Irish Rhapsody, An

Clare Grundman

This work bears the designation QMB Journal 373.

General Info

Year: 1971
Duration: c. 6:50
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes, Inc
Cost: Score and Parts - $125.00 | Score Only - $17.95

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass 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 (5 players), including:

Bass Drum
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Orchestra Bells
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Triangle
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

First published in 1971, An Irish Rhapsody has become a staple in the literature for young concert bands. It demonstrates Clare Grundman's mastery of orchestration and exceptional treatment of transitions and pacing. Including the folk melodies The Morren (Minstrel Boy), I Know Where I'm Going, Shepherd's Lamb Reel, Cockles and Mussels, The Rakes of Mallow and Kathleen O'More, it is just as fresh-sounding and effective today as it was more than 30 years ago.

- Program Note from publisher

This setting for symphonic band contains six songs of Ireland -- some familiar and some that have not been heard often enough. First is The Moreen (also called The Minstrel Boy), then the ballad I Know Where I'm Going, followed by the typical jig tune Shepherd's Lamb Reel. The well-loved Cockles and Mussels precedes the spirited Rakes of Mallow, which in tune leads into the love song Kathleen O'More, presented simply at first and the accompanied by a jig-reel figure. The coda returns to Cockles and Mussels, and the tempo broadens as the horns and woodwinds add their countermelodies in an impressive ending.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

Alabama: Class B
Florida: IV
Georgia: IV
Iowa: III
Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP III
Louisiana: III
Massachusetts: III
Michigan: Senior High C
Minnesota: III
Mississippi: V-A
New York: Concert Band IV
North Carolina: IV
Oklahoma: III-A
South Carolina: IV
Tennessee: III
Texas: II. Complete
Virginia: IV
Wisconsin: Event 3000 Concert Band.Class B Std Rep

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Kennesaw (Ga.) State University University Band (Daniel Lee, conductor) - 28 September 2022
Kentucky Virginia (Whitesburg, Ky.) Summer Winds (Susan Creasap, conductor) - 7 June 2022
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Concert Band (Miguel Gonzalez Oseguera, conductor) - 8 December 2021
Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, Va.) Concert Band (Keith Taylor, conductor) - 5 March 2020
Rivers School Conservatory (Weston, Mass.) Youth Wind Ensemble (Jason Bielik, conductor) – 1 December 2019
Lehigh University (Bethlehem, Penn.) Wind Ensemble (David Diggs, conductor ) -17 November 2019
Snake River New Horizons Band (Pocatello, Id.) (Casey Emerson, conductor) – 4 October 2019
Brazil (Ind.) Concert Band (John Philip Huber, conductor) – 16 June 2019
Fostoria (Ohio) Community Band (Craig McKenzie, conductor) – 17 March 2019
Savannah (Ga.) Wind Symphony (Mark Johnson, conductor) – 5 March 2019
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Indiana, Penn.) Symphony Band (Susan Creasap, conductor) – 7 October 2018
Kent State (Ohio) Communiversity Band (John Franklin, conductor) – 1 May 2018
Day City (Calif.) AllStars (Diana Gomez, conductor) – 17 March 2018
Kennesaw (Ga. ) State University University Band (Trey Harris, conductor) – 20 February 2018
Indiana University (Bloomington) All-Campus Band (Sean Phelan, conductor) – 6 December 2016
Pomona (Calif.) Concert Band (Linda W. Taylor, conductor) – 18 August 2016
Mount Prospect (Ill.) Band (Ralph Wilder, conductor) - 17 March 2012

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Kentucky 1800 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Longfield) (1954/2006/2017)

All Wind Works

American Folk Rhapsody No. 1 (1948)
American Folk Rhapsody No. 2. See: Second American Folk Rhapsody
American Folk Rhapsody No. 3 (1970)
American Folk Rhapsody No. 4 (1977)
A Bernstein Tribute (as arranger) (1991)
The Black Knight (1956)
The Blue and the Gray (1961)
The Blue and the Gray (arr. Longfield) (1961/2013)
The Blue-Tail Fly (1951)
Burlesque for Band (1967)
Caprice for Clarinets (1961)
Chessboard Suite (1964)
Chorale from "Concord" (arr. Longfield) (1988/2018)
Concord (1987)
Concertante for Alto Sax and Band (1973)
A Copland Portrait (as adapter) (1986)
A Copland Tribute (as arranger) (1986)
Joy to the World (as arranger) (1970)
An English Christmas (1982)
English Suite (1968)
Fantasy on American Sailing Songs (1952)
Fantasy on English Hunting Songs (1985)
Flutation (1961)
The Green Domino (1951)
Hebrides Suite (1962)
An Irish Rhapsody (1971)
Japanese Rhapsody (1969)
Kentucky 1800 (1954/1987)
Kentucky 1800 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Longfield) (1954/2006/2017)
Little English Suite (1968)
Little Suite for Band (1957)
March Processional (1950)
A Medieval Story (1966)
Music for a Carnival (1957)
Nocturne for Harp and Band (1975)
Quiet Christmas (1959)
A Scottish Rhapsody (1981)
Second American Folk Rhapsody (1959)
Señor, Señor (1963) (as Carlos Guermo)
Slava! (as transcriber) (1977/1978)
A Somerset Rhapsody (as transcriber) (1906/1927/1980)
Spirit of '76 (1964)
Three Sketches for Winds (1969)
Two Moods (1947)
Tuba Rhapsody
A Welsh Rhapsody (1968)
Western Dance (1968)

Resources

Grundman, C. (1971). An Irish Rhapsody [score]. Boosey & Hawkes: [New York].
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 256.