cowboy pieces; the great western songs

of singer/songwriter Mary McCaslin (she has many fine albums,

especially inspiring have been PRAIRIE IN THE SKY [Philo 1024],

THE BEST OF MARY McCASLIN [Philo 1075], and SUNNY CALIFORNIA

[Philo-Mercury SRM-1-3772]); TV and movie western themes and

soundtracks; the work of solo guitarists/composers Daniel Hecht

starkness then slack key guitar and has more minor chords. (The

Hawaiians, very ingenious musicians, don't need minor chords to

express feelings of melancholy, longing or pathos. And they are

the all-time greats in composing beautiful, simple melodies that

haunt the listener). Evolving this style has been a long, slow

process and I am grateful for the outside influences, but mainly

it has to come from my own feelings. I am very grateful for

having spent a lot of time growing up in this beautiful state

and I can say that the modest, workable level I have managed to

get to, both musically and spiritually, would not have been

City, and the deep autumn there; the seemingly multi-dimensional

Pioneer Park in Billings with its many cottonwoods; the

incredible Miles City spring after winter is finally over; the

distinct differences between each of the seasons; going back to

Miles City after 25 years and finding it hadn't changed; the

winds in the non-summer months with many visible shades of greys

and browns; and the stunning quiet of rural Montana.

It is a privilege to be able to play the tours, and to do them

as benefit shows for the Montana food banks which are doing a

great job of helping folks who are down on their luck. It's nice

to try and give something back, although I feel I could never

give back a fraction of what I've received. I gave myself a year