Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair performed by Adam Brown

‘Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair’ first came to prominence in the Appalachian region of the United States. The lyrics demonstrate a Scottish origin with two distinct melodies emerging, one traditional and the other composed by John Jacob Niles. Duarte employs the Niles melody, replete with modal ambiguity, in this arrangement. This genre-crossing standard has inspired an eclectic range of interpretations, including Celtic folk, the avant-garde of Luciano Berio and the haunting contralto of Nina Simone. This work, part of the ‘Appalachian Dreams’ suite, was arranged by the English composer John Duarte and first performed by Sharon Isbin in 1999.