Irish Tune from County Derry (ed Renshaw)

From Wind Repertory Project
Percy Aldridge Grainger

Percy Aldridge Grainger (ed. Renshaw)


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General Info

Year: 1918
Duration: c. 3:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Folk song
Publisher: Manuscript
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown


Instrumentation

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Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Grainger's Irish Tune from County Derry has stood the test of time for a number of reasons: colorful sonorities, straightforward accessibility, and a memorable climax. It is also a versatile piece, playable by both younger band and mature players, symphonic bands and wind ensembles. Irish Tune could balance a heavier work on the concert program, or it could be a thoughtful closing piece just before intermission. The broad appeal of this piece will undoubtedly assure its position atop the wind band repertoire for years to come.

- Program Note from Great Music for Wind Band


This tune was collected by Miss J. Ross, of New Town, Limavady, Co. Derry, Ireland, and published in The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland, Dublin, 1855.

- Program Note from score


For the following beautiful air I have to express my very grateful acknowledgment to Miss J. Ross, of N.-T.-Limavady, in the county of Londonderry — a lady who has made a large collection of the popular unpublished melodies of that county, which she has very kindly placed at my disposal, and which has added very considerably to the stock of tunes which I had previously acquired from that still very Irish county. I say still very Irish, for though it has been planted for more than two centuries by English and Scottish settlers, the old Irish race still forms the great majority of its peasant inhabitants; and there are few, if any, counties in which, with less foreign admixture, the ancient melodies of the country have been so extensively preserved. The name of the tune unfortunately was not ascertained by Miss Ross, who sent it to me with the simple remark that it was " very old," in the correctness of which statement I have no hesitation in expressing my perfect concurrence.

- Program note by George Petrie


Irish Tune from County Derry (published 1918) is based on earlier settings that date back as early as October 1902 with an essentially identical setting of this melody for wordless mixed chorus. Later versions for solo piano (1911) and string orchestra with two optional horns (1912) followed. The wind band setting is cataloged as British Folk Music Setting Nr. 20, and like all his settings of British folk music is “lovingly dedicated to the memory of Edvard Grieg.” The composer’s brief program note states, “This tune was collected by Miss J. Ross, of New Town, Limavady, Co Derry, Ireland and published in The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland, Dublin, 1855.”

- Program Note by R. Mark Rogers


Media

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State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

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  • United States Coast Guard Band (New London, Conn.) (Richard Wyman, conductor) – 18 March 2018


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

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