Three English Folk Dances: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Arranged by James Curnow
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00346379
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Description
This nicely paced and skillfully orchestrated suite characterizes the three main categories of ancient English folk dances. The opening Sword Dance is lively in nature and contrasts with the WaltzSong style of the second movement. The concluding movement is a Morris Dance, typified by a rustic nature and dancers with pads of bells to accentuate the rhythm. The result is an elegant work for band with vibrance and energy. Dur: 4:30
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00346379
More about this title
About the Arranger: James Curnow
James Curnow is a prolific composer and arranger whose work spans educational wind band repertoire, contemporary classical music, and commercial scoring. His arrangements are distinguished by their musicianship, clarity of orchestration, and sensitivity to the source material. Curnow's contributions to the concert band canon have made him a trusted name among directors seeking repertoire that balances artistic merit with practical classroom viability.
Why we love this
Curnow's orchestration honors the character of each dance form without overcomplicating the ensemble writing. Grade 3 bands can execute the rhythmic vitality of the Sword Dance, the lyrical restraint of the Waltz-Song, and the infectious percussion work of the Morris Dance with confidence, making this suite genuinely satisfying to perform rather than merely functional.
What to expect
Three distinct snapshots of English village life: the vigorous spinning and clashing of the Sword Dance, the gentle sway of a Waltz-Song that could accompany courtship or celebration, and finally the joyful clamor of Morris dancers with their bells adding metallic punctuation to every step. The orchestration gives each movement breathing room while maintaining cohesion as a suite.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 3 level looking for programmatic variety and cultural substance. This suite works especially well for groups that want to explore English folk tradition without the technical demands of more advanced arrangements.
How to get the most out of it
- Emphasize the sharp articulations in the Sword Dance opening to establish its crisp, propulsive energy. Sloppy tonguing will muddy the folk character.
- Balance the melody against countermelody in the Waltz-Song movement; the second movement's beauty hinges on hearing both voices clearly.
- Highlight the bell pad rhythms in the Morris Dance conclusion. If your percussion section has adequate players, let those articulations drive the dance quality rather than burying them in the harmonic texture.
- Shape phrases with the phrasing of folk music in mind rather than treating it as concert hall legit. Folk tunes breathe differently.
How to use it
Program this as a self-contained suite on a concert celebrating folk heritage or world cultures. Its modest duration (4:30) makes it ideal for sharing concert time with a larger work, or it can anchor a thematic program pairing it with folk arrangements from other traditions.
Skills your students will build
- Articulation clarity in rhythmically active folk idioms
- Contrasting character execution (lively, lyrical, percussive)
- Bell pad technique and ensemble percussion coordination
- Balance between melody and accompanying voices
- Phrasing and expression in a stylistically specific genre