Product Description
This melody
is described as traditional, as it is essentially an old Irish air. The lyrics of The Minstrel Boy were set to
the tune by Thomas Moore (1779 1852), apparently in memory of friends who
lost their lives in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
The tune is
frequently performed in remembrance contexts, particularly those involving
persons of Irish ancestry. In the UK, it
is played annually at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in
London. The Minstrel Boy also featured
during the procession to Westminster Abbey at the funeral of Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth the Queen Mother in April 2002, reflecting her long association with
the men of the Irish Regiment.
In the USA,
police and fire departments historically included a high proportion of
Irish-Americans, so it became traditional for The Minstrel Boy to be performed
at the funerals of service members killed in the line of duty.
This arrangement of The Minstrel Boy is designed for double reed duo of oboe and bassoon but the upper part could also be played by flute.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.