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Ash Grove, The (Giroux)
Contents
General Info
Year: 2019
Duration: c. 7:00
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Musica Propria
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $135.00 | Score Only (print) - $25.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion, including:
- Chimes
- Glockenspiel
- Marimba
- Tambourine
- Triangle
- Vibraphone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Commissioned by a consortium of friends and former students, in loving memory of Eric Hammer (1947-2019).
- Program Note from score
This popular folk song dating back to John Gay's Opera The Beggars Opera in 1728, then later published in 1802 in a book titled The Bardic Museum by harpist Edward Jones, has inspired many settings and lyrics over the centuries. There is a possibility that it dates back to a 1665 dance tune titled Constant Billy. In the 1806 Welsh version Llwyn Onn the lyrics tell of a love between a sailor and Gwen of Llywn which ends with the sailor mourning her death as she lies “...neath the shades of the lonely ash grove.”
The most popular setting to date features the lyrics by Thomas Oliphant. The Ash Grove has served as several hymns including a Thanksgiving hymn, a Christmas tune and was also used in a setting for a Roman Catholic mass.
The ash tree itself is heavily rooted in Celtic, Welsh and even Viking history and myths. It is the second most popular tree growing beside Irish holy wells and on the Isle of Man, ash trees were said to protect the purity of springs. It is also the most common tree in England.
This particular re-imagining of The Ash Grove introduces several thematic motifs inspired by the original melody. While this work is full of hemiolas and time signature changes, the beat stays constant. Many of the hemiola-filled sections are so long that it could have been scored 3/4 time for some players while at the same time also being scored in 6/8 time for others. Since the different meters following these sections depended on one time signature over the other for a smooth transition, it is easier to read as long hemiolas.
Playful and full of folly, this Ash Grove setting does not focus on the almost always mournful lyrics but on the ash grove itself; a place of mystery, magic, renewal, myth and happiness. Eric Hammer loved the idea of this setting and was happy about its origins being centered on trees. I was torn on staying with the original ideas we discussed or writing something completely different after Eric left this world. In the end, I went with our conversations about The Ash Grove and the journey we were going to take together.
- Program Note by composer
Commercial Discography
None discovered thus far.
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- University of California Berkeley Wind Ensemble I (Matthew Sadowski, conductor) – 28 February 2020
- Manhattan (N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Sarah Fernandez, conductor) – 7 March 2020
- California All-State High School Concert Band (Cody Birdwell, conductor) - 23 February 2020 (2020 CASMEC Conference, Fresno)
- Amador Valley High School (Pleasanton, Calif.) Wind Ensemble I (Jonathan Grantham, conductor) - 20 December 2019 (2019 Midwest Clinic)
- Santa Monica (Calif.) College Wind Ensemble (Kevin McKeown, conductor)– 6 October 2019
- Woodland (Calif.) High School Wind Ensemble (Michael Loya, conductor) – 1 May 2019
- University of the Pacific (Stockton, Calif.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Kaitlin Bove, conductor) – 14 April 2019 *Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by this Composer
Adaptable Music
- At the Covid Cabana (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- The Bonsai Tree (Flex instrumentation) (2010/2020)
- Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1739/2020)
- I'll Be Home A-fore Ye (Flex instrumentation) (2003/2020)
- Market Bridge (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2020)
