Lagan Love
Subtitle: An Ancient Ulster Air for Band
General Info
Year: 1999
Duration: c. 5:15
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Shawnee Press
Cost: Score and Parts - $75.00 | Score Only - $10.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet Solo-I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
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
Euphonium
Tuba
Harp
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tam-Tam
- Vibraphone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
The Lagan River flows through Belfast, Northern Ireland. After hearing the beauty of this folk melody, the composer immediately created this work for symphonic wind ensemble. Not only is the melodic content hauntingly beautiful, but the instrumentation offers a wide range of wonderful combinations of colors.
- Program Note from publisher
Lagan Love, An Ancient Ulster Air is based on a traditional Irish folk air, The Belfast Maid, first notated and "collected" by Herbert Hughes in 1903 in Donegal, a county in the north of Ireland. The English lyrics have been credited to Joseph Campbell, an Irish poet and lyricist who wrote under the Gaelic form of his name, Seosamh Mac Cathmhaoil.
The "Lagan" referred to in the lyrics likely pertains to the River Lagan, which runs through Belfast, though some argue that the name refers to an area of good farming land between Donegal and Derry, known in Irish as An Lagán. It may also refer to a stream that empties into Lough Swilly in County Donegal, not far from where Herbert Hughes collected the song. The ballad air has been catalogued by the Roud Folk Song Index, a database of around 250,000 references to nearly 25,000 songs collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world.
- Program Note by Nikk Pilato
Media
- Audio CD: Libertyville High School Wind Ensemble (Harry Begian, conductor) - 2004
State Ratings
- Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP III
- Kansas: IV
- Louisiana: IV
- Texas: IV. Complete
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Lake Agassiz Wind Symphony (Fargo, N.D.) (Warren Olfert, conductor) - 14 January 2023
- University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) North Star Campus Band (Alexander Berglund, conductor) - 20 October 2022
- Calvin University (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Wind Ensemble (Tiffany Engle, conductor) - 13 April 2022
- Northshore Concert Band (Evanston, Ill.) (Mallory Thompson, conductor) - 14 February 2021
- Truman University (Kirksville, Mo.) Wind Symphony II (Sara Wilson, conductor) – 7 March 2018
- University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) Wind Ensemble (Christopher Knighten, conductor) – 20 November 2016
- Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Symphonic Band (Shawn Vondran, conductor) – 23 October 2016
- Northshore Concert Band (Chicago) (Mallory Thompson, conductor) - 14 June 2015
- Contra Costa Wind Symphony (Walnut Creek, Calif.) (Duane Carroll, conductor) - 10 March 2013
- Illinois State University (Normal) Wind Symphony (Stephen K. Steele, conductor) – 24 February 2001 (CBDNA 2001 National Conference, Denton, Tx.)
- Libertyville (Ill.) High School Wind Ensemble (Harry Begian, conductor) – 17 December 2004 (2004 Midwest Clinic)
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Fantasy for Various & Sundries (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
All Wind Works
- The Battle Hymn of the Republic (as arranger) (1861/1998)
- Capriccio Spiritoso (1983)
- Carols Three (1974)
- Danza Furiosa (2009)
- Fantasy for Various & Sundries (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Festa (1963)
- Five American Gospel Songs (1999)
- Hymn and Pavanne (2002)
- Italian Carol (2007)
- Jubilate (2000)
- Lagan Love (1999)
- The Legend of Saint Cecilia (2020)
- The Magic Ballroom (2003)
- The Magic Carousel (2016)
- Morning Has Broken (as arranger) (2021)
- Nostalgic Dances (2014)
- Peg Leg Pete (1963)
- Prayer & Canto (2008)
- Roma Sacra (2009)
- Song and Dance (2012)
- The Star-Spangled Banner (as arranger) (1814/1975)
- Symphony for Winds & Percussion (2005)
- Three American Gospel Songs (as arranger)
- Three American Hymns (2014)
- Three Dances of Enchantment (2007)
- She Walks Through the Fair (2022)
- Three Divertimenti for Symphonic Wind Orchestra (2020)
- Three Whimsies. see: Three Divertimenti for Symphonic Wind Orchestra
- Voci Sacre (2005)
- The Water Is Wide (as arranger) (2000)
Resources
- Zaninelli, L. (1999). Lagan Love : An Ancient Ulster Air For Symphonic Band [score]. Concert Works Unlimited: Delaware Water Gap, Penn.