The Ash Grove: Theme and Variations
by Traditional · arranged by Garth Williams
- Instrumentation
- Cello, Piano
- Composed
- 2018
- Duration
- 3'
- Publisher
- Kantata Studios, Duncan, B.C. (arranger's imprint), (c) 2018; distributed by the Canadian Music Centre (RSN 76092, call no. MI 3213 W7235ash; score 8 pp.)
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About this piece
The Ash Grove (Llwyn Onn) is a Welsh folk song whose tune was first printed in 1802 [1]. Garth Williams, a British Columbia string teacher who publishes his teaching pieces through his own Kantata Studios, set it for cello and piano as a short theme and variations [2][3][4]. The cello states the tune in G major, then plucks broken chords pizzicato while the piano takes over the melody, and then slows to a quiet Grave in G minor with double stops before the tune comes back in G major to close [2]. The Canadian Music Centre lists it at Intermediate level, about three minutes long [3].
Technical overview
3/4, G major with a G minor middle section, bass clef throughout. Mostly first position, with a few fingered notes up to E on the A string and accidentals in the minor variation. Tenuto quarters taken on repeated up-bows, a pizzicato variation in steady eighth notes, and a Grave section (quarter = 60) with stopped double stops in thirds, fifths and sixths at pp, hairpins, a ritardando and a fermata.
Technical focus
- 2 Note Slurs
- Accidentals
- Bow Retakes
- Collaboration with Piano
- Double Stops
- Hairpin Dynamics
- Pizzicato
- Shifting
- Tempo Changes