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Finnegan's Wake
Archibald Potter (ed. Sarah M. Burn)
Subtitle: Irish Street Ballad
General Info
Year: 1956 / 1970 / 1994 / 2006
Duration: c. 3:40
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Ballad
Publisher: Seolta Music Limited
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $80.00 | Score Only (print) - $12.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II, including:
- Bass drum
- Cymbals
- Gong
- Gourds (or Chinese blocks)
- Snare drum
Errata
- Baritone Saxophone: Letter H should be at bar 152, not bar 147
- Trumpets I & III: should be Open at bar 73
- Clarinet I, bars 94-107: should have Oboe cues
- Tuba, bar 48: should have a low D on beat 2
- Score, bars 152-167: should show that Tuba has String Bass cues
- Tuba, bars 73-77: should be on downbeats (with string bass) rather than upbeats
- Trumpet III: letter D should be at bar 65, not bar 61
- Trumpet III: letter K should be at bar 185, not bar 181
Program Notes
This lively arrangement tells the story of Finnegan, who, fond of a drop of whisky, falls off a ladder at work. While laid out in his home before the funeral, a brawl breaks out during which a naggin of whisky is broken, spilling on the body. As Potter described himself... ‘Having been thus anointed with the precious spirit, the corpse arose, Lazarus-like, and addressed the assembled company in forceful language!’
- Program Note from Texas A&M Symphonic Band concert program, 18 November 2018
Finnegan's Wake is one of Potter's best-known works for concert band. Potter tells the story of the famous Dublin street ballad Finnegan's Wake through music, painting a colourful picture of the lovable rogue, Tim Finnegan.
- Program Note from publisher
Media
State Ratings
- North Carolina: IV
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Irish Symphonic Wind Orchestra (Limerick) (Timothy Reynish, conductor) - 3 November 2019
- Texas A&M University (College Station) Symphonic Band (Travis Almany, conductor) – 18 November 2018
- Mettenheimer Bläser (Martin Lamprecht, conductor) – 29 June 2014
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Finnegan's Wake (1956/1970/1994)
- The Phoenix March (1969)
- Pride of Pageantry (1957)
- Tommy Atkins March (1914)