- One Life Beautiful (Flex instrumentation) (2010/2020)
- Opa! (Flex instrumentation) (2017/2020)
- Our Cast Aways (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2020)
- A Time to Dance (2006) (Flex instrumentation) (2006/2020)
All Wind Works
- Af-free-kah! (2013)
- All Good Things
- All Through the Night (as arranger) (2011)
- Always (2019)
- Amaranthine
- Appalachian Portrait (2017)
- The Ash Grove (2019)
- At the Covid Cabana (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Away in a Manger (as arranger)
- Before the Sun (2013)
- The Bench by the Sea (2017)
- Bonsai Tree, The (2010)
- Bookmarks from Japan (2013)
- Boston Liberties (2003)
- Carnaval! (2013)
- Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Chorale for Wind Band and Melodic Percussion (as arranger)
- Christmas and Sousa Forever (as arranger)
- Christmas Toons (2012)
- Christmas with Mozart (2007)
- Circus Franticus (2001)
- Cordoba (2013)
- Crown of Thorns (1998)
- Culloden I and II (2000)
- Culloden III (2000)
- Crown of Thorns
- Dragon Sky (2015)
- Dream Dancer
- The Elements
- Empire (2006)
- Fantasy in French (2012)
- Fields of Gold (2019)
- The First Noel (as arranger)
- Fort McHenry Suite (2000)
- Freedom Rising (2017)
- Glenbury Grove (2009)
- Glorious Light
- The Grace in Being (2013)
- Greatest Generation, The
- Hands of Mercy
- HardDrive
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1739/2020)
- Hark! Those Bells Are Smokin’ (2011)
- HearthStone, The (2016)
- Husaria Cavalry Overture (2006)
- Hymn for the Innocent (2016)
- I Got Rhythm for Christmas
- Il Burlone (2000)
- I'll Be Home A'fore Ye (2006)
- I'll Be Home A-fore Ye (Flex instrumentation) (2003/2020)
- Imbizo (2007)
- Impressions (2013)
- In My Father's Eyes (2017)
- In the Bleak Midwinter (as arranger) (1906/2018)
- Incantations
- Italian Rhapsody (2005)
- Jerusalem (as arranger)
- Jingle Them Bells (as arranger) (1857/2011)
- Journey Through Orion (2006)
- Just Flyin'! (2015)
- Kalanu
- Khan (2008)
- La Mezquita de Córdoba (2005)
- Let Your Spirit Sing
- Little Drummer Boy's Bolero, The
- Louisiana Parish Sketches (2001)
- Mambo Perro Loco (2008)
- March of the Sun Dried Tomatoes (2000)
- Market Bridge (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2020)
- Medalist Fanfare (2013)
- Moonshine. See: Shine
- Movin' On Down the Line
- My Soul to Keep (2019)
- Mystery on Mena Mountain (1985)
- Nature of the Beast, The
- Nihonbashi. See: Market Bridge
- No Finer Calling (2006)
- No Man's Land (2017)
- Nothing That Is (2000)
- Nutcracker Fantasia (2012)
- O Holy Night (arr. Giroux) (1847/2011)
- Of Blood and Stone (2015)
- One Life Beautiful (2010)
- One Life Beautiful (Flex instrumentation) (2010/2020)
- One Torch, Two Women, Three Ships and Men Rejoicing (2011)
- Opa! (2018)
- Ouachita (1987)
- Our Cast Aways (2018)
- Our Cast Aways (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2020)
- Overture in Five Flat (2010)
- Paprikash (2014)
- Peter Patapan (2011)
- Poseidon
- Primality!
- Prisoner of the Ring (1986)
- Radiant Shadows (2016)
- Riften Wed (2013)
- River Shannon (2020)
- Shadow Falls
- Shine (2017)
- Space Symphony (1986/1991)
- The Speed of Heat
- Stealing Home (2016)
- Stocking Full of Composers, A (2009)
- Symphony No. 5 (2017)
- Symphony No. 6 (2020, in composition)
- Symphony of Fables, A (2006)
- Taboo for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble
- Three Fanfares (2003)
- Three Wise Guys (2011)
- Tiger Tail March (2000)
- A Time to Dance (2006)
- To Walk with Wings (2000)
- Twelve Days of Christmas, The (Giroux)
- The Twelve Gallon Hat (2013)
- Under the Willow (2015)
- A Very Merry Heart and Soul
- Vigils Keep (2005)
- Vortex (2015)
- Wagon Trail
- West Wind Overture (2012)
- What Child Is That Playing Carol of the Bells? (as arranger) (2011)
- What Goes in the Night (2000)
- When Country Comes to Town
- Where the Red Fern Grows (2016)
- Wild West Overture
- Without You
- Wolves in Moonlight (2019)
- Zephyr, Chorale and Dance (2012)