Thank You!

Lascia chio pianga

The aria or song is taken from the opera Rinaldo which first appeared in 1711 and was revised in 1733. It is in ABA form and based on the sarabande rh Read More...

The aria or song is taken from the opera Rinaldo which first appeared in 1711 and was revised in 1733. It is in ABA form and based on the sarabande rhythm which has the stress on the second beat of the three beats in the bar. When sung the Da Capo section would be an opportunity for the soloist to improvise and ornament the melody and this is option available to the organists although it is important to keep to the style and mood of the piece. This is very appropriate music for a solemn processional in an organ playing context. The use of three registrations is suggested and are indicated in the score. Rests have been indicated in all parts so that players have a clear understanding of the voicing. It is also a movement that invites interpretation and playing in different contexts. The arrangement is in the original key of F major although the tempo for the organ solo is more Larghetto than Largo which was the tempo indication in the opera. The video score plays back at a tempo of 66 half note or minim beats to the minute. Rests are indicated in the score enabling players to have a clear understanding of the voicing of the musical lines. Moskowski has also arranged the aria for piano. Close

It’s A Date

It's A Date is a beginner level piano/keyboard piece based on a 12 bar blues. As a beginner score the letter names of the notes appear in the note hea Read More...

It's A Date is a beginner level piano/keyboard piece based on a 12 bar blues. As a beginner score the letter names of the notes appear in the note heads and suggested fingering is in place. The tempo of the playback on the video score is 84 half note or minim beats to the minute.Players need to take notice of the accent signs marked in the score and keep their hands as light as possible. Playing a blues structured piece of music does encourage fluent playing and the development of musical memory. The 12 bar blues forms the basis of much popular music of the 20th century. Close

Manchega arr. alto saxophone & piano

Manchega originates as a concert étude for piano – an etude in music is a study. Such movements are intended to improve and demonstrate technique a Read More...

Manchega originates as a concert étude for piano – an etude in music is a study. Such movements are intended to improve and demonstrate technique and in the context of the original arrangement was intended to demonstrate his virtuoso playing. The playback tempo in the playback score is 60 dotted quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. The movement in ABA (Ternary form) which was very much the standard form during the romantic period. Composers needed to follow the conventions of their time to ensure the patterns of their music were readily recognized by audiences. The A section is in Eb and the B section in Gb. The repeat does not sound in the playback. There has been some re-scoring but not re-writing of the original material. This is an excellent piece for developing 3 v 2 playing which is such a characteristic element of Spanish and music based on Spanish models. The music editor suggests practicing the music slowly in the first instance so that all rhythmic shapes and patterns are secure. The use of the piano sustaining pedal is recommended but is not indicated in the score. Gottschalk’s writing is influenced by Chopin. As the repetitive element in the movement is strong there is an opportunity to explore how notes are articulated and the tonal and dynamic range in a performance. The music editor suggests that this movement along with much of Gottschalk’s music is worth discovering particularly in arrangements where the playing level allows access to the music. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Piano accompaniments are also available for download in mp3 format at tempi of Accompaniment (1) 57 Accompaniment (2) 60 and Accompaniment (3) 63 dotted quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829 – 1869) was an American composer and pianist born in New Orleans who spent most of his performing career touring and giving concerts. He was often referred to as the greatest pianist from the “New World.” Chopin, Liszt and Alkan were admirers of his talent. His compositions established him as one of the first identifiable American composers. In his music it is possible to hear a mix of American creole, African-American and European music traditions. His early works in particularly are imbued with the sounds that he heard in his youth in Louisiana . The syncopated nature of his music anticipates many of the characteristics of later American ragtime and jazz music. Close

Mi Teresita (Little Waltz) arr. alto saxophone & piano

Teresa Carreño 1853 – 1917 was a Venezuelan concert pianist and composer whose career spanned a period of 54 years. Known for her powerful and sp Read More...

Teresa Carreño 1853 – 1917 was a Venezuelan concert pianist and composer whose career spanned a period of 54 years. Known for her powerful and spirited playing she earned the title from her Berlin years as the “Valkyrie of the piano.” She was closely associated with the music of Edward MacDowell, a pupil, premiering several of his works and also the music of Amy Beach. She lived in the USA and Berlin which became her base for her years in Europe. Her schedule of concerts and the longevity of her career suggests that she was very hard working. A superb player of octaves she possessed a powerful tone and great strength. She travelled widely performing in Europe including the Henry Wood Proms, USA and Australia. Henry Wood wrote that "It is difficult to express adequately what all musicians felt about this great woman who looked like a queen among pianists - and played like a goddess.” She must indeed have been a larger than life character because over 100 years after her death her legacy remains strong and there are player piano recordings of her work available. “Mi Teresita” (Little Waltz ) composed in 1885 for her daughter Teresita was one of her most popular pieces during her lifetime and often performed as an encore at her own concerts. In this arrangement for alto saxophone accompanied by the piano the sounding key is Eb. Flute players should be aiming for a beautiful legato and focusing on the tonal quality of their playing. The movement should not be played too quickly and there is a captivating closing section. The considerable range of dynamics also needs to be explored in a performance. Rubato is an aspect of the performance that players can consider although it is not featured in the realization. The melody is reminiscent of something that might feature in a music box and it is a pity that a lilting quality isn’t quite represented in the realization. An alto saxophone part is appended to the full score. Piano accompaniments are also available for download in mp3 format at tempi of Accompaniment (1) 120 Accompaniment (2) 124 and Accompaniment (3) 128 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Close

None but the Lonely Heart arr. alto saxophone & piano

None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song and dates from 1869 coming from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. The poetry was written by the Germa Read More...

None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song and dates from 1869 coming from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. The poetry was written by the German romantic poet Goethe and subsequently translated into Russian. The music editor recommends reading a translation of the text although the clear message in the poem is an expression of loneliness. Although only 54 bars long the piece has great emotional and musical range making it an ideal assessment and audition piece. The repeating elements add unity to the song which has strong rhythmic and melodic shapes. Whilst there is a clearly evident phrase structure there are some overlapping phrases and the occasionally musical link which players need to take into consideration during a performance. Musically the falling minor 7th in the melody is characteristic as is the chromatic harmony which features a number of half-diminished 7th chords. Solo players should be aiming for a legato in their playing ensuring that they feature contrasting dynamics in a performance. There is a considerable amount of score detail and it is an excellent piece for developing control and quality of tone in solo playing. The suggested phrasing is determined by the shape of the melody and the punctuation of the poetry. Accompanists will need to make use of the sustaining pedal whilst the off-beat or syncopated chords in the accompaniment add to the intensity of the music. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 92 quarter notes or crotchet beats to the minute. There are accompaniments available playing at (1) 84 (2) 88 (3) 92 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute from the PlentyMusic website. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the sheet music score. Close

Down By The Riverside arr. alto saxophone & piano

Down By The Riverside is a song that dates back to before the American Civil War but was not published until 1918. It can be described as an African A Read More...

Down By The Riverside is a song that dates back to before the American Civil War but was not published until 1918. It can be described as an African American spiritual. There are many recorded versions dating as far back as the 1920’s and It was also familiar as an anti-war protest song during the Vietnam war. There are many versions of the lyrics which include Old Testament bible references. There are fine performances to be discovered by traditional jazz bands and singers that explore traditional, gospel and contemporary popular music styles. This arrangement sounds in the key of Eb and features syncopation in a march style. It is as an excellent introduction for learning to play in the 20th century popular idiom. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. There is one accompaniment available that plays back at a tempo of 84 half note or minim beats to the minute. Close

Odeon arr. alto saxophone & piano

This arrangement of Odeon for alto saxophone and piano is a lively rhythmic movement full of energy featuring many syncopated patterns with the reali Read More...

