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Mannin Veen

Haydn Wood

Mannin Veen beautifully represents the picturesque island located in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland, where the composer lived as a youth. Meaning “Dear Isle of Man,” Mannin Veen was originally written for wind band in 1933. It is a tone poem based on four Manx folk songs. The first is “The Good Old Way,” a lively traditional air, written mostly in Dorian mode. The second, which introduces the lively section of the work, is a reel -- “The Manx Fiddler” -- a Scottish or Gaelic reel much like an American hoedown, The third tune, “Sweet Water in the Common,” relates to the old practice of convening a jury of twenty-four men to decide questions connected with watercourses, boundaries, etc. The fourth is a fine old hymn, “The Harvest of the Sea,” sung by fishermen in thanksgiving after their safe return from the fishing grounds.

Haydn Wood (1882 – 1959) was a 20th-century English composer and concert violinist, best known for his 200 or so ballad style songs, including the popular Roses of Picardy .

Last updated on May 8, 2022 by Palatine Concert Band