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Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953) had multiple lives. As Ruth, she was an aspiring poet and teacher, who longed to become a mother. Crawford the composer wrote some of the most daring pages of 20th-century American music, granting her a place among the group of the 'Ultra-Modernists'. And, as the matriarch of the Seeger dynasty, she collected and arranged countless pieces from treasures of the folk tradition. With Kate Molleson, discover the extraordinary life and work of a major American composer, in a story of creative experimentations, of family bonds, and most of all, of joy in music-making, accompanied by the memories of Crawford's daughter and folk legend, Peggy Seeger.

In this fourth episode, we explore how a radical change in her life opens a major new chapter in Ruth Crawford Seeger's musical story, one dedicated to preserving America's folk heritage.

Trad, arr Ruth Crawford Seeger:
"Singing in the Land"
from American Folk Songs for Christmas
Mike, Peggy and Penny Seeger

Andante for strings
Lucerne Symphony Orchestra
James Gaffigan, conductor

Trad:
Cindy
Mike Seeger and Peggy Seeger

Béla Bartók
3 Hungarian Folksongs from Csík, Sz.35a
Zoltan Kocsis, piano

Nineteen American Folk Songs for Piano
"Darby’s Ram"
"What’ll We Do With The Baby?"
"Mammy Loves"
Virginia Eskin, piano

Trad:
"New River Train"
Pete Seeger, vocals and banjo

Trad:
"Midnight Special"
Lead Belly, vocals and guitar

Trad:
"Irene (Goodnight, Irene)"
Lead Belly, vocals and guitar

Charles Seeger:
John Hardy
Schönberg Ensemble
Oliver Knussen, director

Piano Study in Mixed Accents
Jenny Lin, piano

Suite No 1, for five wind instruments and piano
Ensemble Aventure

Excerpt of an archive of Elizabeth Cotten and Ruth Crawford Seeger talking
Recorded by Charles Seeger
Private collection, courtesy Peggy Seeger

Elizabeth Cotten:
"Wilson Rag"
"Freight Train"
Elizabeth Cotten, guitar and vocals

Presented by Kate Molleson
Produced by Julien Rosa
A ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Audio Wales & West production for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3