The Butterfly-
traditional Listen to the butterfly flit from flower to flower in the sunlight. This is our favorite slip jig played in 9/8 time with a haunting, dreamy melody as timeless as any.

Menuett from Die Husemusikstunde-
Mozart Mozart composed many pieces such as this which were a popular form of evening entertainment for friends and family members who sat together in the living room and played music together. This is our violinist Sara William's favorite piece.

Tuscany-
Dennis White Dennis composed this melody before visiting the Tuscany region if Italy in 1999. It evokes strong sensual images of balmy Italian evenings, good wine, warm bread, and conversations between friends.

Loftus Jones-
Turloch O'Carolan The author if this tune was a cheerful and outgoing Irish Bard known as “ a bit of a character”. Turloch O' Carolan was blind, yet a prolific composer. He was well respected by the patrons for whom he played and composed because his music brought a new voice and meaning to their lives. This piece was written to celebrate the birth of Loftus, an infant born into the family during one of O'Carolan's home-stays.

Maggie's Lullaby-
Dennis White Dennis wrote this lullaby while caring for his infant niece, Maggie. He had been asked to rock young Maggie o sleep. With Maggie in his arms and his banjo in his hands, Dennis strummed softly and more slowly until her eyes closed. Yet when he stopped playing altogether, her eyes flew open as if asking him to play more for her. Listen as the tempo changes in the lullaby tell the story of Dennis and Maggie.

Waiting for Snow-
Julie King This Julie King's musical tribute to the drama of winter weather. The anticipatory and pensive song reflects the emotional experience nature brings to us during one of Montana's first snowstorms each season. If you are very still, you can feel a storm approach. You know the first flake will soon fall, then the next and the next and the next…until, in the end, we are covered with a warm, heavy layer of snow.

The Queen's Jubilee-
Dennis White Dennis wrote this piece when he was seventeen ears old. Many a bride has walked down the aisle to The Queen's Jubilee and it was the premier song in the weddings of both of his sisters. It is a textural piece with all voice parts having equal prominence or value. The music is truly a team effort, with all parts played together creating a beautiful tapestry of sound.

Far Away-
Pete Jung Pete Jung composed this gorgeous melody on the mandolin. He wrote this song to convey the enchanting yet elusive qualities of a woman whom he had recently met at a dance.

Evolution Rag-
Thomas Allen This Rag is from the pre jazz era and is reminiscent of music from the mandolin orchestra era (1890-1923). Our audience members tell us the bold and intricate sounds remind them of a merry go round. Thanks to the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra and their leader, Paul Ruppa for providing the music so we could learn this piece.

Jigadee-
Dennis White/Road to Lisdoonvarna-Traditional Irish This medley of jigs features the mandolins. The D major tune written by Dennis reminds us of the chickadee, a small courageous bird that stays with us through the winter in Montana. It is combined with the Eminor Irish jig which celebrates the Fair at Lisdoonvarna where young lads and lasses mingle with the intent to marry.

Gymnopedia-
Eric Satie Steve Marty, our classical guitar player says it best, “ For me, music is a connection through time and space between the player and the composer. The French composer Eric Satie was indeed a unique individual whose music connects us with that time. This is the second of his Gymnopedies which were written and published in 1888. The low bass line in this tune combined with repeating dissonant chords creates an atmosphere of exotic melancholy.

Carolyn's Welcome-
Turlock O'Carolan Turlock O'Carolan was able to communicate a warm and loving welcome through his music. Not only did he enjoy welcoming his audiences to concerts, he also loved the feeling of being welcomed into homes after a long day of travel. His composition method was to write a piece while traveling on the back of a horse led by a guide. His tunes were ready for performance by the time he reached his destination. The Montana Mandolin Society hasn't tried this approach…..yet.

Christuma-
Huapongo This is a south of the border dance tune called a Huapongo from the Brazilian town of Christuma. In Christuma, the dance would last for hours, late into the night. The music seemed never to stop. A chance for everybody to dance till we drop!

Far As I Can See-
Charles Provenza This is our treasured Montana moment with the song that inspired our CD Title! This melody portrays a musical expression of emotional splendor that each of us feels when we marvel at our Big Sky Country. The passion in this music is so powerful that more often than not, we see tears stream down the cheeks of people who listen and know the tenderness of raw beauty. Charles Provenza tells us when he wrote this song he was living in the middle of nowhere. “When I opened the window one morning-this song just came in.”

The Flying Wedge-
Kate Dolby Along with the waltz, quadrille, and polka, a dance called the galop (spelled with one L) was one of the most popular ballroom dances of the seventeenth century. The rapid 2/4 tempo and physical demands of dancing the galop meant that the music lasted no more than two or three minutes. Kate Dolby composed this in about 1916 based on the new game called football and the successful offensive play pattern which drove the linesmen downfield in a V shape.