This arrangement of Odeon for alto saxophone and piano is a lively rhythmic movement full of energy featuring many syncopated patterns with the realisation playing back at a tempo of 88 quarter note or crotchet beats to the minute. It is also a movement with a wide melodic range. In this particular arrangement the music has been transposed up a semitone from its original key and where necessary there are some octave transpositions in the melody line to keep within the instrument’s range. The repetition element is quite strong as is typical of a piece of popular music whilst the form of the movement can be represented by the letters AABBACCA. Nazareth was a Brazilian composer and pianist whose compositional style absorbs many different influences including Brazilian, European, African and ragtime. As a composer Nazareth was particularly influenced by Chopin. The small ornamental notes can be added when the piece is able to be played competently. The score details in the composer’s hands is written in his native Portuguese and the words bright and dry are used along with the word gingando which means girgling. The accompanist needs to have quite a percussive approach in their playing to communicate the rhythmic detail and energy of the movement. There are three piano accompaniments available at tempi of 88, 92 and 96 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute with the repeats being played. Close

Sweet Dreams arr. saxophone choir/ quintet

An arrangement for soprano, two alto, tenor and baritone saxophones – 5 parts in total of this improver level ternary form (ABA) work from Tchaikovs Read More...

An arrangement for soprano, two alto, tenor and baritone saxophones – 5 parts in total of this improver level ternary form (ABA) work from Tchaikovsky’s 1878 Album for the Young, Opus 39. It is a melodic movement with a regular phrase structure which is not surprising for a composer known for his ballet music. There are editions where accent markings are placed very generously in the music scores although the music editor suggests that modern instruments with their stronger tone quality do not require such score markings. This is an excellent piece for developing legato playing and tone quality in the melody playing. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 84 quarter note or crotchet beats to the minute. The score and parts can be downloaded as a one document pdf file from the website. Close

Romantic Piece No.1 arr. alto saxophone & piano

A simply beautiful piece of music of chamber music possibly deserving of a more inspiring title than simply Romantic Piece No. 1 Opus 75 but suited to Read More...

A simply beautiful piece of music of chamber music possibly deserving of a more inspiring title than simply Romantic Piece No. 1 Opus 75 but suited to being played by a number of solo instruments although its origins are as a violin and piano piece. It dates from early 1887. In this arrangement for alto saxophone accompanied by piano there is considerable dynamic detail and any performance needs to reference this aspect of the score detail. The tempo of the playback in the realisation is 104 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. This is an excellent piece for players keen to improve their tone and legato playing as it has a very song like and melodic character. Great space is created in the accompaniment figuration which has an almost Bach quality whilst the harmonic language and at times the texture clearly belong to the late 19th century. The music editor suggested pedalling is in place for parts of the movement with the pedalling effectively changing every time the bass note is changed. The repeats are not played in the realisation. There are some octave transpositions in the arrangement needed to keep the alto saxophone within its range. Antonín Dvo?ák is described as Czech composer with his work incorporating rhythms and musical features of folk music from Moravia and his native Bohemia. Like many of his contemporaries of the late romantic era who lived on what were considered to be, at the time, the peripheries of Europe, he is often described as a nationalist composer. Dvo?ák’s compositional style is influenced by Brahms although his works have a very individual style possessing a great sense of energy and anticipation of the new century. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Two accompaniments are available (1) without repeats and (2) with repeats playing back at a tempo of 104 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Close

Norwegian Dance No.2 arr. alto saxophone & piano

An arrangement for alto saxophone and piano of this charming character piece. This movement is in ABA ternary form with the A section playing back at Read More...

An arrangement for alto saxophone and piano of this charming character piece. This movement is in ABA ternary form with the A section playing back at a tempo of 68 quarter note beats to the minute in the realisation and the faster B section at 112 quarter note beats to the minute. The music has a regular 4 bar phrase structure and there are some chromatic elements in the writing. There is opportunity for some subtle changes in tempo particularly at the ends of sections and these feature in the realisations. The melodic and rhythmic shapes of the movement are both strong and although concisely written there is plenty of contrast. It is an excellent performance piece with the opening melodic shape having an almost teasing quality. There is always a sense of movement in Grieg’s writing and the ranges of colour in his harmonic writing make his music eminently suitable to being played by many different combinations of instruments. Pianists have a number of different techniques that they can develop when playing this piece including legato, staccato, accents, tenuto, spread chords, crossing over of hands and using the sustaining and sostenuto pedal. It is a very good piece for developing octave playing. The sustaining pedal needs to be used in the playing of the movement and many of the piano chords are played in a spread or arpeggiated pattern. Grieg lived at a time when there was much development in piano technique and the quality of pianos improved greatly during his lifetime with the introduction of iron framed instruments. The humour in the music also invites an exaggerated performance although not featured in the realisation. Players should listen to performances to form their own view and explore different approaches to interpreting the music. Where appropriate some octave transpositions have been incorporated into the alto saxophone melody line. As is the case with music from this period the sheet music copy has a considerable amount of score detail. Grieg’s Norwegian Dance No.2 was published in 1880 as a piano duet or more correctly music for piano four hands. Piano duets were a very popular in the late 19th century and much music would appear in this format. Grieg was fortunate in being able to access several folk music collections and much of this collected material was incorporated into arrangements and compositions. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full sheet music score. Piano accompaniments are available with the following tempo options (1) 64/108/64 (2) 66/112/66 (3) 68/112/68. Numbers indicate the quarter note (crotchet) beats per minute for the ABA sections respectively. Close

Pavane pour une infante défuncte arr. alto saxophone & piano

The origins of the music are as a piano piece composed in 1899 when Ravel was studying with Fauré. It exists in several arrangements and was populari Read More...

The origins of the music are as a piano piece composed in 1899 when Ravel was studying with Fauré. It exists in several arrangements and was popularised as a piano piece by the Spanish pianist Ricardo Viñes. Players should be aiming for both legato and beauty of tone in their playing. The music editor suggests an initial tempo of 63 quarter note beats to the minute in the first instance and as confidence and competence grows possibly slowing the tempo. The aspect of performing music at the correct tempo in a slow piece is quite challenging for players. This is quite a full arrangement for the solo player. However because of its sectional structure A (12 bars) B (7 bars) B’ (8 bars) A’ (12 bars) C (10 bars )C’ (10 bars) A’’ (13 bars). It becomes an easy matter to shorten the arrangement by simply omitting some of the repeating sections. Players may wish to advise the PlentyMusic Office of some fine tuning that the arrangement requires in respect to its playability. If there is a need for some cut down or shortened accompaniments please again advise the PlentyMusic Office and these will be made available. There are several arrangements of this music in existence and the intention of this one has been to keep as close to the original piano score as possible. This arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment sounds in the key of G. The pavane has its origins as an Italian 16th century slow stately dance. Referencing past musical forms in their works became popular among Ravel’s contemporaries including Debussy. The cue sized decorative notes can be omitted whilst the piece in the early stages of studying the piece. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 60 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and there are opportunities for give and take in the tempo particularly at the end of phrases. This is an ambitious and complete arrangement Ravel’s piece. Time does need to be spent understanding the musical texture and the lines of music. The composer’s own language has also been retained in the language used in the score The chromatic sections require careful study in terms of the notes to be played whilst the phrase endings often explore parallel movement in a characteristic sweep. Ravel frequently avoids the use of thirds in final chords of sections. The barring that is in place is to help the player to make the rhythmic connections in the movement. Performers should listen to a number of different performances played by different instruments to get a good overview of how the music can be best performed. The bold ending is a very characteristic feature of the original piano score and the suggestion is that it should be retained. The use of the piano sustaining pedal markings are not indicated in the score but its use is required. There are three piano accompaniments available at tempi of 1=57, 2=60 and 3=63 quarter note beats to the minute. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

Shenandoah arr. saxophone quartet

Shenandoah is a traditional American folk song dating from the 19th century. The song exists in many forms and arrangements becoming popular as a sea Read More...

