Riverdance

Bill Whelan

General Info

Year: 1994
Duration: c. 14:40
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Shawnee Press
Cost: Score and Parts - $275.00 | Score Only - $20.00

Movements

1. The Wellspring Theme - 5:15
2. Women of Ireland - 1:50
3. The Heart's Cry - 1:45
4. Thunder and Lightening
5. Riverdance Finale - 4:33

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
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
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV

Bass Drum
Snare Drum
Crash Cymbals
Bells
Claves
Finger Cymbals
Hi-Hat
Shakers
Side Stick
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Tom-Tom (2)
Triangle
Vibraphone
Wind Chimes
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

From the incredible Irish dance/music spectacular, this is an extended 14-minute medley that features all of the wonderfully idiomatic Celtic music that has become so popular. Long enough to build a program around, there's really nothing too technically difficult in Carl Strommen's arrangement. Includes Wellspring Theme; Women of Ireland; The Heart's Cry; Thunder and Lightning (percussion feature) and Riverdance Finale.

- Program Note from publisher

Commercial Discography

Audio CD: U.S. Army Field Band 2008

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Grande Prairie (Alb., Can.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble - 18 December 2021
Grove City (Penn.) College Concert Band (Andrew S. Erb, conductor) - 25 March 2021
Northwestern Michigan College (Traverse City) Concert Band (John Campbell, conductor) - 27 April 2018
Wisconsin Lutheran College (Milwaukee) Concert Band (Terry S. Treuden, conductor) – 12 May 2017
San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra (Jennifer Martin, conductor; Anthony Yi, soprano saxophone) - 28 September 2014
Aufnahmen vom Blasorchester VIVACE (Switzerland) - 2010
San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (William V. Johnson, conductor) - 27 January 2007

Works for Winds by This Composer

Firedance
Heart's Cry, The (arr. O'Loughlin)
Highlights from the "Seville Suite" (arr. de Meij) (1992/2011)
Highlights from "Riverdance" (arr. de Meij) (1994/2014)
Riverdance (1994) (arr. Strommen)

Resources

Bill Whelan website Accessed 14 January 2020
Riverdance, Wikipedia Accessed 14 January 2020
Whelan, B.; Strommen, C. (1994). Riverdance [score]. Concert Works Unlimited: Delaware Water Gap, Pa.