English Folk Song Suite - Finest City Brass Concert 2/6/2026

Описание: Title: English Folk Song Suite
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Arranger: Michael Allen
▶️ Publisher: https://www.boulderbrass.org/product-...
▶️ Video Engineer: Keith Larochelle -    / @notesfromthebackrow9448  
▶️ Finest City Musician's Alliance Website: https://www.finestmusic.org/
Conductor: Avi Mehta

0:00 - March - I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
4:10 - Intermezzo - My Bonny Boy
8:35 - March - Folksongs from Somerset

English Folk Song Suite was recorded live at the Mission Hills High School Performing Arts Center in San Marcos, CA on February 6th, 2026.

Composed in 1923 for British military band, English Folk Song Suite is one of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ most cherished works. Drawing upon traditional melodies he collected during the English folk song revival, Vaughan Williams transformed simple rural tunes into a sophisticated and enduring concert work.

In Michael Allen’s brass ensemble arrangement, the suite takes on a distinctive new character. By transferring the textures to a brass choir setting, Allen highlights the warmth, nobility, and clarity of the melodies while preserving Vaughan Williams’ graceful phrasing and harmonic richness.

I. March – Seventeen Come Sunday
The suite opens with a lively march built on the folk tune “Seventeen Come Sunday,” a playful song of youthful courtship. In the brass setting, the bright clarity of the upper voices carries the buoyant melody, while the lower brass provide rhythmic lift and grounded support.

Unlike the more bombastic style of some marches, this one feels elegant and distinctly English—light on its feet, melodically charming, and rhythmically crisp.

II. Intermezzo – My Bonny Boy
The second movement provides expressive contrast. “My Bonny Boy” unfolds in long, singing lines that allow the brass ensemble to showcase blend, balance, and sustained lyricism.

Without the color palette of woodwinds, the brass must shape the phrasing with careful attention to tone and breath support. The result is a warm, hymn-like sonority that feels both intimate and noble.

III. March – Folk Songs from Somerset
The final movement combines several Somerset folk melodies, weaving them into a spirited and colorful conclusion. In the brass ensemble version, antiphonal effects and layered voicing create energy and dimension.

The interplay between upper and lower voices adds brilliance and momentum, building toward a confident and celebratory finish that captures the rustic vitality of the original tunes.

The Finest City Musicians Alliance (FCMA) seeks to unify their community through artistic performance, mentorship, and multi-disciplinary collaboration to create a more vibrant San Diego County.

Finest City Brass (FCB) is a large symphonic brass choir comprised of 25-30 musicians specializing in music for brass and percussion.

Directed by Avi Mehta, the ensemble performs approximately 3 concerts per year featuring both contemporary brass repertoire and large symphonic pieces adapted for smaller groups.

FCB strives to foster community and build connections in the brass community through musical excellence, free concerts around San Diego, and mentorship opportunities for young brass and percussion students.

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