A Longford Legend

Keith Pitner, presenterBy Robert Sheldon

A Longford Legend is based on three 18A Longford Legend is based on three 18thth century Irish poems century Irish poems

Movement I – A Longford Legend

� Poem Excerpt:

Oh! 'Tis of a bold major a tale I'll relate,Who possessed a fine house and a charming estate,Who, when possible, always his pleasure would takeFrom morning till night in a boat on his lake.So a steam-launch he bought from a neighbouring peer,And learnt how to start her, to stoke, and to steer;But part of the craft he omitted to learn –How to ease her, and to stop her, and back her astern.

Movement I – A Longford Legend

� Synopsis:There was a man who enjoyed boats and bought one of his own. He learned to start it, fuel it, and steer it, but he didn't learn how to stop it and bring it ashore. He set out one morning with his crew and had a great ride, and at night he told one of his crew to stop the boat, but the crew member said, “I don't know how, you do it!” But nobody on board knew how to stop the man's boat. They rode around for days and weeks, as nobody could stop the boat, until they all died of starvation, and the boat still rides around, the man and his crew's ghosts still on board, still yelling at each other to stop the boat.

Movement I – A Longford Legend

Form

A (mm. 1-8)B (mm. 9-16)A' (mm. 17-24)C (mm. 25-32)C' (mm. 33-48)A'' (mm. 49-56)Coda (mm. 57-70)

� Rondo form – every contrasting section is followed by a repeat of the main theme (A)

Movement I – A Longford Legend

Let's sing the melody from the A theme together!

Movement I – A Longford Legend

� Listen for the...

� Story

� Form

� Melody

Listenhttp://www.keitherboo.com/other/longfordlegend/movement1.mp3

Movement II – Young Molly Bawn

Poem Excerpt:

– Come, all you young gallants that follow the gun.Beware of late shooting at the setting sun;For it's little you know of what happened of lateTo young Molly asthoreen, whole beauty was great.

Movement II – Young Molly Bawn

� Synopsis:

The story tells of a young girl named Molly Bawn who was on a walk and hid in a bush because it was raining. Her lover was in the area hunting and mistook her for a fawn and shot her and killed her. When he realized it was her, he was filled with sorrowness and grief and cried many tears.

Movement II – Young Molly Bawn

� Think about story-telling. Do you tell a good story all in the same volume and pacing?

Of course not! The voice speed, inflection, volume, body movement, and facial expressions all go with the flow of the story, especially the most expressive parts.

� [Demonstration of same story twice, once boring and once with

all of those expressive concepts]

Movement II – Young Molly Bawn

� [Have class try telling short story to the person next to them with all the expressive elements. Switch roles. 45 seconds each.]

Movement II – Young Molly Bawn

� Think about how emotional this story is and how the way we play and shape our phrases must relate the great sorrow of the man who killed his lover to the audience. Imagine if he himself were telling the story.

Movement II – Young Molly Bawn

� As you listen, use body movements or drawing on paper to show the dynamics, expression, and movement of the phrases in the music.

Listenhttp://www.keitherboo.com/other/longfordlegend/movement2.mp3

Movement III – Killyburn Brae

� Poem Excerpt:

There was an ould man down by Killyburn brae,Had a scolding ould wife for the most of his day

One day as this man he walk'd out in the glenSure he met with the divil, says “How are you then?”Says he, me ould man I have come for yer wife,For I hear she's the plague an' torment of yer life

Movement III – Killyburn Brae

� Synopsis:

� There was an old man who had a scolding, mean wife. While on a walk, he meets a devil, who says he has heard about how terrible his wife is and is taking her with him back to hell. He takes her down to hell with him, but after only a brief stay, the devil brings his wife back and tells him to keep her as even hell can't stand her. He says, “Now I've been a divil the most of me life, but I ne'er was in hell till I met with yer wife.”

Movement III – Killyburn Brae

Form

A (mm. 114-133)A' (mm. 134-149)Trans (mm. 150-157)B (mm. 158-173)B' (mm. 174-189)Trans (mm.190-197)A (mm. 198-215)C (mm. 216-239)A (mm. 240-259)Trans (mm. 260-263)Coda (mm. 264-289)

� What form is this?

� The A theme is the story and the old man's main theme.

� The B theme is happier, as the old man's wife is gone.

� The C theme is at the gates of hell!

� The end returns to the main theme, as everything is back to normal.

Movement III – Killyburn Brae

Singing

Singing

Clapping – 2 Groups

1

2

3

Self check: Accuracy in... Rhythm? Articulation? Style?

Movement III – Killyburn Brae

Listen for...

-Story

-Form

-Rhythm, articulation, style

Listenhttp://www.keitherboo.com/other/longfordlegend/movement3.mp3

A Longford Legend

Take home copies of the...

Original Poems

Form Analyses

Recordings

Homework:

Write a short poem, either 18th century Irish style or the style of your choice, that tells a story. Think of the kind of music that would go with your story. See me or your English teacher if you need more direction.