Lincolnshire Posy

Lincolnshire Posy is a symphonic piece by Percy Aldridge Grainger, composed in 1937 for the American Bandmasters Association. Considered Grainger's masterpiece, the 16-minute-long work is composed of six movements, each adapted from folk songs that Grainger had collected on a 1905-06 trip to Lincolnshire, England. The work debuted with three of the movements on March 7, 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Unlike other composers that attempted to alter and modernize folk music for band, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams (see "English Folk Song Suite"), Grainger wished to maintain the exact sense of stylizing that he experienced from the singers. Grainger wrote, "Each number is intended to be a kind of musical portrait of the singer who sang its underlying melody...a musical portrait of the singer's personality no less than of his habits of song, his regular or irregular wonts of rhythm, his preference for gaunt or ornately arabesque delivery, his contrasts of legato and staccato, his tendency towards breadth or delicacy of tone." Grainger dedicated his "bunch of Wildflowers" to "the old folksingers who sang so sweetly to me."

Instrumentation

The piece is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, english horn (ad lib), 2 bassoons, contrabassoon (ad lib), E-flat clarinet, 3 B-flat clarinets, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, 5 saxophones (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass (ad lib)), 3 cornets or trumpets, 4 horns, 3 trombones, baritone, euphonium, tuba, string bass, timpani, xylophone, handbells, tubular bells (ad lib), snare drum, bass drum and cymbals.

Lisbon (Sailor's Song)

Originally entitled "Dublin Bay," the first movement of Lincolnshire Posy is the shortest; a brisk, simple, lilted melody in 6/8 time. The lyrics to the original folk song are as follows:

'Twas on a Monday morning, all in the month of May,Our ship she weighed her anchor, all for to sail away;The wind did from the southwest blow, for Lisbon we were bound,The hills and dales were covered with pretty young girls around.

I wrote a letter to Nancy, for her to understandThat I should have to leave her, unto some foreign land,She said, "My dearest William, these words will break my heart,Oh, let us married be tonight, sweet Willie, before you start."

"For ten long weeks and better I've been with child by thee,So stay at home, dear William, be kind and marry me.""Our captain has commanded us, and I shall have to go,The Queen's in want of men, my love, I'd never dare answer, 'No.'"

"I'll cut my long yellow hair off, your clothing I'll put on,And I will go with you, love, and be your waiting-man,And when it is your watch on deck, your duty I will do,I'd face the field of battle, love, in order to be with you."

"Your pretty little fingers, they are both long and small,Your waist it is too slender to face the cannonball,For loud the cannons rattle, love, and blazing bullets fly,And silver trumpets sound, my love, to cover the dismal cry."

"Pray do not talk of danger, for love is my desire,To see you in the battle, and with you spend my time,And I will go through France and Spain, all for to be your bride,And I will lay me down upon the battlefield at your side.

'Twas on a Monday morning, all in the month of May,Our ship she weighed her anchor, all for to sail away;The wind did from the southwest blow, for Lisbon we were bound,The hills and dales were covered with pretty young girls around.

The main theme of the movement is presented first in the muted trumpets and is set against a war-like motif in the horns. Like the fourth movement, this movement ends in a serene, slightly dissonant pianissimo that contrasts the general tone of the movement as a whole.

Horkstow Grange ("the Miser and his Man" - a local tragedy)

The second movement presents a slow, legato, repeating, re-harmonizing motif. Shifting mostly between 4/4 and 5/4 time, the song features a poignant trumpet solo. A soprano saxophone can be substituted for the trumpet solo.

In Horkstow Grange there lives an old miser, you all do know him as I've heard tell, It was him and his man that was called John Bowlin', they fell out one market day.

Chorus: Pity them what see him suffer, pity poor old Steeleye Span, John Bowlin's deeds they will be remembered, Bowlin's deeds at Horkstow Grange.With a blackthorn stick old Steeleye struck him, oftens had threatened him before, John Bowlin' he turned round all in a passion, knocked old Steeleye on to the floor. Steeleye Span, he was felled by John Bowlin', it happened to be on a market day; Steeleye swore with all his vengeance, he would swear his life away.

Rufford Park Poachers (Poaching Song)

Known as the most technically difficult setting, Rufford Park Poachers opens presenting an asymmetrical melody between B clarinet and piccolo followed two eighth notes later by E clarinet and alto clarinet. This movement is noted for being extremely difficult to count between the counterpoint, rapidly shifting and odd time signatures, and unusual rhythms. Grainger wrote two versions - one with a fluglehorn as soloist and one with a soprano saxophone as soloist. It is noted that Grainger preferred the version with the soprano saxophone (called Version B) but only if the Soprano Sax player was able to play the solo with much expression and definition. Most recordings utilize the soprano saxophone version to stay true to the composer's wishes. Lyrics as collected by Grainger:

A buck or doe, believe it so, a pheasant or a hare/Were sent on earth for every man quite equally to share./

(Chorus:)So poacher bold, as I unfold, keep up your gallant heart,/And think about those poachers bold, that night in Rufford Park./

They say that forty gallant poachers, they were in distress,/They'd often been attacked when their number it was less./

Among the gorse, to settle scores, these forty gathered stones,/To make a fight for poor men's rights, and break the keepers' bones./

The keepers went with flails against the poachers and their cause,/To see that none again would dare defy the rich man's laws./

The keepers, they began the fray with stones and with their flails,/But when the poachers started, oh, they quickly turned their tails./

Upon the ground, with mortal wound, head-keeper Roberts lay,/He never will rise up until the final Judgment Day./

