Canadian Legend: Score

Del Borgo's treatment of these three folk songs respects their character while giving each section of the orchestra something genuinely interesting to play. The contrast between the contemplative beauty of She's Like the Swallow and the rhythmic drive of the surrounding material creates natural programming momentum, and the fugal section adds real compositional substance without overwhelming a Grade 3 ensemble.

The piece unfolds like a triptych: you enter a hushed, intimate emotional space with She's Like the Swallow, then shift into rowdy, work-song energy with the outer folk tunes. The middle section's fugue feels like a thoughtful conversation between the sections before the ensemble builds to an exhilarating, driving finish.

String orchestras at the intermediate level (Grade 3) looking for contest or festival repertoire that combines folklore with compositional substance. Directors seeking material that exposes students to fugal writing and rhythmic complexity without requiring advanced technique.

• Shape the opening of She's Like the Swallow with dynamic restraint; the hauntingly beautiful quality relies on singers treating their lines like vocal music, with natural phrasing rather than metronomic precision.
• Lock the rhythm section (cellos and basses) on the driving sections of Old Sod Shanty and Saint-Malo beau port de mer; this gives the upper strings freedom to articulate their rhythmic figures with clarity.
• Prepare the fugal section by rehearsing it in small groups first, ensuring each voice enters cleanly and maintains rhythmic independence before adding the surrounding textures and ostinato.
• Build the final ostinato gradually in rehearsal; mark dynamic growth bar by bar so the conclusion feels like a genuine accelerating drive rather than a sudden shift.

This works as a centerpiece for a concert centered on folk traditions or cultural themes. Its length and emotional arc also make it an excellent choice for festival competition, where the contrast between sections showcases your ensemble's range and the fugal passage demonstrates technical maturity.

• Playing with song-like phrasing and dynamic shape in slower, lyrical material
• Maintaining rhythmic independence and clarity in driving, rhythmically active sections
• Part independence in fugal writing and contrapuntal textures
• Building dynamic intensity and managing a multi-sectional arc over an entire piece
• Balancing individual line work with ensemble sonority and intonation