Shenandoah is a traditional American folk song dating from the 19th century. The song exists in many forms and arrangements becoming popular as a sea shanty in the 1800’s. The beautiful yet powerful melody is suited to being both sung and played as an instrumental. The melody is also quite expansive and clearly open to different interpretations. This arrangement is for a saxophone quartet of soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones sounding in the key of Eb. The playback tempo is 84 quarter note beats to the minute and individual parts appropriately transposed are appended to the full score. Close

Shenandoah arr. alto saxophone & piano

Shenandoah is a traditional American folk song dating from the 19th century. The song exists in many forms and arrangements becoming popular as a sea Read More...

Shenandoah is a traditional American folk song dating from the 19th century. The song exists in many forms and arrangements becoming popular as a sea shanty in the 1800’s. The beautiful yet powerful melody is suited to being both sung and played as an instrumental. This arrangement sounding in Eb is for alto saxophone accompanied by piano. The playback tempo is 84 quarter note beats to the minute and an alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

La biondina in gondoleta arr. alto saxophone & piano

The origins of this piece are as a Venetian song about gondolas (boats) and gondoliers (those steering and propelling the boats). Themes often expres Read More...

The origins of this piece are as a Venetian song about gondolas (boats) and gondoliers (those steering and propelling the boats). Themes often expressed by gondoliers do tend to be about the romantic side of life. The word barcarola or barcarolle are used to describe the folk songs sung by Venetian gondoliers and they are usually in 6/8 time and played at a moderate tempo featuring a rhythmic pattern reminiscent of the gondolier’s oar stroke. Romantic composers were particularly fond of composing barcarolles and Mendelssohn’s “Song without Words” features several. This is an improver level arrangement with the realisation playing back at a tempo of 63 dotted quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. In this arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment the sounding key is Eb. This is an excellent performance piece because the melody is appealing and familiar. Players should be aiming for a lightness in their approach and a legato in their playing. Time spent listening to recordings of this melody particularly by singers will help players learn how to approach a musical performance. Accompaniments are also available at tempos of 60, 63 and 66 dotted quarter note beats (crotchet) beats to the minute. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

When The Saints Go Marching In arr. saxophone quintet

When The Saints Go Marching In arranged for saxophone quintet sounding in the key of F. There are parts for parts for soprano, 2 x alto, tenor and bar Read More...

When The Saints Go Marching In arranged for saxophone quintet sounding in the key of F. There are parts for parts for soprano, 2 x alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. The playback tempo is 100 half note or minim beats to the minute whilst the music is notated in cut time. Traditional American music songs such as “When The Saints Go Marching In” are excellent pieces for developing an understanding of the style elements associated with the performance of 20th century popular music. There is opportunity for players to explore the arrangement - the bass line played by the pianist keyboard player is open to being played with some rhythmic variation particularly during the playing of the repeat sections. Many melodies and lyrics that are recognised as spirituals are often a synthesis of several songs that had their origins as work songs before, during and after the American Civil War. Songs sung from the 1850’s and onwards were perhaps published around 1918 and then first recorded in the 1920’s. The history of the song is well documented and many there are performances to be discovered embracing a range of styles and different types of performing group. Individual parts for the five instruments are appended to the full score. Close

When The Saints Go Marching In arr. alto saxophone & piano

When The Saints Go Marching In arranged for clarinet in Bb and piano in the key of F. The playback tempo is 100 half note or minim beats to the minute Read More...

When The Saints Go Marching In arranged for clarinet in Bb and piano in the key of F. The playback tempo is 100 half note or minim beats to the minute whilst the music is notated in cut time. Traditional American music songs such as “When The Saints Go Marching In” are excellent pieces for developing an understanding of the style elements associated with the performance of 20th century popular music. There is opportunity for players to explore the arrangement - the bass line played by the pianist is open to being played with some rhythmic variation particularly during the playing of the repeat sections. Many melodies and lyrics that are recognised as spirituals are often a synthesis of several songs that had their origins as work songs before, during and after the American Civil War. Songs sung from the 1850’s and onwards were perhaps published around 1918 and then first recorded in the 1920’s. The history of the song is well documented and many there are performances to be discovered embracing a range of styles and different types of performing group. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

Nel cor più non mi sento arr. alto saxophone & piano

Paisiello was known as an opera composer and his best known melody “Nel cor più mi sento” is from his opera La Molinara. Beethoven used the melod Read More...

Paisiello was known as an opera composer and his best known melody “Nel cor più mi sento” is from his opera La Molinara. Beethoven used the melody as a theme for a set of piano variations in his Works without opus number 70 (WoO70). Paisiello became a Naples based composer contemporary with Cimararosa and Piccini although he was always very jealous of any rivals work wherever he worked and this included Paris, for Napoleon and St. Petersburg for Catherine II. Naples in the 18th and early 19th century was an important musical centre with the San Carlo Opera Theatre opening in 1737. There are many tunes from the past that are worthy of being re-discovered and this arrangement is intended for improver level instrumentalists. Bar 26 has been re written as a 9/8 bar simply to clarify how the ornaments should be played. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 54 dotted quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and accompaniments are available at this and two other tempi (1 = 54, 2 = 52 and 3 = 56 dotted quarter note beats to the bar). The repeat is not played in the playback score but is in the accompaniment track. The Italian term Adagio has been used to describe the tempo in the sheet music scores . Note that the pause markings are ignored in the accompaniments but for those musicians playing with a pianist there is an opportunity to pause on the indicated sheet music markings and even create a break in the music. The movement does need to be played with a clear sense of pulse and rhythmic awareness whilst ornaments need to be played with rhythmic clarity. Aspiring composers may well be challenged to compose some variations as a composition study. You are always welcome to send a copy of your work to the PlentyMusic office for an opinion! This piece of music can competently played by an improver level student and is suited to being played by most instruments. The music editor also suggests listening to performances by singers who often approach the repeat with great freedom and further embellish the music. This is not necessarily to imitate but to learn about how to perform music. The advice to any young performer is to always have the confidence to make the piece your own. The accompanist also has the option of experimenting with the articulations particularly if the intention is to create the sound of pizzicato strings. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

The Happy Farmer arr. alto saxophone & piano

A movement from Schumann’s “Album for the Young” Opus 68 (1848) which was composed at a very happy time in his life. This is a very uplifting m Read More...

A movement from Schumann’s “Album for the Young” Opus 68 (1848) which was composed at a very happy time in his life. This is a very uplifting movement with a tempo of 110 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute used in this arrangement for alto saxophone accompanied by the piano. The solo part is appended to the piano score. There is a two bar click introduction to the accompaniment. Close

The Last Rose of Summer arr. alto saxophone & piano

This traditional Irish melody associated with the early 19th poem written by Thomas Moore is suited to being played by a solo instrument with an accom Read More...

