Product Description
ALAN EDGAR EASY FLEXIBLE SERIES
A lifetime of trying to organise amateur and youth instrumental ensembles showed me that there is a shortage of really easy and truly flexible arrangements for orchestra. There are many for wind groups, but these favour the flat keys and are hard to use with strings. It is always possible to make an arrangement for your members, but it's a lot of work especially when you don't know who will turn up or join or disappear or fall ill, and you find it won't work next year! I am therefore making arrangements on these lines:
Only three different Voices. Only standard notation (no chord symbols or tabs). If possible use F major or D minor to keep the sharps and flats to a minimum even for transposing instruments. Limit the range of each Voice to that required in about Grade 1 assuming unfit lips (an octave and a bit, f sharp, b flat). Where possible, give all three voices and drums the same rhythm and avoid double whole notes, sixteenth notes etc. Sometimes place a legato mark over notes which would sound better if tied, but would then have different rhythm from others. Avoid measures rest, DCs, first and second time measures and codas. Omit less important symbols such as dynamics, tempo markings, tenor clefs and use large print. There are parts for instruments in C, treble clef; Violas; instruments reading bass clef; instruments in Bb, in F and in Eb, all in treble clef; Piano and Drumset. I aimed to make the parts suitable for all orchestral instruments, Recorders, all Saxes, all brass instruments including military and British style brass band instruments and French Horn, Chromatic Harmonica. The Drum parts do not specify instruments and are optional. Xylophone, Glockenspiel and other chromatic percussion can use the treble clef in C part (Timpani are not included). Harps, Melodicas, Organs, Harpsichords and Electronic Keyboards can use the Piano or one Voice from the Instruments in C treble clef or Instruments in C bass clef. Guitars are not specially considered, but can read the Instruments in C, treble clef; Bass Guitars use the bass clef part. Each part shows all three voices so ANY THREE PLAYERS (of Chromatic Instruments) CAN PERFORM EACH PIECE, without scrabbling in the library for alternative parts. If you have more than three players, you can instruct some to omit measures to give variety of timbre and a chance for quieter sections to be prominent. It's a bit of work for me to check all possibilities: please let me know of any problems or comments at alan@science-music.karoo.co.uk. I have many more arrangements in the pipeline, so watch the website (Ask me if you need a particular piece). It is not practicable to keep the sharps few for Eb instruments, but if they join an orchestra they will expect to learn the sharps. The Piano-Conductor Part shows a piano-reduction of the three voices (so this is also easy but beyond Grade 1) plus the drum set and any special information. The Piano Part works as a solo, and any one instrument can join in. The top Voice on every part may be suitable as a solo, so anybody can have a go as Soloist. If the Director keeps a master copy of all eight parts and a few spares of each or a photocopier to hand, organisation should be much simplified, and no arranging skills will be needed--just make sure all three lines are being played. When you have the choice, tell the bass instruments to play the Bottom Voice and the trebles and tenors to take the Top and Middle voices. Each Voice may be shown doubled at the octave, so players can play the notes they know. When players ask which of the doubled notes to play, prefer the top note for the Top Voice and the lower note for the Bottom Voice. Adventurous and skilled flutes and violins can play the Top Voice 8va
There are thousands of possible combinations of instruments--any Trio, Quartet, Quintetany Band or Orchestra. If you only have (British type) Brass Band brass, and they can all pla
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