Irish Suite: The Wearing of the Green

Leroy Anderson

Subtitle: From The Irish Suite

This work is the fourth movement of the composer's Irish Suite.

General Info

Year: 1947 / 2009
Duration: c. 3:25
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Ballad
Publisher: Alfred Music Publishing
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $82.00; (digital) - $82.00 | Score Only (print) - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bells
Snare Drum
Triangle

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This wonderful setting was not a part of the original Irish Suite for orchestra but was added later. Unlike the original four movements, it was not rescored for band until now, but this rollicking dialog between woodwind and brass sections was well worth the wait.

- Program Note from publisher

To Arthur Fiedler.

- Program Note from score

The Wearing of the Green is an Irish street ballad lamenting the repression of supporters of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is to an old Irish air, and many versions of the lyric exist, the best-known being by Dion Boucicault. The song proclaims that "they are hanging men and women for the wearing of the green".

The revolutionary Society of United Irishmen adopted green as its colour, and supporters wore green-coloured garments, ribbons, or cockades. In some versions, the "green" being worn is shamrock rather than fabric.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

Louisiana: III
Texas: III. Complete

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Heart of Texas (San Antonio) Concert Band (R. Mark Rogers, conductor) - 23 April 2023
Duke University (Durham, N.C.) Wind Symphony (Freddy Martin, conductor) - 17 November 2022
Orlando (Fla.) Concert Band (Jon Territo, conductor) – 21 January 2019

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Sleigh Ride (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Fernie) (1948/)
Sleigh Ride (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Torskangerpoll) (1948/2020)

All Wind Works

Belle of the Ball (1951)
Blue Tango (1951)
Blue Tango (arr. Ployhar) (1951/1980)
The Bluebells of Scotland (1954/1962)
Bugler's Holiday (arr. Edwards) (1954)
The Captains and Kings (1962)
China Doll (1951/1953)
A Christmas Festival (1950)
A Christmas Festival (arr. Smith) (1950/2007)
Clarinet Candy (1962)
Concerto in C for Piano and Symphonic Wind Orchestra (arr. Murschinski) (1953/2008)
Fiddle-Faddle (arr. Lang) (1947)
Forgotten Dreams (1954)
The Girl I Left Behind Me. See: Irish Suite: The Girl I Left Behind Me
The Girl in Satin (1953)
The Golden Years (1962)
Home Stretch (1962)
Horse and Buggy (1951)
Irish Suite: The Girl I Left Behind Me (1949)
Irish Suite: The Irish Washerwoman (1947)
Irish Suite: The Last Rose of Summer (arr. Wagner) (1950/2010)
Irish Suite: The Minstrel Boy (as arranger) (1947/1952/2009)
Irish Suite: The Rakes of Mallow (1947)
Irish Suite: The Wearing of the Green (arr. Wagner) (1947/2009)
Jazz Pizzicato (arr. Lang) (1938)
The Last Rose of Summer. See: Irish Suite: The Last Rose of Summer
A Leroy Anderson Portrait (arr. Barnes) (1982/2006)
Lullaby of the Drums (1970)
March of the Two Left Feet (orch. Boyd) (1969/2008)
The Penny Whistle Song (1951)
The Phantom Regiment (1951)
Pirate Dance (1962)
Promenade (arr. Lang) (1945/1948)
Promenade (arr. Wagner) (1945/2017)
Pyramid Dance (1960)
The Rakes of Mallow. See: Irish Suite: The Rakes of Mallow
Sandpaper Ballet (1954)
Selections from Leroy Anderson's "Irish Suite" (arr. Wagner) (1947/2011)
Serenata (1947)
Sleigh Ride (1948)
Sleigh Ride (Brass Ensemble) (arr. Fernie) (1948/2010)
Sleigh Ride (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Fernie) (1948/)
Sleigh Ride (arr. Mellema) (1948/)
Sleigh Ride (arr. Ployhar) (1948/1980)
Sleigh Ride (arr. Schwalgin) (1948/)
Sleigh Ride (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Torskangerpoll) (1948/2020)
Sleigh Ride (arr. Warner) (1948/2006)
Sleigh Ride (ed. Woodfield) (1948/)
Song of Jupiter (as arranger) (1952)
Song of the Bells (1953)
Suite of Carols for Brass (1955)
Suite of Carols for Woodwinds (1955)
Summer Skies (1953)
The Syncopated Clock (1945)
The Syncopated Clock (arr. Lang) (1946/1948)
The Syncopated Clock (arr. Schubert) (1946/1997)
Ticonderoga March (ed. Boyd) (1939)
A Trumpeter's Lullaby (arr. Lang) (1950/1978)
The Typewriter (arr. Heide) (1950/)
The Typewriter (arr. Werle) (1950)
The Waltzing Cat (arr. Lang) (1950)
The Wearing of the Green. See: Irish Suite: The Wearing of the Green

Resources

Anderson, L.; Wagner, D. (2009). The Wearing of the Green : From the Irish Suite [score]. Alfred Music Publishing: Van Nuys, Calif.
Perusal score
The Wearing of the Green, Wikipedia Accessed 3 June 2021