This traditional Irish melody associated with the early 19th poem written by Thomas Moore is suited to being played by a solo instrument with an accompaniment as a concert item. The melody is quite evocative and needs to be played with sensitivity and an awareness of phrasing. There are many melodic variants as often is the case with folk music. Players need to aim for a beautiful legato and may wish to omit the small ornamental notes. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. A piano accompaniment is available for this arrangement. Close

Pieds-en-l’air arr saxophone ensemble

This is an excellent piece for developing legato playing and instrument tone and this arrangement is for soprano, alto, tenor with possibly two instru Read More...

This is an excellent piece for developing legato playing and instrument tone and this arrangement is for soprano, alto, tenor with possibly two instruments playing each line and baritone saxophone. It is also a good test piece because a successful performance requires an awareness of the modal influence that exists in the lines of the music evident in the conflicting accidentals that feature in the score. For a saxophone ensemble to play this piece perfectly in tune is quite a challenge because it requires the participants to be aware of each other’s part and rôle. The time signature is also a bit unusual but think of it as three groups of 3 whilst the tempo of the realization is played at 132 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Rhythmically there are one or two moments that need attention particularly in the inner parts and the voice leading is at times quite challenging to follow. Individual saxophone parts are appended to the full music score. Peter Warlock’s career was sadly a short lived one but he did make some important contributions to the repertoire including the Capriol Suite from which this particular movement is taken. He was very interested in folk and Elizabethan music and used the name Warlock as a pseudonym for his composition work. He was a close friend of Delius and also worked as a music journalist using his real name which was Philip Heseltine. Warlock’s particular interest in music was in discovering and exploring the modal quality of English music through its folk song and its Elizabethan vocal music. The Capriol Suite captures what could be described as a neo-Elizabethan idiom and spirit quite perfectly and it is well worth listening to the whole work played in its orchestral arrangement. Warlock’s was in many ways an unfulfilled life but it is evident in both his instrumental and vocal music that he had a quite exceptional musical ear and a true understanding of English music. Close

Pieds-en-l’air arr. alto saxophone & piano

This is an excellent piece for developing legato playing and instrument tone. It is also a good test piece because a successful performance requires a Read More...

This is an excellent piece for developing legato playing and instrument tone. It is also a good test piece because a successful performance requires an awareness of the modal influence that exists in the lines of the music evident in the conflicting accidentals that feature in the score. For an ensemble to play this piece perfectly in tune is quite a challenge because it requires the participants to be aware of each other’s part and rôle. The time signature is also a bit unusual but think of it as three groups of 3 whilst the tempo of the realisation is 132 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Rhythmically there are one or two moments that need attention particularly in the inner parts and the voice leading is at times quite challenging to follow. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full music score. Peter Warlock’s career was sadly a short lived one but he did make some important contributions to the repertoire including the Capriol Suite from which this particular movement is taken. He was very interested in folk and Elizabethan music and used the name Warlock as a pseudonym for his composition work. He was a close friend of Delius and also worked as a music journalist using his real name which was Philip Heseltine. Warlock’s particular interest in music was in discovering and exploring the modal quality of English music through its folk song and its Elizabethan vocal music. The Capriol Suite captures what could be described as a neo-Elizabethan idiom and spirit quite perfectly and it is well worth listening to the whole work played in its orchestral arrangement. Warlock’s was in many ways an unfulfilled life but it is evident in both his instrumental and vocal music that he had a quite exceptional musical ear and a true understanding of English music. Close

Evening in Transylvania arr. alto saxophone & piano

This piece known as Evening in Transylvania and also Evening in the Village (Este a székelyeknél) is from the composer’s piano collection Ten Easy Read More...

This piece known as Evening in Transylvania and also Evening in the Village (Este a székelyeknél) is from the composer’s piano collection Ten Easy Pieces. There are two original melodies one played slowly with rubato and the other played quickly and in strict time. Essentially whilst working in the folk music idiom Bártok remains loyal to the classical principles of contrast in music by exploring two different ideas. Bártok is always very precise about the articulations that he requires in his music and players need to take notice of the dynamics which are notated in all clefs. The rhythmic purpose of his music is always very strong whilst delivery of the melody needs to be quite fluid in the rubato section the music it nevertheless needs to be delivered with a strong sense of pulse. From bar 42 the music texturally is notated and conceived in four parts. In the realisation the tempo is 76 quarter note (crotchet) beats in the lento rubato sections and 132 quarter note (crotchet beats) beats in the Vivo, non rubato sections.In the Vivo, non rubato sections the music has been transposed down an octave. The realisation lacks a little rhythmic flexibility at the ends of phrases and the music editor suggests that listening to a number of performances will be helpful in coming to an understanding of how this music should be performed. Accompanists will want to make use of the sustaining pedal but this has not been indicated through the entirety of the score although the music editor suggests minimal use as modern instruments are tonally much stronger that those of the composers own time. Bártok considered the piano to be a percussion instrument as a composer and many of his folk music arrangements explore the modal element that is so characteristic of folk music and his accompaniments make use of ostinatos. Bártok is one of the greatest 20th century composers and made a significant contribution to the repertoire. As a composer he worked on small canvasses as well as large ones and frequently ideas were transferred from the small to the large. This particular piece was transcribed by the composer into the first of his Hungarian Sketches for orchestra. He was Hungarian by birth and was important collector of folk music and one of the founders of the relatively new subject of ethnomusicology. He has something in common with Schubert in that both of them were very creative towards the end of their lives. Bártok left Europe in 1940 to settle in the U.S.A. but his health declined and he died from leukaemia in 1945 sadly before many of his concert hall works had become well known and recognised as great works. Rubato is defined as the temporary disregarding of strict tempo to allow an expressive quickening or slowing down, usually without altering the overall pace. It is a playing approach particularly associated with the music of Chopin. An alto saxophone part is appropriately transposed is appended to the music score. The music editor is aware that the range of the piece is right at the top end of the register for the alto saxophone and would be very interested in receiving feedback about the arrangements practicality and suitability in performance. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the music score. Close

Neapolitan Song arr. alto saxophone & piano

This is an arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment of Tchaikovsky’s Neapolitan Dance also familiar as a theme from one of the dances Read More...

This is an arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment of Tchaikovsky’s Neapolitan Dance also familiar as a theme from one of the dances in Act III of Swan Lake. The musical material is very similar to that found in Tchaikovsky’s Children’s Album although the music has been arranged in 4/4 time and has a repeat whilst the piano accompaniment includes of some of the orchestral music countermelodies from Swan Lake. The tempo of the first section Allegro moderato in the realization is at 96 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minutes and for the Molto piu mosso section the tempo is 110 quarter note beats to the minutes. Often performers choose a slower tempo for the slower section and a faster one for the faster section. The first note of the alto saxophone part is only sounded on the repeat and some performers cut out 4 beats in the link between bars 10 and 11. In the repeat there is additional instruction to accelerate towards the end of the movement but the music editor advises against this until the piece is known thoroughly by the soloist and well rehearsed with the accompanist. The accompanist may wish to edit the playing of the introduction by omitting the left hand chords and playing the octave lead in with separate hands or even more simply by starting at bar 5. An alto saxophone part is appended to the full music score in the pdf download. Close

Sururú na Cidade arr. alto saxophone with piano accompaniment

Zequinha Abreu was a Brazilian musician and composer and Sururú na Cidade translates as Sururú in the City. The rondo form of Sururú na Cidade can Read More...

