program notes by composition > I > The Irish Washerwoman
The Irish Washerwoman
Leroy Anderson
The Irish Washerwoman is the first of six movements in a picturesque suite of Irish folk music. It is a double jig, the sprightliest of dances, and is enhanced with a brilliant and infectious setting.
Leroy Anderson (1908-1975).was a preeminent American composer of light concert music. He was born in Cambridge MA to first-generation Swedish immigrants. Originally a trombonist, he was director of the Harvard Band. During WW II he served as an Army captain. A versatile linguist, he wrote a book on Icelandic grammar and served in intelligence. Anderson achieved fame as arranger for the Boston Pops Orchestra, and for his conducting.
Last updated on March 6, 2020 by Palatine Concert Band