The Londonderry Air Ensemble - Part 5, Flute Violin

Ensemble in 4 harp parts (Levels 4, 3, 2 & 1)

Duration: 6 mins, 30 secs

Part, Violin / Flute
Sheet Music Download + FREE MP3

The Londonderry Air first appeared in print in 1855 when George Petrie published his “Ancient Music of Ireland” collection. His aim was to save the music of the old Irish harpers whose tradition was in decline and to give it a new lease of life by offering it to poets to create new songs. This tune was given to Petrie by Jane Ross who collected it without a name in the county of ‘Londonderry’ in Northern Ireland – hence its title, the ‘Londonderry Air’. The song ‘Danny Boy’ was the most famous song text to be set to the tune in the early 1900s by the English song writer Fred Weatherly. The original Irish air is thought to be a harper’s composition from the 17th century entitled ‘Aisling an Oig-fhir’ – ‘The Young Man’s Dream’.

The Londonderry Air is one of the scores of the IRISH HARP ORCHESTRA (formerly the Belfast Harp Orchestra) – a harp ensemble tutored and directed by Janet Harbison with up to 24 harp players performing in up to 8 parts with occasional guest musicians on other instruments.