Oregon Public Broadcasting

Today's rendition of our series theme music, Hard Times Come Again No More by Stephen Foster, comes from the Portland Symphonic Choir.

Foster wrote the song in the 1850s when he was going through some hard times of his own. 

This version is by the Portland Symphonic Choir, directed by Steven Zopfl, who’s the artistic director of the group. 

He says he first heard it when he personally sang it with a different choir.

Listen to OPB's Morning Edition host Geoff  Norcross discuss the song with Zopfl.

This adds a choral version of "Hard Times Come Again No More" to our lineup --  we've also heard an indie-rock version, and more standard bluegrass versions.

What's yours? How do you interpret this song, and what does it mean to you?