Helene

Sadly, in our times, it would be the religious rather than racial connotation of "Moor" that would have that effect on today's audiences. Shakespeare's timelessness is a double-edged sword.

According to Choreography by George Balanchine, the songs on which Hershey Kay based his arrangement are: "Red River Valley" "Old Taylor" "Rye Whiskey" "Lolly-Too-Dum" "Good Night Ladies" "Oh, Dem Golden Slippers" "The Girl I Left Behind Me" In Repertory in Review, Nancy Reynolds writes that there were twelve songs used, and lists all of the above as having been included in the work and "Red River Valley" as "the unifying theme." Unfortunately, there's no breakdown by movement. Originally there were four movements, but the Scherzo (3rd movement), described by John Martin* as "the least rewarding", was deleted in 1960. According to Choreography by George Balanchine the removal was permanent, but NYCB has reinstated it at least once in a gala, and it was danced in the most recent Miami City Ballet performances. Also, there is a note that the ballet was "initially presented without scenery, in practice clothes." Critic Clive Barnes* described the participants in the ballet as "cowpunchers and bright-hued dance-hall girls," once Karinska's costumes were added. *From critics' quotes in Repertory in Review.