Going Home, What do we know about this tune?

What does anyone know about this song? How old is it? Why is it a popular bagpipe tune? Who wrote it? What are the english lyrics? Is it originally Gaelic?

MacEoghainn

"Going Home" is the "unofficial" name for Largo, the 2nd movement to Antonin Dvorak's (da-VOR-zhak) Symphony #9, titled The New World. No, it is not Gaelic in origin. Dvorak was a Czech.

Isn't it sick that I know that ?

I think it's great you know that! Every time I'd hear that melody I knew I had heard it somewhere else before. As I write I'm listening to Symphony No. 9 in E minor Opus 95 "From the New World", second movement , By The London Symphony, Geoffery Simon conducting.

More on Antonin Dvorak: Dvorak (1841-1904)was the most celebrated composer to emerge from 19th century Bohemia (now within the Czech Republic). For much of his life he lived in Prauge. Through his music, and his use of Bohemian and Slavonic folk song and dance, he expressed the political desire for freedom from Austrian rule, which eventually came (after his death) with the creation of the nation-state of Czechoslovakia in 1918.

In 1892 Dvorak was the first director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York, New York, USA.

Was also a close friend of the great German Composer, Johannes Brahms.

MacEoghainn

After finally entering the right combination of search terms in Google I finally came up with these lyrics to "Going Home" (which are what I remembered hearing somewhere) as sung by the Late Great Paul Robeson:
Goin' Home

Goin' home, goin' home, I'm a goin' home;
Quiet-like, some still day, I'm jes' goin' home.
It's not far, jes' close by,
Through an open door;
Work all done, care laid by,
Gwine (or: Goin') to fear no more.

Mother's there 'spectin' me,
Father's waitin' too;
Lots o' folk gather'd there,
All the friends I knew,
All the friends I knew.
Home, I'm goin' home!

Nothin lost, all's gain,
No more fret nor pain,
No more stumblin' on the way,
No more longin' for the day,
Gwine (or Going) to roam no more!
Mornin' star lights the way,
Res'less dream all done;
Shadows gone, break o' day,
Real life jes' begun.
Dere's no break, ain't no end,
(or: There's no break, there's no end,)
Jes' a livin' on;
Wide awake, with a smile
Goin' on and on.

Goin' home, goin' home, I'm jes' goin' home,
It's not far, jes' close by
Through an open door.
I'm a goin' home,
I'm jes' goin'
Goin' home, goin' home, goin' home, goin' home, goin' home, goin' home!
[copyright 1922 by Oliver Ditson Company]

Does anybody else have another version of lyrics?

And how about all you Musicians out there (especially you Pipers), what do you know about how this song became such a popular Bagpipe tune?

MacEoghainn

To hazard a guess, I'd say that it's popular because the version I heard on HR was so moving. It brought me out of my work trance and just filled my heart with a strong sad feeling. I ended up writing the name down just because I'd meant to find out more about it. Thanks to the two of you, I don't have to do any leg work. I'll have to check out that Dvorak piece.

I understand that "Going Home", as well as "Amazing Grace" and various Laments, are popular at funerals (should one use "popular" and "funeral" in the same sentence? ).

MacEoghainn