A Welsh Lullaby Cover Image

A Welsh Lullaby: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

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A Welsh Lullaby Cover Image

A Welsh Lullaby: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

(Suo Gan)

Traditional / arr. Richard Meyer

Grade: 2

Item: 00-50362

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Description
Suo Gan is a traditional Welsh lullaby written by an anonymous composer in the early 1800s and arranged by Richard Meyer. The title (pronounced "see-oh-gan" with "gan" rhyming with "can") simply means "lullaby." This compellingly beautiful melody has been set in a lovely arrangement that is perfect for developing your students' sensitivity and legato playing style. Changes of tempo (ritardandos and a tempos), changes of key (G major to C major and back), and a wide variety of slurs that cross strings will challenge orchestras of all levels. A perfect "middle selection" for any concert or contest.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, A Welsh Lullaby: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Additional Details
Series: Sound Innovations Series for Strings
Publisher: Alfred Music
ISBN10: 1-4706-8408-X
ISBN13: 978-1-4706-8408-2
UPC: 038081617350
SKU: 00-50362

More about this title

About the Arranger: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer brings three decades of string teaching experience to his work as composer and arranger. He spent 22 years building the orchestra program at Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, California, expanding it from 29 students to 200, while also directing the city's elementary string program. His "Giving Bach" initiative, launched in 2009, has earned national recognition for using interactive concerts to reach special needs and underserved students throughout Southern California.

Beyond the classroom, Meyer has guest-conducted All-State and Honor Orchestras across multiple states and served as string editor for Alfred Publishing for 16 years. He directed the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, leading performances in Vienna, Australia, Canada, and major U.S. cities. His catalog includes nearly 200 published compositions and arrangements, and he co-authored the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings.

Why we love this

Meyer's arrangement honors the melody's inherent beauty while building real orchestral skills. The strategic use of tempo changes, key modulations between G major and C major, and cross-string slurs gives your students substantive musical challenges without overwhelming a Grade 2 ensemble. It's the kind of piece that sounds genuinely lovely in performance while accomplishing meaningful teaching work.

What to expect

This traditional Welsh melody unfolds with the simplicity and warmth of a parent's bedtime song. The arrangement wraps the tune in gentle harmonic support, creating moments of quiet intimacy that draw listeners in and ask your orchestra to play with restraint and emotional maturity.

Who it's for

String orchestras at the intermediate and early high school levels benefit most from this arrangement. It works equally well for students developing sensitivity and ensemble awareness as it does for groups looking for accessible contest or festival material.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the legato passages by having students sustain tone through the long phrases rather than restarting with each note; the arrangement's beauty depends on seamless bow control across string changes.
  • Prepare the ritardandos and a tempos as a section by conducting them separately before the full ensemble rehearsal so string players anticipate the pulse shifts without dragging.
  • Balance the key change from G major to C major by slightly brightening tone and articulation without losing the lullaby's intimate character.

How to use it

Program this as a contrasting piece alongside more energetic selections to showcase your ensemble's range and musicality. It functions beautifully as a concert opener or closer, and its contest-ready stature makes it a smart choice for festival competitions where you want to impress judges with both technical execution and artistic sensitivity.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustained legato playing across multiple string changes
  • Tempo control and response to ritardandos and a tempos
  • Tonal balance during key modulations (G major to C major)
  • Dynamic sensitivity and phrasing in lyrical contexts
  • Cross-string slur execution

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