Foreword Contents Danny boy age The lark in the clear air 7 The last rose summer 11 The Irish have long been famed for their owerful traditional melodies, and the three in this volume are surely amongst the finest. The history erhas the most famous, Danny boy (the melody which is also known as Londonderry Air), is steeed in stery. It was first ublished, without a title, in Dublin in 1855 and was aarently collected by a Miss Jane Ross, who claimed to have taken it down from the laying an itinerant ier. However, although it is ten assumed to be an old, traditional tune, its structure and meter do not fit any the known Irish folksong forms. The words most commonly associated with it for the last hundred years or so, Danny boy, were written by an English lawyer who aarently never set foot in Ireland! The lark in the clear air with words, this time, by a genuine Irishman, Sir Samuel Ferguson is an exquisite song celebrating the beauty nature. (Unusuy for a folksong lyric, it also resents a ositive outlook on love!) The contrauntal second verse, articularly bars 26 4, may require secial attention in rehearsal, art by art, as it is the only occasion in this volume where the three voicearts are truly indeendent each other. The oignant words The last rose summer, by Thomas Moore, match this song s mournful, drooing melody. After a teorarily ulifting modulation for the third verse, where the men the choir echo the melody 2 bars behind, the arrangement ends as it began in a solitary mood, with an ety, bare fifth. Editorial notes Alexander L Estrange, March 2004 Choral Basics has been devised to rovide arrangements and original ieces secificy for beginner choirs. Vocal ranges: the arrangements don t exlore the extremes the voice, but aim to stretch the vocal range from time to time in the context a welllaced musical hrase. Sm notes indicate otional alternatives: 1) where the main notes may f out coortable range for some singers, 2) where certain singers on the malevoice art, which mainly fs in the baritone range a 10th (B D), wish to exlore the tenor or bass register, or ) where a doubling within a art is suggested. Breathing: singers should aim to follow the unctuation the oem, and breathe accordingly. However, commas above the music suggest laces to breathe where not rovided for within the oem. Piano accoaniments: the sile yet imaginative iano arts have been written to suort the vocal lines. Sm notes in the iano art are intended to hel suort singers while learning the iece; however, once more confident you may choose to omit the notes, or just to lay them very gently. 2004 by Faber Music Ltd First ublished in 2004 by Faber Music Ltd Queen Square London WC1N AU Cover design by Susan Clarke Music rocessed by MusicSet 2000 Printed in England by Caligraving Ltd All rights reserved ISBN 0571521908 To buy Faber Music ublications or to find out about the full range titles available lease contact your local music retailer or Faber Music sales enquiries: Faber Music Limited, Burnt Mill, Elizabeth Way, Harlow, CM20 2HX England Tel: +44 (0)1279 82 89 82 Fax: +44 (0)1279 82 89 8 sales@fabermusic.com fabermusic.com
Words by Fred E. Weatherly SOPRANO ALTO Gentle q =60 Gentle q =60 Danny boy legato Dan ny Dan ny Dan ny 4 the ies, the ies are c the ies, the ies are the ies, the ies are c c from glen to glen, from glen to glen, from glen to glen, and down the moun tain and down the moun tain and down the moun tain 7 The sum mer s gone, The sum mer s gone, The sum mer s gone, the ro ses f and the ro ses and and f the ro ses f 2004 by Faber Music Ltd. This music is coyright. Photocoying is ILLEGAL and is THEFT.
Words by Sir Samuel Ferguson (1810 86) Exressive q =72 A. (or solo) Dear The lark in the clear air 7 5 thoughts are in mind, and soul soars en chant ed, As I 10 hear the sweet lark sing in the clear air the day. 14 A. For a ten der beam ing 2004 by Faber Music Ltd. This music is coyright. Photocoying is ILLEGAL and is THEFT.
8 17 A. And to mor row he sh smile to hoe has to hoe has been grant ed, been grant ed, And to mor row he sh 21 hear hear fond heart would say. mm mm 25 I sh tell him I sh love, tell him soul s love a I sh and a do do
Words by Thomas Moore Sily q =72 The last rose summer otional SOLO (any voice) Tis the 11 sim. 6 (SOLO) last A. rose sum mer, left blooming a lone, her love ly com her love ly com 11 a nions are fad ed and A. a nions are fad ed and gone. gone. flower her flower flower her her 2004 by Faber Music Ltd. This music is coyright. Photocoying is ILLEGAL and is THEFT.