I have always admired traditional Jamaican music. The sheer quantity of songs is amazing and seemingly out of proportion with the size of the island. Additionally, many of these songs are of high quality and amply show the talent and wit of their creators.
When my good friend, soprano Dawn-Marie Virtue-James asked me to “arrange a few folk songs” for her in 1999, I immediately said “yes, certainly”, put this request on my bucket list, and forgot about it. It took another year of her nagging, but I finally scored “Banyan Tree”, “Liza”, and “Nobody’s Business” for a recital Dawn-Marie was having in 2001. Over the next year “Fi Mi Love” and “Long Time Gal” were also scored for her. I am now glad that Dawn-Marie insisted I work on those folk songs.
My approach to these folk songs is to avoid making too many radical changes to the original melody, but everything else – harmony, form, style is a potential point of departure. I hope you find these pieces an enjoyable taste of Jamaican folk music.
Peter Ashbourne
Composed by Jamaican composer Peter Ashbourne in 1985, "Elena and Her Variations" is based on the Jamaican folk song "Elena." The work comprises a theme followed by eight variations and a finale, traversing a spectrum from lyrical and contemplative to brisk, virtuosic, and at times, angular and atonal. The 2025 flute edition introduces modifications in register, tempo markings, and incorporates extended ornamentation, enhancing the technical and expressive challenges for the flutist. Subtle inflections of syncopated Caribbean rhythms are interwoven throughout several variations, reflecting the composer's deep engagement with Jamaican musical idioms. This piece has consistently resonated with audiences and serves as a compelling addition to the solo flute repertoire.