A’ Bhirlinn Taiobsheil (The Ghost Longship)

Sweeney, William

About the work

A’Bhirlinn Taibhseil (The Ghost Longship) is scored for Concert wind band and an accompanying group of “Harmony” players. Melodic lines in the upper instruments are, in some parts, heavily ornamented and to be played freely, thus creating an “overlapping” result recalling the style of Gaelic psalm-singing. These melodic lines are punctuated by rhythmic patterns in the lower instruments.

First Performance: CoMA Summer School Wind Ensemble, Sep 1993, Firth Hall, Sheffield

Technical notes

Although scored for a large concert wind band, this piece can be played by any suitable combination of wind instruments – the many doublings of lines specifically allow for this. There are also parts for an almost continuous background ‘ harmony’ group which can be performed by any instruments (including strings, voices etc).

Origin

CoMA (with funds from the Arts Council of England)