Stephen Collins Foster

Hard Times Come Again No More

The American Stephen Foster composed and published "Hard Times Come Again No More" in 1854. Since then, the song has been reinterpreted or covered again and again, including by artists such as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen. It is one of the parlor songs that were created in the 19th century especially for making music together at home. The piece is characterized by its sentimentality and sings of empathy and hope in the context of everyday life in the 19th century, which was marked by cholera, unemployment and economic setbacks. This intimate, expressive mood is also reflected in Jan-Hendrik Herrmann's adaptation. The skilful use of different vocal colours, harmonic turns and rhythmic elements creates a dense atmosphere. The arrangement is particularly suitable as a sensitive conclusion to a concert - be it as the last piece or as an encore. It expresses the hope of leaving difficult times behind and is like a musical embrace of the audience. In addition to the sheet music edition, an optional piano part and extensive additional material are available for download free of charge. The additional material, which makes it easier for the choir director to prepare for the rehearsal and rehearse the piece, contains: background information on the arrangement, notes on interpretation, warm-up exercises (some including piano accompaniment) for targeted preparation for possibly difficult passages, loops (for example can be used as warm-up, intro or outro). "Treble it up!" is a series for popular choral music that is specially tailored to high voices and brings a breath of fresh air to ensembles with a focus on the upper register. Editor and arranger Jan-Hendrik Herrmann combines musical quality with practical feasibility. Each arrangement is carefully tailored to the needs of pop choirs: easy to sing, tonally balanced and yet with musical demands. "Treble it up!" stands for stylistic openness and musical curiosity: In addition to pop hits and popular evergreens, folk songs or other traditional pieces can also be found in a new guise. The series is growing continuously – and with it the light to intermediate repertoire for pop choirs. The special highlight: More than just sheet music For each title, special additional material by Jan-Hendrik Herrmann is available, e.g. tailor-made warm-ups Warm-up exercises to match the piece Targeted practice tips for challenging jobs These practice-oriented materials can be found on our website under the individual titles and make rehearsal work easier, save time and create security.