Composer and Bluegrass musician Aaron Bibelhauser was asked to write music for the current production of William Shakespeare's As You Like It produced and performed by The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Louisville's Central Park. To make it even more personal, Aaron took some of the Shakespeare folks into the studio, and recorded "Lover And His Lass" which is quickly becoming an audience favorite. We recently caught up with Aaron to find out how it feels to take the timeless words of The Bard and pair them with the banjo.
You've been writing original songs for Kentucky Shakespeare's current production of "As You Like It". How did that come about?
As you probably know, I wear a few different hats in our Louisville music community. I’ve been making music with my brother Adam, and our band Relic for over a decade, write songs for touring bluegrass acts like Del McCoury, Balsam Range, and Dale Ann Bradley, and host the Sunday Bluegrass radio program here on WFPK as well! When Matt Wallace, producing artistic director of Kentucky Shakespeare, decided to set his production of “As You Like It” in post civil war, rural Kentucky, he decided to include music that would deliver that same geo-cultural authentic experience to the audience. I was super stoked to be invited to compose the original music for the production, and had a blast working with the ridiculously talented cast and crew under Wallace’s direction.
When writing with Shakespeare in mind, what do you look for and/or think about in terms of the lyrics and the way the songs are put together?
This was a really profound experience for me. I actually got to compose melodies, chord progressions, harmony and instrumental parts for William Shakespeare’s original 400 year old lyrics!! A big part of my plan was to familiarize myself with the script, plot, and characters without over immersing myself in any previous productions of the show. I also had incredible detailed notes from director Matt Wallace on what the mood was like coming in and out of each song. When I actually sat down to write the music, it flowed pretty naturally. The most magical part of all was realizing, on a deeper level, just how universal and timeless Shakespeare’s work really is.
Being a bluegrass musician primarily, do you think Shakespeare would have been a bluegrass fan if he were alive today?
A large portion of the music I create is influenced by bluegrass and other folk music. Evidence of folklore and folk culture can also be found in Shakespearean works. I’m not sure that’s akin to an endorsement of bluegrass music or not but I can tell you this: When considering the hypothetical feelings one historical figure might have for another, specifically William Shakespeare and Bill Monroe, I’d imagine those feelings would be reciprocal. 😉
Listen to "Lover And His Lass" below:
Words by William Shakespeare
Music & instrumentation by Aaron Bibelhauser
Lead vocals by Neill Robertson
Backing vocals by Jennifer Pennington & Greg Maupin