Of all that band that made their stand to set a net or snare/The four men brought before the court were tried for murder there./

The judge he said, For Roberts' death transported you must be,/To serve a term of fourteen years in convict slavery./

(Final Chorus:)So poacher bold, my tale is told, keep up your gallant heart,/And think about those poachers bold, that night in Rufford Park. [cite web|url=http://www.sover.net/~barrand/rgh/grainger.html|title=Untitled Document|accessdate=2007-10-21]

The Brisk Young Sailor (who returned to wed his True Love)

A simple short jaunty tune meant to evoke the image of a strapping young lad striding up the road to meet his sweetheart. It is in the key of B♭ Major. It begins with a clarinet choir playing the simple melody. The melody is then expanded upon by the entire band in several viciously difficult ways. One notable occurrence of this is when a solo baritone horn is given the melody while the first clarinets, flutes, and piccolos play an incredibly fast sextuplet pattern and arpeggios before it resolves into a fugue like reiteration of the melody through a solo soprano saxophone and oboe. This is considered one of the most difficult movements of the piece due to its speed and need for immaculate accuracy.

A fair maid walking all in her garden, a brisk young sailor she chanced to spy,/ He stepped up to her thinking to woo her, cried thus: "Fair maid, can you fancy I?";/ "You seem to be some man of honor, some man of honor you seem to be,/ I am a poor and lowly maiden, not fitting, sir, your servant for to be.";/ "Not fitting for to be my servant? No, I've a greater regard for you./ I'd marry you, and make you a lady, and I'd have servants for to wait on you.";/ "I have a true love all of my own, sir, and seven long years he's been gone from me,/ But seven more I will wait for him; if he's alive, he'll return to me.;/ If seven long years thy love is gone from thee, he is surely either dead or drowned,/ But if seven more you will wait for him, if he's alive, then he will be found.;/ He put his hand all in his bosom, his fingers they were both long and small./ He showed to her then the true-love token, and when she saw it, down then she did fall.;/ He took her up all in his arms, and gave her kisses, one, two and three,/ Here stands thy true and faithful sailor, who has just now returned to marry thee.

Lord Melbourne (War Song)

A fierce and heavy war song that opens in free time, where the conductor marks every beat with a different length (this portion tends to be memorized) and then moves into a trumpet solo followed by a heavy, repeating motif. This movement slides rapidly into different time signatures including unusual times such as "2.5/4" and "1.5/4" as well as in and out of "free time". Many of the bandmembers' range abilities are also tested in this movement, as the clarinets are forced to hit a top-of-their-range high G, the flutes have to hit a high B, and on the final chord the top trumpet must hit a high C sharp.

I am an Englishman to my birth, Lord Melbourne is my name; In Devonshire I first drew breath, that place of noble fame. I was beloved by all my men, by kings and princes likewise. I never failed in anything, but won great victories. Then good Queen Anne sent us on board, to Flanders we did go, We left the banks of Newfoundland to face our daring foe. We climbed those lofty hills straightway, with broken guns, shields likewise, And all those famous towns we took, to all the world’s surprise. King Charles the Second we did reserve, to face our foemen French, And to the battle of Ramillies we boldly did advance. The sun was down, the earth did shake, and I so loud did cry, Fight on, my lads, for old Englands sake, well gain the field, or die. And now this glorious victory's won, so boldly keep the field, When prisoners in great numbers took, which forced our foe to yield. That very day my horse was shot all by a cannonball, As soon as I got up again, my aide-de-camp, he did fall. Now on a bed of sickness lie, I am resigned to die, You generals all and champions bold, stand true as well as I. Stand to your men, take them on board, and fight with courage bold, I've led my men through smoke and fire, but now to death must yield.

The Lost Lady Found (Dance Song)

A quick, jumpy, straight 3/4 melody with usual accompaniment patterns that is often conducted "in 1" rather than "in 3". This setting features a constantly repeating motif interrupted by one "bridge" section. This song is also known as "Green Bushes". Almost every section is featured with the melody in this fast paced finale. The lyrics are

'Twas down in yon valley a fair maid did dwell, She lived with her uncle, they all knew full well, 'Twas down in yon valley where violets grew gay, Three gypsies betrayed her and stole her away.

Long time she'd been missing, and could not be found; Her uncle, he searched the country around, Till he came to the trustee, between hope and fear, The trustee made answer, She has not been here.

The trustee spoke over with courage so bold, I fear she's been lost for the sake of her gold, So we'll have life for life, sir, the trustee did say, We'll send you to prison, and there you shall stay.

There was a young squire that loved her so, Ofttimes to the schoolhouse together they did go, I'm afraid she's been murdered, so great is my fear. If I'd wings like a dove I would fly to my dear.

He traveled through England, through France and through Spain, Till he ventured his life on the watery main, And he came to a house where he lodged for a night, And in that same house was his own heart's delight.

When she saw him, she knew him, and fled to his arms; She told him her grief while he gazed on her charms. How came you to Dublin, my dearest, I pray? Three gypsies betrayed me and stole me away.

Your uncle's in England, in prison does lie, And for your sweet sake is condemned for to die. Carry me to old England, my dearest, she cried. One thousand I'll give thee, and will be your bride.

When they came to old England her uncle to see, The cart it was under the high gallows tree; Oh, pardon, oh, pardon, oh, pardon I crave. I'm alive, I'm alive, your dear life to save.

Then from the high gallows they led him away, The bells they did ring and the music did play, Every house in that valley with mirth did resound, As soon as they heard the lost lady was found.

References