Hotaru Koi
Come, Firefly, Come
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SKU: CF.BAS34
Come, Firefly, Come. Composed by Japanese Folk Song. Arranged by Larry Clark. This edition: score and parts. Carl Fischer Beginning String Orchestra Series. In Japan, the early summer rainy season brings the time when fireflies begin to hatch. Once the rains have subsided, children go out to the rice fields and river banks to catch fireflies. This song is often sung during this time of the year. One of the mo. Classical. Score and Parts. With Standard notation. Carl Fischer Music #BAS34. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.BAS34).ISBN 9780825859328. UPC: 798408059323. 8.5 x 11 inches. Key: E minor.
Star arranger Larry Clark has crafted this lovely setting of one of the best-known Japanese folk songs using limited instrument ranges but surprisingly colorful scoring. The work depicts the fluttering of fireflies on a summer evening and makes an imaginative selection for a beginning string group.
In Japan, the early summer rainy season brings the time when fireflies begin to hatch. Once the rains have subsided, children go out to the rice fields and river banks to catch fireflies. This song is often sung during this time of the year. One of the most popular folksongs of the culture, it is a simple tune that uses only four notes, but contains all of the distinctive characteristics of Japanese music. In this setting I have tried to bring out the many moods of the folksong. I have used the pizzicato figures to depict the jumping of the fireflies to accompany the effervescent melody. After a few differing presentations of the tune, an augmented version is given in a more subdued manner that leads to the pizzicato climax of the piece before moving to a gradual diminuendo to complete the arrangement. The words of the original folksong are: "Ho, ho, firefly, come, theres some water thats bitter to taste, come, heres some water thats sweet to taste; ho, ho, firefly, ho, ho, up this mountain path. Fireflys daddy struck it rich, so hes got lots of dough, no wonder that his rear end sparkles in the dark. Ho, ho, firefly, up this mountain path. In the daytime hiding mongst the dewy blades of grass, but when its night, his lantern burns bright. Even though weve flown all the way from India, and those sparrows swarm to swallow us. Ho, ho, firefly, come, theres some water thats bitter to taste, ho, ho, firefly, come, heres some water thats sweet to the taste; ho, ho, firefly, up this mountain path, see a thousand lanterns sparkling in the dark, ho, ho, ho, firefly, ho, ho, up this mountain path, ho, ho, ho...".
About Carl Fischer Beginning String Orchestra Series
This series of Grade 1 pieces is designed for first year string groups. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
- Limited parts (often 2nd violin and viola are the same part, cello and bass are same part)
- Limited keys and rhythms - only simple 8th note patterns
- Limited independence of parts
- Playable after limited study time
- First position and natural bowings
- Piano for rehearsal and reinforcement