A suite for string quartet, attributed to Ben Franklin and discovered in Paris in the 1940s, quickly drew interest from American string quartets and composers. In this suite for string orchestra, Alan Shulman uses themes from the “Ben Franklin” quartet, maintaining the glorious 18th-century style and the flavor of revolutionary-era America. In this year honoring the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth, we are pleased to offer this unique edition for school string groups.