Product Description
Irish music cast its spell early on in the many years I have performed as part of a duo of violin and recorder, so it was inevitable that I would be drawn to create new arrangements for this intimate combination of instruments. Mainly Mary contains eight traditional tunes selected from ONeills Music of Ireland and arranged as six duos (two of the duos combine two tunes) by Dorothy van Joolen Barth. These tunes are part of a larger anthology titled Maidens of Melody, available separately as a download for those who would prefer to have the complete book. As an audio sample, My Pretty Mary is provided here. These arrangements can be played on recorder and violin (which is how we play them), flute and violin, or two violins. If the upper part is played on recorder, the recorder player may switch between soprano, alto, and tenor recorders in accordance with the range and mood of each piece. We generally prefer the soprano recorder on the faster reels, jigs, and hornpipes and the tenor recorder (or sometimes the alto recorder) on the more lyrical pieces. In performing this music, I often devise new decorations, in keeping with Celtic tradition where no two performances of a piece are ever identical. You will likewise add your own meaning to this evocative music. Violinists can add authenticity by applying Irish bowing techniques, which includes various slurring patterns. Such bowings have been kept to a minimum in this collection for recorder and violin, but the techniques are well worth exploring and developing. These pieces are delightful to perform for Celtic festivals, St. Patrick's Day celebrations, weddings, birthdays, and other theme events. We first played them at a birthday celebration for a friend named Mary. May this music provide both player and listener with much enjoyment--and not just if your name is Mary!
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.