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Harvest Hymn Percy Grainger Arranged Joseph Kreines Barnhouse Archive Edition Duration 3:00 Reviewer: Gregory B. Rudgers
Joseph Kreines has provided band directors with a concert band setting of Harvest Hymn by Percy Grainger, originally scored by the composer for several media as was his custom. Kreines took his setting from the piano score written in 1936. The short work is simply stated by several choirs with rich harmonies, majestic chords, and inventive counter melodies. Grainger’s characteristic rhythmic devices emerge throughout the work, though due to its slow and lyrical style, they are subtle in nature. Kreines chooses to begin with a woodwind choir set in the middle ranges acheiving a warm, rich sound. This opening chorale then builds to a full tutti statement which is followed by several quite original choirs providing the ensemble with fresh and intriguing colors. The final eight measures once again are scored for full ensemble and achieve a sense of drama and finality. This work is difficult to describe in terms of difficulty. There are no technical or rhythmic demands that would challenge virtually any level of ensemble from elementary through the most advanced. However, the length of phrase, and the ranges required by some voices, specifically trumpet, along with the very elegant nature of the original hymn by Grainger do make this most appropriate for mature ensembles. There is little doubt that this is Grainger’s work; Kreines has, through skillful scoring, revealed the clearly identifiable voicing and harmonic originality that marks Grainger’s work. The interior motion, the gentle counterpoint, and the sudden splashes of Grainger humor are present in this significant addition to the wind literature from this gifted composer.
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Themes from “Green Bushes”
by Percy Aldridge Grainger arranged by Larry Daehn Daehn Publications Duration 3:39 Reviewer: Dr. John A. Darling Anyone who knows Larry Daehn’s meticulous craftsmanship should not be surprised by the extraordinary quality of this arrangement of Grainger’s original setting of Green Bushes (Passacaglia on an English Folksong). Daehn has successfully remained honest to Grainger’s original intent while making this setting more accessible to traditional band instrumentation. Grainger’s original score called for violins, harmonium, and piano. Variations that depended primarily on these instruments for color, primarily harmonium and piano, were eliminated by Daehn for practical purposes. The main theme, Green Bushes, is a familiar English folksong. Grainger collected ten different versions/ variations of this tune, The Lost Lady Found and The Three Gipsies (sic.) among them. People familiar with Lincolnshire Posy will recognize The Lost Lady Found as the final movement of that piece. Ralph Vaughan Williams used another version of the tune in the second movement of his arrangement of English Folk Song Suite. There are fifteen statements of the theme (the passacaglia) with each subsequent variation different in style and texture. All of the traditional “Graingerisms” are present in this arrangement making it a good piece to introduce players to the unique concepts and idiomatic techniques associated with most of Grainger’s more complex compositions. Daehn uses standard symphonic band instrumentation including a string bass part. Although the piece could be done without the E-flat Alto and Contra Bass Clarinets, the color of these instruments would provide a more authentic presentation. The extensive use of multiple mallet percussion parts is another orchestration technique used by Grainger that Daehn maintains in his arrangement. The scoring calls for orchestra bells, xylophone, vibraphone, and marimba at the same time during certain sections of some of the variations. Constantly changing articulations and sudden shifts in dynamic markings