Zequinha Abreu was a Brazilian musician and composer and Sururú na Cidade translates as Sururú in the City. The rondo form of Sururú na Cidade can be summarised as Intro A B B A C C A. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 88 quarter note beats to the minute and the repeats are played. The music of Brazil is a fascinating mix of European and African cultures with the Choro or Lament instrumental style having its origins in 19th century urban Rio de Janeiro (Chorinho = Little Lament). Whilst the inference of the title suggests a style that is sad, pieces can often have a fast and happy rhythms with syncopation, modulations and counterpoint. There are also particularly instruments associated with the performance of this music namely the flute, guitar and a small type of guitar with 4 strings known as the cavaquino which may have either play a melody or a chord rhythm. From the sheet music point of view this is a very concisely notated piece. Some performers play the repeat of the C section at the octave as indicated in the score but this is optional. An alto saxophone part is appended to the full score. Close

No Bailes Más! (Dance No More) arr. alto saxophone with piano accompaniment

Ignacio Cervantes was a Cuban composer born in the capital city of Havana in 1847. He had piano lessons with Louis Moreau Gottschalk before travelling Read More...

Ignacio Cervantes was a Cuban composer born in the capital city of Havana in 1847. He had piano lessons with Louis Moreau Gottschalk before travelling to Paris to further his music studies with Charles Valentin Alkan amongst others. This piece originates as a piano solo in the key of Eb whilst this realisation sounds in the key of Eb and plays at a tempo of 88 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Many performers play through the piece twice although no repeat signs are indicated in the score. Much of Cervantes piano music is well suited to being played by a variety of instrument combinations as they are well crafted and have great musical appeal. The habanera rhythmic shape features strongly. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

No Bailes Más! (Dance No More) arr. saxophone quartet

In this arrangement for saxophone quartet the specified instruments are soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. The score is formatted as a one Read More...

In this arrangement for saxophone quartet the specified instruments are soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. The score is formatted as a one document pdf file with individual parts for the four saxophones appended to the full score. Ignacio Cervantes was a Cuban composer born in the capital city of Havana in 1847. He had piano lessons with Louis Moreau Gottschalk before travelling to Paris to further his music studies with Charles Valentin Alkan amongst others. This piece originates as a piano solo in the key of Eb which is the sounding key of this realisation playing at a tempo of 88 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Many performers play through the piece twice although no repeat signs are indicated in the score. Much of Cervantes piano music is well suited to being played by a variety of instrument combinations as they are well crafted and have great musical appeal. The habanera rhythmic shape also features strongly in this sunny piece. Close

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot arr. alto saxophone & piano

This is a very popular piece of music that in many respects transcends idiom, style and at times it could be suggested culture. This improver level ar Read More...

This is a very popular piece of music that in many respects transcends idiom, style and at times it could be suggested culture. This improver level arrangement for alto saxophone and piano sounding in the key of F is in common time whilst some of the accompanying chords and rhythmic shapes have been updated to give a contemporary rock style. There are so many interpretations that it is almost impossible to decide how it should be sung, played and performed. This familiar spiritual gained popularity during the 1960’s with the Civil Rights movement and since 1988 it has become associated with the English rugby team. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 100 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the bar whilst the repeat is not played in the realisation. As players become familiar with the content and chordal structure there is opportunity to develop the melodic material through improvisation in an additional repeat especially if it is possible to recruit a percussion player. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot arr. saxophone quartet

This is a very popular piece of music that in many respects transcends idiom, style & it could be suggested culture. This improver level arrangement i Read More...

This is a very popular piece of music that in many respects transcends idiom, style & it could be suggested culture. This improver level arrangement is in common time while some of the accompanying chords and rhythmic shapes have been updated to give a more contemporary style. There are so many interpretations that it is almost impossible to decide how it should be sung, played & performed. This familiar spiritual gained popularity during the 1960’s with the Civil Rights movement and since 1988 it has become associated with the English rugby team. This arrangement explores a gentle rock style whilst the realisation plays back at a tempo of 100 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the bar. The full score includes a piano short score and individual parts for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone are appended to the full score. Close

Pavane arr. alto saxophone & piano

This is intermediate level arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment based on a cut down version of the piano and SATB vocal arrangement Read More...

This is intermediate level arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment based on a cut down version of the piano and SATB vocal arrangement by the composer. The elements of the piece are a distinctive melody, combined with an accompaniment that is for much of the time figurative in character, the occasional countermelody and bass line. Fauré composed music that references both modal and harmonic scales and this explains the feature known as “false relation” (conflicting accidentals in different voices) which appear in bar 22 and 23 and several other bars. It is music that needs to be played with clarity and dignity and not too quickly. The realisation plays back at 80 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. If the movement is played too quickly it loses its poise and gracefulness. The music exists in many different arrangements but is probably most familiar in its orchestral version although it started off life as a piano piece in the 1880’s. The trill in the realisation begins on the note & begins and ends with sixteenth notes as shown in the video score on YouTube although trills are open to being interpreted in different ways. The pavane has its origins as a slow processional dance popular in the renaissance period but has since been given a new lease of life by composers including Fauré and Ravel. The music editor suggests that the pianist makes limited use of use of the sustaining pedal particularly when the bass notes have a quarter note (crotchet) value. The arrangement lasts for approximately 3 minutes and is therefore ideally suited as a concert item. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. The sounding key is F minor. Close

Skye Boat Song arr. alto saxophone & piano

This familiar Scottish folk song begins and ends with a chorus (chorus-verse-chorus) and whilst its text describes the escape of Bonnie Prince Charles Read More...

This familiar Scottish folk song begins and ends with a chorus (chorus-verse-chorus) and whilst its text describes the escape of Bonnie Prince Charles the song is often sung as a lullaby. This improver level arrangement is in 6/8 time and is suited to being played by a number of instrument combinations. In this arrangement the accompanying chords have been updated to make the setting more contemporary. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. There are three piano accompaniments available playing at (1) 48 (2) 50 (3) 52 dotted quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Close

Czardas arr. alto saxophone & piano

A very exciting and dramatic piece of music for audience and performers alike. Technically proficient players play the faster sections more quickly an Read More...

A very exciting and dramatic piece of music for audience and performers alike. Technically proficient players play the faster sections more quickly and the slower sections more slowly than in the realisation often with great rhythmic expression. Vittorio Monti was a musician and composer from Naples although this piece is often described as having its origins as Hungarian folk music. The piece has a sectional structure and repetition is a strong element although the repeats are not played in the realisation. Tempo considerations are quite important and the Allegro vivace sections initially played at 120 quarter notes to the minute. A piacere means at “one’s pleasure, at one’s will,” whilst stentato is a musical expression meaning “laboured, heavy in a dragging manner” and stringendo means progressively quickening in tempo. Rallentandos shouldn’t begin too soon at the ends of phrases. The realisation is rather tame compared to many of the performances available but it is clearly a piece where players can learn much about performing music to an audience and Czardas often features as an encore piece in concerts. The small ornamental notes are probably best omitted in the early stages of learning the piece. The music editor has indicated all tempo text in bold above the staves. There is actually no definitive arrangement of this piece and often the sections between bar 70 to 85 are omitted in performance. Performers may wish to also omit the rallentando indicated in the score at bar 98. Some music performances also have the music starting slowly at bar 86 to soon quicken to an Allegro vivace tempo. The simple advice is to make your performance your own! The small ornamental notes do not sound in the realisation. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. There are two accompaniments available (1) without repeats and (2) with repeats. Close

Santa Lucia arr. alto saxophone & piano

Santa Lucia has its origins as a Neopolitan song with its lyrics celebrating the outdoor lives of boatmen who lived and worked in the Bay of Naples in Read More...

