ArtsWatch

Classical music had maybe its largest and most captive audience ever this afternoon when John Williams' Air and Simple Gifts debuted just before Barack Obama took the oath of the office.
An ensemble of clarinetist Anthony McGill, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman and pianist Gabriela did the honors.
It was a relatively introspective choice for a moment that might have been relegated to bombast or boilerplate patriotism. Harmonies were hard to hear, but when clarinetist McGill introduced the melody, first in bits, it was unmistakable: "Simple Gifts," the 1848 Shaker song by Elder Joseph Brackett. Copland used it of course in Appalachian Spring (first called "Ballet For Martha," as in Martha Graham).
The Pittsburgh Symphony gives the Williams work another chance to be heard in concerts this weekend for which Montero was already booked to play Rhapsody in Blue.

The adaptation by Williams (pictured) was instrumental, but here are the words:

'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,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.