Suo Gan
by Welsh Folk Song
String Orchestra - Sheet Music

Orchestra Cello, Contrabass, Piano, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3 - Grade 2

SKU: CF.YAS134

Composed by Welsh Folk Song. Arranged by Larry Clark. Young String Orchestra. Set of Score and Parts. With Standard notation. 8+8+5+5+2+5+2+8 pages. Duration 4 minutes, 37 seconds. Carl Fischer Music #YAS134. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.YAS134).

ISBN 9780825894701. UPC: 798408094706. 9 x 12 inches. Key: G major.

This popular Welsh folk song has been used in TV and movies over the years, but you have never heard it like this! Larry Clark's stunning setting contains lyrical countermelodies, a lush harmonic perspective, and just plain beautiful writing. Stretch the musicianship of your students with this wonderful arrangement.
Suo Gan is a Welsh lullaby. It is a hauntingly beautiful folk song that has been set by many composers because of its pure and simplistic beauty. You may recognize this song from its use in movies and television. It was my goal to approach this song in a different manner than others and to bring out the lush nature of the song in various harmonic settings.The song is a mother’s lullaby to her sleeping child. It speaks of the child’s look of content as they sleep in their mother’s arms. With this in mind, I set out to write a subtle treatment of this lovely song. It starts out with soft tremolo figures in the upper strings to set up the lush harmonies of the piece. The melody is then expressed the first time very simply with basic chords in the other strings. This is then expanded with arpeggiated chords and a counter line in the middle strings. I then composed a transition section that serves as a bridge between statements of the melody to give the piece some variety.The song’s sixteen-measure form is made up of simple four measure phrases that can be outlined as AABA with the B-phrase being the climatic one. I took this idea and used my transitional section in place of some of the A-phrases at times. After the piece builds to a strong forte, the melody is stated in parallel seventh chords with the whole ensemble playing similar rhythms for a different harmonic twist. This is a nod to a technique used by composer Percy Grainger, who is well-known for his folk song settings. The piece then builds to a climax fermata before dying down with a return of the opening material and the last phrase of the melody stated in the cello, followed by a short coda with lush harmonies to end the setting.It has been my pleasure to have the opportunity to write this piece. I hope you and your students enjoy it and find it useful for your program.-LARRY CLARKLakeland, FL 2014.

About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series

This series of Grade 2/Grade 2.5 pieces is designed for second and third year ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
--Occasionally extending to third position
--Keys carefully considered for appropriate difficulty
--Addition of separate 2nd violin and viola parts
--Viola T.C. part included
--Increase in independence of parts over beginning levels