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The Irish Washerwoman sheet music

Sheet music for The Irish Washerwoman appears here in three listed versions: soprano recorder, solo violin, and violin with hand clap. Each is notated in 6/8, and one score is titled as an Irish jig. The scores credit the tune as 'Irish Traditional', 'Traditional' or 'Unknown'; compare the instrumentation, opening key signatures, tempo markings and number of parts before choosing a version.

Scores 1–20 of 91

Sheet music

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What the listed versions contain

The three versions are scored for soprano recorder, solo violin, and violin with hand clap. All show 6/8 as the opening time signature. The recorder and solo violin scores open with no sharps or flats; the violin-and-hand-clap score shows two sharps for one part and no sharps or flats for another. The solo violin score lists an opening tempo of 200 BPM, the two-part score lists 120 BPM, and the recorder score has no opening tempo shown.

Choosing between the violin settings

A violinist can choose a one-part solo score or a two-part setting that adds hand clap. The solo version gives a single melodic line to follow; the two-part version divides the material between violin and hand clap. No difficulty grade is given for either score, so compare the opening key, tempo marking and part count with what you need for your performance.

Reading the 6/8 notation

In 6/8, each bar contains six eighth notes grouped as two sets of three, so the music is usually felt in two broad beats rather than six equal stresses. Watch the beaming to see those groupings. The tempo markings shown in the scores describe their openings, not a fixed speed for every performance of The Irish Washerwoman.

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Common questions

Which instruments are the listed versions of The Irish Washerwoman written for?

The listed versions of The Irish Washerwoman are scored for soprano recorder, solo violin, and violin with hand clap. The two-part setting pairs the violin with a hand-clap part rather than a second melodic instrument.

How does the violin-and-hand-clap version differ from the solo violin version?

The violin-and-hand-clap setting of The Irish Washerwoman has two parts, while the solo violin version has one. The two-part score lists 120 BPM at the opening, and the solo violin score lists 200 BPM; the two-part version also shows two sharps for one part and no sharps or flats for another.

Is The Irish Washerwoman a jig in these scores?

One listed score is titled 'Irish Washerwoman - an Irish Jig', and all three versions show 6/8 as the opening time signature. In 6/8, each bar is grouped as two sets of three eighth notes, giving a broad two-beat feel rather than six equal stresses. The listings support the jig description; they do not provide a historical account of the tune.

What opening tempo markings appear in the scores?

The solo violin version of The Irish Washerwoman lists an opening tempo of 200 BPM, while the violin-and-hand-clap version lists 120 BPM. The soprano-recorder version has no opening tempo shown. These are markings for the start of each score, not a required performance speed for the tune.

What key signatures do the versions begin with?

The soprano-recorder and solo-violin versions of The Irish Washerwoman open with no sharps or flats. The violin-and-hand-clap version shows two sharps for one part and no sharps or flats for another at the opening.

Is a composer named for The Irish Washerwoman in these scores?

A single named composer does not appear in the listed scores for The Irish Washerwoman; their credits read 'Unknown', 'Irish Traditional', and 'Traditional'. These credits present the tune as traditional material but do not give a documented composer attribution.