Santa Lucia has its origins as a Neopolitan song with its lyrics celebrating the outdoor lives of boatmen who lived and worked in the Bay of Naples in what sound to be very happy times. The repeat is not played in the realisation but in performance can be added. Instrument players should be aiming to develop their legato playing and quality of tone when playing the piece and there are opportunities to slow the tempo at the ends of phrases although this is not indicated in the score. Players may well want to also edit the phrasing because there are options available. A tempo of 100 quarter note (crotchet) beats is used in the playback. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is also appended to the full score. As this will be a familiar melody to any audience the piece will need to be known thoroughly before any performance is given. Close

Fantasy Piece No.1 arr. alto saxophone & piano

Composed in 1849, this movement could be described as a song without words having a restless haunting quality which needs to be communicated in a perf Read More...

Composed in 1849, this movement could be described as a song without words having a restless haunting quality which needs to be communicated in a performance. The score is marked “Zart und mit Ausdruck” which translates as “Tender with expression.” What is challenging is that the piece can be satisfactorily performed at quite a number of different tempi from 80 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute to ones in excess 100+. Tempo matters however always need to be always under control - slight speeding ups and slowing downs (tempo rubato) are quite appropriate for the style of the movement but players need to prevent the music from running away with itself which can so easily happen encouraged particularly by the triplet figuration. In this realisation the tempo is 90 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. It is an excellent ensemble piece and particular good one for a player to learn about how to perform music. There are many performances available to listen to in the media featuring a variety of different instruments. There is a considerable amount of score detail to absorb, including the triplet figuration and not all the piano pedal markings are indicated in the score. The accompanist should also avoid playing too loudly. Like many pieces from the romantic period in the music is in ABA (ternary) form and is quite chromatic. An alto saxophone part is appended to the full score. Accompaniment 1 plays at 80 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 84 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 88 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. Close

The Swan arr. alto saxophone & piano

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) was a French composer and this beautiful movement is from The Carnival of the Animals of 1886. The melody needs to be Read More...

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) was a French composer and this beautiful movement is from The Carnival of the Animals of 1886. The melody needs to be delivered with a legato tone and because of this and the melodic range it is an excellent piece for developing the tonal aspects of playing a musical instrument. Whilst the movement is particularly associated with the cello it is suited to being played by a number of different instruments and instrument combinations. The time signature indicates that there are 6 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the bar and these should be played as two groups of three. The harmonic language is very French in character sharing a subtlety that is also found in the music of his friend and pupil, the French composer Fauré. Pedalling in the piano part has not been indicated in the scores but does need to be used and generally this is governed by the harmonic rhythm of the movement. Like many French composers Saint-Saens was a very fine organist and music commentators suggest that his music is deserving of more attention because of its quality and variety. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

Serenade (Petite Suite) arr. alto saxophone & piano

Borodin was clearly quite an exceptional person known as a doctor and chemist as well as being a member of the Russian group of composers known and po Read More...

Borodin was clearly quite an exceptional person known as a doctor and chemist as well as being a member of the Russian group of composers known and popularized as the “Mighty Handful.” His interest in music was essentially as a hobby but he was very well connected in Russian musical circles and his “Serenade” from the “Petite Suite” was published in 1896. The ostinato pattern that features in the work is an excellent unifying element in the composition and the strong melodic element in this miniature explores in its original version quite a melodic range although there are some octave transpositions in this arrangement for alto saxophone and piano. A tempo of 60 dotted quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is used in the realization. The music editor suggests use of the piano sustaining pedal when playing the accompaniment although this has not been marked in the score. An appended solo alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close

The Easy Winners arr. soprano & alto saxophones & piano

This is an excellent ensemble piece in that it allows for great flexibility in instrument combinations. In this arrangement for soprano and alto saxop Read More...

This is an excellent ensemble piece in that it allows for great flexibility in instrument combinations. In this arrangement for soprano and alto saxophones with piano accompaniment and piano the sounding key is Ab whilst the realisation tempo is at 76 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute with the repeats not played. What is interesting about performing this piece is the impact of a change of tempo on the musical character and musical outcomes. A tempo of 70 quarter note beats to the minute sounds quite slow and yet 80 quarter note beats to the minute sounds fast. Generally, there is not a great amount of performance detail indicated in ragtime music although where opportunity arises when repeating sections performers need to explore dynamic range. The formal pattern of Joplin’s ragtime pieces generally have the structure of the typical American March which can be represented by letters as I AA BB AA CC DD. Piano accompanists are advised to make use of the sustaining pedal although this aspect of the performance detail has not been indicated in the music score. Close

Notturno arr. alto saxophone & piano

This arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment uses the first theme from the third movement of Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2 in D and Read More...

This arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment uses the first theme from the third movement of Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2 in D and dates from 1881. The movement is commonly referred to as “Notturno” meaning night piece and is a very melodic movement and like much of Borodin’s music is very adaptable to being played by a number of different instrument combinations. There are 4 sections in the arrangement – theme, repeat of the theme with a varied and fuller accompaniment, the theme played in canon and a closing section which can best be be described as a coda. A tempo of 70 quarter note beats to the minute is used in the realisation and there are some octave transposition in the parts and the appoggiaturas that appear in the string quartet score have been omitted. Wherever possible material from the original work has been incorporated into the arrangement. The alto saxophone part is appropriately transposed in both in the full score and the appended solo part. Close

Plaisir d’amour arr. alto saxophone & piano

This music originates as a classical French art song which has over the years has been arranged and performed in many different styles and contexts. A Read More...

This music originates as a classical French art song which has over the years has been arranged and performed in many different styles and contexts. A tempo of just 43 dotted quarter notes to the the minute is used in the realisation although there a slight speeding up for the piu mosso section. There are just two ornaments which appear in the final section as a performance option whilst the acciaccaturas (crushed notes) do not sound in the realisation. This is an excellent piece to explore playing at a slow tempo. Listen to a number of recordings of performances particularly by singers to gain an understanding of how this music can be performed. A solo alto saxophone part is appended to the full score. Close

Après un rêve arr. alto saxophone & piano

The piece has its origins as a song composed in the key of the key of C minor published in 1878 and is one of the composers most beautiful and popular Read More...

The piece has its origins as a song composed in the key of the key of C minor published in 1878 and is one of the composers most beautiful and popular melodies. This is an excellent piece for developing tonal quality and the melody needs to be played with a singing expressive legato. In this arrangement a tempo of 56 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute has been used in the realisation. The accompanist will need to make use of the sustaining pedal although this is not indicated and the score does require careful study in respect to the reading of the chromatic harmony. Fauré as a pianist and accompanist was very much regarded as something of a metronome and not considered to be very sympathetic to singers of his songs particularly when they added subtlety and nuance at the end of phrases. It would be beneficial to spend time reading through the lyrics for the song in translation to have an understanding of the music’s original context. The full score and appended solo part have the alto saxophone part appropriately transposed. Accompaniments are available and play at the following tempi (1) 56 (2) 58 (3) 60 quarter note beats to the minute. There is a great range in the tempo that musicians both sing and play this movement and if the accompaniments available do not meet your requirements simply provide us with an annotated pdf score with the tempi score detail that you require and PlentyMusic will provide a bespoke accompaniment. Close

Jeanie with the light brown arr. alto saxophone & piano

A parlour song by Stephen Foster dating from 1854 and whilst it has become a favourite, the song was not a commercial success and hardly known in Fos Read More...

