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Two Gaelic Songs
World / Ethnic/Celtic • 2002 • Alternative Title: Crònan, E mo leannan
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Instrumentation |
Female choir |
Scored for |
Soloists, Choir |
Type of score |
Vocal score |
Movement(s) |
1 to 2 from 2 |
Arranger |
Stephen Smith |
Publisher |
Stephen Smith |
Language |
Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic |
Difficulty |
Difficult |
Duration |
4'0 |
Two contrasting songs in Scots Gaelic for SSAA a cappella. Translations and a detailed phonetic pronunciation guide are included, and audio files of the text slowly recited by a native speaker are available from the arranger.
The first of the songs, "Crònan," is a lament for a lost child, and the arrangement uses rising and falling chromatic figures, quartal harmonies, and canonic imitation of the Aeolian-mode tune to create an intense and haunting effect.
The second song, "E mo leannan," is a light-hearted work song in which various women sitting at a table "waulking" a bolt of tweed brag about their boyfriends and teasingly wish that "a disease worse than the toothache" may strike anyone who tries to steal them away! The arrangement intersperses short solos with the call-and-response refrains, with the last few verses sung by the whole choir, building in harmonic excitement, sonority, and texture to a rousing finish.
Elektra Women's Choir of Vancouver, Canada performed these arrangements in Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and Riverside Church during the 2003 ACDA National Convention, and recorded them on their CD, "All My Heart Is Listening," from which the accompanying audio track is excerpted (with permission).
Stephen Smith 26 Apr 2021 02:47
Both songs, with their translations and pronunciation guides, are published as one item. It is hoped that the low price of $2 per download will make it possible for any ensemble wishing to perform either or both of these pieces to purchase sufficient copies of the set for all the members of their group! Thank you!
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