The Song of Hiawatha (Coleridge-Taylor) The Song of Hiawatha (Coleridge-Taylor) The Song of Hiawatha (full name: Scenes from The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow), Op. 30, is a trilogy of cantatas written by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor between 1898 and 1900. The first part, Hiawatha's Wedding Feast, was particularly famous for many years and made the composer's name known throughout the world. "Hiawatha's Wedding Feast" consists of nine sections: eight for chorus and orchestra, and one, "Onaway! Awake, beloved!", for solo tenor and orchestra. In 1898, Coleridge-Taylor was fresh from his success with his orchestral "Ballade in A minor", which was performed at the Three
The Song of Hiawatha (and an Introduction). Hiawatha is not introduced until Chapter III. In Chapter I, Hiawatha's arrival is prophesied by a "mighty" peace-bringing leader named "Gitche Manito." Chapter II tells a legend of how the warrior "Mudjekeewis" became Father of the Four Winds by slaying the Great Bear of the mountains, "Mishe-Mokwa." His son Wabun, the East Wind, falls in love with a maiden whom he turns into the Morning Star, Wabun-Annung. Wabun's brother, Kabibonokka, the North Wind, bringer of autumn and winter, attacks Shingebis, "the diver". Shingebis repels him by burning firewood, and then in a wrestling match. A third brother,