A parlour song by Stephen Foster dating from 1854 and whilst it has become a favourite, the song was not a commercial success and hardly known in Foster's own lifetime. A version by the violinist Heifetz became very popular in the 1940's. The musical arrangement retains the harmonic outline of Stephen Foster's song although some of the rhythmic detail of the melody has been edited. Although the crushed notes (acciaccaturas) can be played and sound in the realisation, the small ornamental notes in the melody line of the arrangement are optional and are not sounded in the realisation. The full score is notated at pitch whilst the appended solo part has been appropriately transposed. Close

Valse arr. alto saxophone & piano

The Waltz was a popular musical form during the romantic period favoured particularly in the salon or drawing room context. The movement needs to move Read More...

The Waltz was a popular musical form during the romantic period favoured particularly in the salon or drawing room context. The movement needs to move along with a clear one in a bar feel and I would suggest leaving out the small notes when learning the movement. The realisation tempo is at a (considered) 56 dotted quarter notes to the minute and I would suggest that it should be played at a faster tempo of at least 66 dotted quarter (crotchets) notes to the minute. Played at a faster tempo the players will need to possess very good performance techniques for their individual instruments. There are no repeats in the realisation. Whilst the full score copy is notated with the alto saxophone at sounding pitch the appended solo part has been appropriately transposed. Close

Theme & Variations arr. soprano saxophone & piano

Fernando Sor's Theme and Variations from L'Encouragement is possibly more classical in spirit certainly from the thematic point of view. The melodic m Read More...

Fernando Sor's Theme and Variations from L'Encouragement is possibly more classical in spirit certainly from the thematic point of view. The melodic material does need to be clearly articulated whilst harmonically it does follow the pattern of the cantabile movement in that there is a change to the tonic minor key. The tempo of each variation can in performance be considered as a separate movement and the tempo at which the music sections are played will be very much determined by the technical facility of the solo instrument player. One of the technical challenges is to articulate the triplet figurations with clarity. This Theme and Variations has an extended coda which can lead to a repeat of theme if it is being performed as a separate movement. As is often the case in variations the musical intensity increases as the movement progresses. The realisations in their very nature tend to lack the nuance of a performance and tend to be on the rushed side although they provide an excellent means for auditioning pieces. The repeats are not played in the realisation. It would be wise to spend time listening to guitar duet versions to appreciate the musical range that features in this appealing work. Whilst full score copy is notated with the soprano saxophone at sounding pitch the appended solo part has been appropriately transposed. Close

Theme and Variations arr. alto saxophone & piano

Fernando Sor's Theme and Variations from L' Encouragement is possibly more classical in spirit certainly from the thematic point of view. The melodic Read More...

Fernando Sor's Theme and Variations from L' Encouragement is possibly more classical in spirit certainly from the thematic point of view. The melodic material does need to be clearly articulated whilst harmonically it does follow the pattern of the cantabile movement in that there is a change to the tonic minor key. The tempo of each variation can in performance be considered as a separate movement and the tempo at which the music sections are played will be very much determined by the technical facility of the solo instrument player. One of the technical challenges is to articulate the triplet figurations with clarity. This Theme and Variations has an extended coda which can lead to a repeat of theme if it is being performed as a separate movement. As is often the case in variations the musical intensity increases as the movement progresses. The realisations in their very nature tend to lack the nuance of a performance and tend to be on the rushed side although they provide an excellent means for auditioning pieces. The repeats are not played in the realisation. It would be wise to spend time listening to guitar duet versions to appreciate the musical range that features in this appealing work. Whilst the full score copy is notated with the alto saxophone at sounding pitch the appended solo part has been appropriately transposed. Close

Cantabile arr. alto saxophone & piano

Fernando Sor's L'Encouragement Opus 34 originally for guitar duet, comprises three movements intended to be performed as a continuous movement althou Read More...

Fernando Sor's L'Encouragement Opus 34 originally for guitar duet, comprises three movements intended to be performed as a continuous movement although its three sections can easily be performed as separate movements and this is how they are presented on the www.plentymusic.co.uk website. The music dates from 1828 and consequently belongs to the romantic era and is a very good example of salon or drawing room music intended for small audiences at home rather than the concert hall. Fernando Sor, was a Spanish composer, born into a military family who has often been to as referred to as the Beethoven of the guitar. Whilst not considered to be a great composer he did nevertheless compose many attractive works that are suitable for performance in arrangements such as this. The piano essentially fulfills the role of the second guitar part with some additions to make the part more pianistic. Where appropriate barring and note values have been clarified as much for the eye than for musical reasons. Cantabile the first movement from L'Encouragement is in ABA(ternary) form although the repeat is a varied repeat. The realisation has a tempo of 54 dotted quarter note beats (crotchet beats ) to the minute and the musical content combines a pastoral feel with a quite stately tempo. The melody line needs to be delivered with a singing legato whilst the movement should be played communicating a sense of two beats to the bar. The full score copy is notated with the alto saxophone at sounding pitch and the appended score has the solo alto saxophone part appropriately transposed. Close

The Teddy Bears Picnic arr. alto saxophone & piano

This very familiar character piece dating from 1907 was originally composed in standard march form but the musical content has since been rearranged. Read More...

This very familiar character piece dating from 1907 was originally composed in standard march form but the musical content has since been rearranged. In this arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment in the key of F a tempo of 96 dotted quarter notes is used in the realisation. Instrumentalists have the option of playing a shortened form of the piece ending on the first eighth note (quaver) of bar 88 or playing the repeat section as heard in the realisation. There isn't too much score detail in the arrangement and as the music originates as a march understandably in a performance there is not much variation of the tempo. Observe that the full score has the alto saxophone notated at pitch whilst the appended solo part has the same part appropriately transposed. There are three piano accompaniments available playing at (1) 88 (2) 92 (3) 96 dotted quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. Close

Traümerie arr. alto saxophone & piano

Traümerie (Dreaming) was originally a piano work from Robert Schumann's Scenes of Childhood Opus 16 published in 1838. It is a very familiar piece f Read More...

Traümerie (Dreaming) was originally a piano work from Robert Schumann's Scenes of Childhood Opus 16 published in 1838. It is a very familiar piece from the romantic repertoire suited to being played by many instruments as a solo accompanied either by the piano or various forms of ensemble. There are wide tempo variations in performances of the work and I would suggest listening to different solo instruments and piano recordings. The challenge in a performance is to combine the beauty of the melody with a beauty of tone of the instrument which is being played with a sense of space and an understanding of the time elements that exist in music. Understandably because this is a piece of music from the romantic repetoire is a very emotional piece of music which can both be communicated well and also on occasions insensitively. It is excellent piece for broadening performing experience where players need to show sensitivity to the acoustic and the the best performances of this work tend not to be rushed. Whatever instrument is being played the original piano score is worth a study of its own. Players need to linger particularly on the dotted quarter notes (crotchets) and pianists will need to make use of the sustaining pedal. The harmonic language is at times quite chromatic with diminished seventh chords featured. Close

Spring Song arr. alto saxophone & piano

A joyous and uplifting movement both for the player and the listener. A tempo of 84 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute is suggested and used Read More...

