Sheet Music Review—Fiddle Tunes: Irish Music For Strings

By Mary Nemet | From the May-June 2021 issue of Strings magazine

Here is the latest addition to Bärenreiter’s Easy String Ensemble series. Music has always played an important role in Irish culture. The merry sounds of the fiddle, drum, and harp help drive away bad spirits (and hopefully, foggy weather), enhancing a sense of magic and fantasy, bringing hope and comfort to a land of often hard times. 

These six simple but catchy melodies are ideal for early ensemble training and for first concert performances. The sometimes cheerful, often melancholy tunes such as “A Lovely Lass,” “Quiet Sailing Waters,” “The Green Glen,” and “The Foggy Dew” are expertly arranged by George Speckert and will appeal to young string players. First violin gets the lion’s share, but most themes are evenly distributed in the other parts so that everyone gets a chance to shine.

The score and parts contain five separate parts for violins 1, 2, and 3, viola, and cello and bass combined. (A separate double-bass part would be very handy.) In all pieces the viola can be replaced by the third violin. The spacious, easy-to-read printing is exemplary.