The Ash Grove, a Welsh Song from Long Ago
The Ash Grove, with bass clef, treble clef and viola clef lead sheets, as well as two easy Middle-C shared-hands melody versions for beginner piano students! And yes, a PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT for singers.
See the lead sheets and beginning piano versions below.
The vocal music with piano accompaniment and the guitar tabs are farther down the page.
Please scroll down the page for the links to the free downloadable PDFs.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
This hand arrangement works out perfectly - as a 10-finger song - as long as the right hand does not try to play Middle C (a definite temptation for your beginners).
Here is the same arrangement, using lettered keyboard music notes:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
This song will make a beautiful piano duet, if the secondo players follows the chord symbols above the lines of music (and knows how to use chords...)
Now the lead sheets:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
The key of Bb seems particularly beautiful on the piano, to me...
And lead sheets for bass clef instruments (my cello!):
Let's have a look at the viola clef free lead sheets, page 1:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Now... for the vocal and guitar sheets!
Ever since seeing Elizabeth Bennett singing the Ash Grove (in one of the BBC versions of Pride and Prejudice), I have loved this song. It is not very difficult, but it has a few features that make it one of those songs that teach vocalists how to sing better.
For example, on page 2, the second line has a bit of a rallentando, and the temptation is to drop the energy of the voice just when it needs to be carrying through, even surging, at "the joy of my heart..."
Also, there are long phrases in the first half of the song, where beginning singers will want to take lots of breaths.
Don't let them! Teach them what "breathing for singing" means, by encouraging them to make their air last all the way to "meander," and again until after "rove."
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
I like to have songs available in several different keys, as I plan the singing for beginners whose range may be quite limited at first.
Here is a version with tablature for guitar:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Here is a choir singing The Ash Grove in Welsh. Go here to see the Welsh lyrics and read comments for this video...
The links for the Middle C shared-hands melody arrangement for beginner piano:
Print out "Down yonder green valley" for beginning piano
Ash Grove with note names in the music notes
The links for the lead sheet PDFs:
Download Welsh song lead sheet in A
Download Welsh song "Down yonder green valleys" in Bb
Download "Down yonder green valleys" lead in C
Download lead sheet for song "Down yonder green valleys" in D
Download "Down yonder green valleys" in the key of F lead sheet
Download Welsh song lead in the key of G
Links for the lead sheets in bass clef:
Download the Ash Grove for bass clef in D
Download the Ash Grove for bass clef in G
The links for the viola clef leads:
Download the Ash Grove viola clef lead sheet in D
Download the Ash Grove viola clef lead sheet in G
The links for the vocals with piano accompaniment:
Download free vocal sheet music The Ash Grove in the key of A
Download free piano and vocal sheet music in the key of F
Download free piano/vocal music in the key of G
And the link for the guitar tablature for this lovely song:
The Ash Grove for guitar, in the key of G
This is an old melody that continues to live -- I hope you and your students enjoy it!
More Folk Songs to Sing:
Ae Fond Kiss - a love song about saying goodbye, from Scotland
All the Pretty Little Horses - a soft and repetitious lullaby, quite pretty
Ash Grove - a famous and lovely song from Wales
Auld Lang Syne - the New Year's Eve song!
Colorado Trail Song - an American tune written by a real cowboy
Come By the Hills - another popular Irish melody
Down By the Salley Gardens - a famous and pretty song, very sweet
Green Bushes - a brisk little song that is pretty while being good for breath control training
Grenadier and the Lady - my favorite folk song of all. Find out why
I Gave My Love a Cherry - the "Riddle Song" is very pretty
Loch Lomond - the famous and sad song about never meeting again
Mari's Wedding - a singable tune with bouncy chords that is fun to play or sing
Minstrel Boy - a lovely and patriotic song about a warrior-poet
Molly Bawn - a sad story of a young hunter who thought he was shooting at a swan
Morning Has Broken - a beautiful melody made famous again by Cat Stevens
Once I Had a Sweetheart - "but now I have none!" Very pretty, and little-known.
Parting Glass - a well-known Irish tune which my singers always love
Raggle-Taggle Gypsies - a story about a young bride who abandons her wealthy new husband to go off with the gypsies. A catchy melody!
Scarborough Fair - an old and famous tune of lost love
Shenandoah - a famous and lovely American tune with ambiguous lyrics
Skye Boat Song - a pretty song from Scotland about the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie over the sea
Spanish Ladies - a minor key sea chanty that swings energetically along - BOYS like singing it too!
The Spanish Lady - Upbeat and energetic, this Irish song is fun to perform with a group
Star of the County Down - LOTS of fun to sing and play! An excellent ensemble piece
The Wellerman - a sea chanty that is very singable, and very fun!
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
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Toni:
Thank you for your wonderful website. I also teach piano, voice and guitar - spooky! My absolute passion is opera, and have opened many a singing student's ear to the beautiful melodies and voices in the repertoire.
Thank you for the wonderful warm-ups which I have downloaded, and will be using at the earliest opportunity - I will let you know how they go! Looking forward to more warm up ideas, too.
Jane:
I just came across your website. Thank you for your wonderful generosity in sharing all these tools and tips! I am 78 years old, have sung solos and in choirs all my life and am currently appearing in our local Mary Poppins production as the Bird Woman.
The mother of one of our very young actors (7) has asked me if I would teach her to sing. I am not sure I am qualified, but with all the tools you have provided, I am considering it.
About the Author
Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
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