This is the sheet music for my collection of traditional English folk tune arrangements.

You can find out more about the sheet music at:
www.folkarrangements.co.uk


These flexible harmony parts and bass parts for traditional English tunes can be used by a variety of different groups and instruments, although they are primarily aimed at string players.

The tunes are various types from the English folk tradition, including morris dance tunes and some from the Playford collection.

They began life as simple harmony parts aimed at violists who wanted to join in with violinists, but found the melodies too high to be comfortable on the viola. As such, this collection can be used as simple duets of melody and harmony.

The arrangements were expanded to incorporate a second harmony part and a bass part, so they can also be used as duets, trios and quartets. They would suit people who want to play harmonies and bass lines along with traditional English folk tunes - particularly those whose instruments aren't usually associated with the melodies in this kind of music. They work well for viola and cello, but every harmony part is also provided in treble clef and can be played by other instruments (e.g. violin) as well. (Even those that don't go as low as the viola - they are transposed up an octave where needed.)

You can read more about how to use this music here:

www.folkarrangements.co.uk/how-to-use.php


Each tune is arranged in four part harmony (melody, two harmony parts and a bass line) and presented in a variety of different formats:

* String quartet
* All harmonies in alto clef for viola
* All harmonies in treble clef for violin, mandolin, flute, recorder, accordion etc.
* All harmonies in bass clef, most suitable for cello range
* Two harmonies in treble clef, bass part in bass clef (e.g. for a fiddle/flute-based band with a piano player playing chords over a bass line)

In all the scores, the melody is printed in treble clef, and has chords written above it.

You'll also receive the demonstration recordings as heard above.
In these recordings I've tried to show how the parts work as independent harmonies and also how they sound all played together: I start with the melody and harmony 1, then bring in the bass part. Then I play the tune another time through with melody, bass and harmony part 2, followed by a final time with all parts together.

The harmonies are designed as building-blocks to be used within a larger arrangement, and don't need to all be played at the same time (although they can be). For a duet, the second player could alternate between playing different harmony parts to accompany the tune, for example, or a with a larger group, additional harmonies could be added each time the tune repeats.

For detailed information about what is included and who can play it, see:
www.folkarrangements.co.uk/how-to-use.php

I also have collections of Irish and Scottish tunes arranged in the same way.