There Was a Pig Went Out to Dig (Grainger)

This delightfully rollicking Grainger tune has been masterfully set for wind band by Gary Gackstatter, freely tossing the melodies around the ensemble and remaining true to Grainger's quirky & descriptive style markings.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Level: 3 | Duration: 2:00

Instrumentation
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Clarinet 1
B-flat Clarinet 2
B-flat Clarinet 3
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone 1
Alto Saxophone 2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

F Horn 1
F Horn 2
B-flat Trumpet 1
B-flat Trumpet 2
B-flat Trumpet 3
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Baritone T.C.
Tuba
String Bass

Timpani (3 drums)
Bells
Xylophone
Vibraphone
Marimba (4-octave)
Percussion 1 (snare drum, tambourine)
Percussion 2 (small triangle, crash cymbals, suspended cymbal)

Program Notes
Percy Grainger's great love of collecting and arranging folk tunes is on full display in this piece arranged from Grainger's original score for 4-part women's choir from 1915. Originally a Christmas tune (in minor!), this is a fun little romp. The original is "lovingly and reverently dedicated to the memory of Edvard Grieg."

The original song begins with the following verse:
There was a pig went out to dig,
Chris-I-mas Day, Chris-I-mas Day
There was a pig went out to dig on
Chris-I-mas Day in the morning.

Grainger added verses such as:
There was a doe went out to hoe and
There was a roe went out to mow.

According to the original sheet music, the melody and many of the lyrics were from “an English playing song collected in Lancashire and published in Miss M.H. Mason's 'Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs.'” Grainger took his usual liberties with the melody, casting it into many different shades of emotion before ending with a huge exclamation point.

I have kept his notes, tempi, and dynamic markings (louden lots!), added percussion, and arranged this for a modern wind ensemble, trying to come close to the orchestration I think Grainger may have wanted.

- G.G.