English Folk Song Suite: The Best Sheet Music
Download and print the best sheet music for English Folk Song Suite. Arranged for piano, voice and guitar.
Introduction
This folio contains the piano/vocal arrangements for all 7 movements of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Song Suite.
The suite was written in 1923 and is scored for orchestra, but can also be played by a full brass band. It is a common work in the British brass band repertoire.
It has been arranged for numerous other ensembles, including brass quintet and wind quintet.
The first performance was given by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Boult, on 24 November 1923.
The Best Sheet Music
The English Folk Song Suite is a delightful collection of old folk tunes from England, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams for full orchestra. It’s a great way to add some traditional flavor to your musical repertoire, and the best sheet music can be found right here.
The First Suite
The English Folk Song Suite is a set of three pieces for concert band, composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1923. It is based on traditional English folk songs collected by the composer. The suite was first performed on October 15, 1923, by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Boult.
The suite is in three movements, each movement containing several short sections. The first suite is entitled “March”. The opening section, “Seventeen Come Sunday”, is in 6/8 time and is in the key of G major. It is followed by “My Bonny Boy”. This section is in 3/4 time and is in the key of F major. The next section is “Cherry Ripe”, which is in 2/4 time and in the key of G major. “The Lost Chord” follows, which is in 3/4 time and in the key of D major. The final section of the first suite is “Sumer Is Icumen In”, which is in 6/8 time and in the key of G major.
The second suite is entitled “Playford Dances”. The first section, “Cold and Raw”, is in 4/4 time and in the key of C major. It is followed by “The Morning Star” and “The Gloucestershire Wassail”. These sections are both in 6/8 time and are in the key of G major. The next section is “Over the Hills and Far Away”, which is in 9/8 time and in the key of C major. This segues into the final section, “Sprig of Thyme”, which returns to 4/4 time and remains in the key of C major.
The third and final suite is entitled “Folk Songs from Somerset”. The first section, “I Love My Love”,is in 3/4 time andin the keyof Fmajor. Itis followedby”Divesand Lazarus”,whichisthe same meterandkeyas previoussection,”I LoveMy Love”. Nextis”Lord Bateman”,which changes things up a bit by beingin 4/4time while still remaininginFmajor. This segues into thesectionentitled”Black Sox”, whichreturnsto3/4time butchangesthekeytoGmajor.”Pretty Polly Oliver”continuesinGmajor but switch back to 4/4time.”Edward”endsinthesametime signatureandkeyas well,”Pretty Polly Oliver”. Finally,thelastsection,”All-Around My Hat”, finish up this amazing work by beingin9/8timeandDmajor; it serve as a perfect coda to an excellent piece
The Second Suite
The Second Suite was composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1906. It is a setting of six English folk songs for orchestra, arranged in three movements. The suite is sometimes referred to as the “English Folk Song Suite”, although this is not an official title.
The first movement, “March”, is based on the traditional English folk song “The Dashing White Sergeant”. The second movement, “Song”, is based on the traditional English folk song “Blackbird”. The third movement, “Dance”, is based on the traditional English folk song “Greensleeves”.
The suite was first performed by the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra conducted by Henry J. Wood in London on October 19, 1906. It has since been performed many times and has been recorded by several orchestras.
The Third Suite
The Third Suite is a set of three pieces for brass quintet composed by Gustav Holst in 1918. The work was first performed in London on October 25, 1919, by thexious Hill Brass Quintet.
The suite is in three movements, each based on a different English folk song. The first movement, “St. Paul’s Steeple”, is based on the traditional tune “The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night”. The second movement, “Dargason”, is based on the traditional tune of the same name. The third and final movement, “I’ll Love My Love”, is based on the traditional tune “Scarborough Fair”.
The Third Suite was originally scored for two trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba. Holst later arranged the suite for brass band, and this version is now more commonly performed.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our guide to the English Folk Song Suite! This is just a small sampling of the amazing music that has come out of England’s rich and varied culture. If you’re interested in exploring more, we highly recommend checking out some of the other great composers and musicians who have been influenced by English folk music. Thanks for reading!
