Description
In 1902, Percy Grainger wrote the first of his 5 settings of “Irish Tune from County Derry,” scoring it for 2 female voices, 4 male voices and piano (for practice only) and labeling it “British Folk-Music Settings Nr. 5.” It was first published Schott & Co., 1912. The untitled tune had been collected by Miss Jane Ross, of New Town, Limavady Co., Derry (Ireland) and first printed in “The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland” (Dublin, 1855) on page 57, which is headed: “Name unknown.”
This scoring for clarinet choir takes advantage of the large, close, and evenly spaced range of the members of the clarinet family, allowing most of the notes to remain in the clarinet’s chalumeau register for a rich, warm sound.
–Maurice Saylor
Solo parts included: Clarinet in Eb 1, Clarinet in Eb 2, Clarinet in Bb 1, Clarinet in Bb 2, Clarinet in Bb 3, Clarinet in Bb 4, Alto Clarinet, Bass Clarinet 1, Bass Clarinet 2, Contra-Alto Clarinet in Eb