A joyous and uplifting movement both for the player and the listener. A tempo of 84 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute is suggested and used in the realisation. Whilst a performance should not be rushed it also mustn't drag. Listen to performances of this work by different instrument combinations to form a musical picture of how the work should be performed. I would suggest that this an example of a piano piece that actually sounds much better played by a combination of instruments. Look for any repeating patterns in the music as an understanding of the formal patterns will assist players in their performances. In the arrangements for solo instrument with piano accompaniment some voicing changes have been made to the piano part to aid clarity and musicianship. Acciaccaturas and in the melody line are notated in the score but are nor realised in the playback scores. Pianists need to experiment with the sustaining pedal to obtain the sound that they want - the music editor's preference is to pedal on and off on each beat of the bar with some flexibility particularly at cadences. Close

Brejeiro arr. alto saxophone & piano

Nazareth (1863 -1934) was a Brazilian composer and pianist whose music transcribes very well from the piano to other instruments. His compositional st Read More...

Nazareth (1863 -1934) was a Brazilian composer and pianist whose music transcribes very well from the piano to other instruments. His compositional style absorbs many different influences Brazilian, European, African and ragtime. He composed tangos, waltzes, polkas, sambas, galops, Scottisches and fox-trots and although classically trained was very familiar with the popular musical idioms of his day both at home and abroad. Brejeiro is described as a tango and the English translation of the Portugese word Brejeiro is impish meaning fun or mischevous. A tempo of 96 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested and a solo soprano saxophone part with the appropriate transposition is appended to the music score. There are some octave transpositions in the melody where the range of the solo instrument proves limiting. Close

Rondo (Sonatina) arr. sop, alto & tenor saxophone

This is an attractive piece which has in the recent past been used as the basis for a pop tune. In this arrangement for soprano, alto & tenor saxophon Read More...

This is an attractive piece which has in the recent past been used as the basis for a pop tune. In this arrangement for soprano, alto & tenor saxophone, of the first section of the piece, the melody is played by the soprano saxophone while the chords and bass are played by the alto saxophone and tenor saxophone respectively. A tempo of 110 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested and the sounding key is F The rondo was composed by Clementi, known in his own time as a teacher, composer, performer and even as a manufacturer of pianos spending most of his adult life living in England. His Opus 36 Sonatinas are a rich source of music for piano players. A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme although only the A or first section is featured in this improver level arrangement intended to introduce players of these instruments to ensemble playing. Close

Romanze arr. alto & tenor saxophone & bass guitar

This is a charming piece of music in 6/8 time and taken from one of Beethoven's Sonatinas for piano. In this arrangement the alto saxophone plays the Read More...

This is a charming piece of music in 6/8 time and taken from one of Beethoven's Sonatinas for piano. In this arrangement the alto saxophone plays the melody whilst tenor saxophone accompanies playing broken chords with a bass line provided by a bass guitar. A tempo of 66 dotted quarter beats to the minute is recommended and as the music sounds in the key of F appropriate transcriptions have been made to the saxophone parts. Close

Any Rags? arr. alto saxophone & piano

An arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment of this song chorus that demonstrates many of the essential elements of an emerging popula Read More...

An arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment of this song chorus that demonstrates many of the essential elements of an emerging popular music style at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a characterful and musical piece suited to being played as a link between scenes in a show or something with a similar context. The piece sounds in the key of F and the alto saxophone part is appropriately transposed. Close

Wilson’s Rag Arr. alto saxophone & piano

An arrangement of this ragtime waltz for alto saxophone accompanied by piano. A tempo of 110 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested Read More...

An arrangement of this ragtime waltz for alto saxophone accompanied by piano. A tempo of 110 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested and is used in the realisation. As the sounding key is F the alto saxophone part has been appropriately transposed. Close

Elite Syncopations arr. alto saxophone & piano

Elite Syncopations is another high quality ragtime piece by Scott Joplin whose remastered piano rolls are a good source of understanding of how this Read More...

Elite Syncopations is another high quality ragtime piece by Scott Joplin whose remastered piano rolls are a good source of understanding of how this style of music should be performed. A tempo of 78 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is recommended in this arrangement for alto saxophone accompanied by piano. The sounding key is F although the solo instrument part is appended to the full music score with the appropriate transposition. The same ragtime piece is often heard played at varying tempos but the best advice is not to play too fast. It does need to be played consistently and with simplicity even though some of the sections are technically quite challenging. Some of the repeat sections have the option of playing the melody up an octave but this may prove to be too challenging for some instruments. Close

El Choclo arr. alto saxophone & piano

This very popular tango dates from 1903. The English translation of El Choclo is "The Ear of Corn." This arrangement for alto saxophone with piano Read More...

This very popular tango dates from 1903. The English translation of El Choclo is "The Ear of Corn." This arrangement for alto saxophone with piano accompaniment sounding in C minor has the solo instrument part with the appropriate transposition appended to the full music score. A tempo of 60-66 quarter note (crotchet) notes to the minute is recommended. Players can chose whether or not to include the triplet ornamentation. An adapable piece this movement exists in arrangements for solo instruments, various duos, cafe style groups and orchestra. Ángel Villoldo (1861-1919) was an Argentinian composer and a pioneer of tango which became very popular from both the music and dancing point of view towards the end of the nineteenth century. It is popular today both in Argentina from where it originates and is a familiar and recognisable music style around the world. Close

La Paloma arr. alto saxophone & piano

Sebastian Yradier was a Spanish born composer who despite the universal popularity of the piece died in obscurity in 1865. Based on the Cuban habanera Read More...

Sebastian Yradier was a Spanish born composer who despite the universal popularity of the piece died in obscurity in 1865. Based on the Cuban habanera rhythm, La Paloma (The Dove) was written after the composer visited Cuba around 1860 and became very popular world wide. The melody needs to be played legato whilst the accompaniment figuration should be played staccato or certainly in a detached manner. There are many different versions of this piece and the triplet figuration provides various options on how the music can be both notated and played. A tempo of of around 60 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested. The solo alto saxophone part, transposed to the appropriate key, is also appended to the full music score. Close

Le Piccadilly arr. alto saxophone & piano

This is an intermediate level version of Satie's march inspired by the music of the ragtime era. It is a cabaret piece featuring the cakewalk rhythm Read More...

This is an intermediate level version of Satie's march inspired by the music of the ragtime era. It is a cabaret piece featuring the cakewalk rhythm which was popular in Paris around 1900. A tempo of 96 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested for this concise humorous piece dating from 1904. The solo instrument score is appended to the full music score. Please note the alto saxophone does not appear at pitch in the full score. Close

Over the Waves arr. alto saxophone & piano

The waltz melody is very much associated with the music of funfairs, trapeze artists and fairground organs and has even featured in the MGM film "The Read More...

The waltz melody is very much associated with the music of funfairs, trapeze artists and fairground organs and has even featured in the MGM film "The Great Caruso." Rosas was a Mexican composer and violinist who began his career as a street musician. After a visit to Cuba in 1894 he became very poorly and sadly died at the young age of 26. "Over the Waves" (Sobre las Olas) was published in Mexico in 1888 and has become one of the best known Latin American pieces interpreted by many stylistically different types of performing groups. An alto saxophone part appropriately transposed is appended to the music score. This improver level (second year players) movement in ternary ABA form is an ideal ensemble piece. The realisation plays back at 60 dotted half note (minim) beats to the minute and players need to communicate a one to the bar feel in their playing. Piano accompaniments are available to be downloaded at tempi of (1) 56 (2) 58 and (3) 60 dotted half note (minim) beats to the minute. Close

Twinkle Variations arr. alto & tenor saxophone

A very familiar melody used to introduce some of the elements of classical performance style in melody and accompaniment playing. This intermediate le Read More...

A very familiar melody used to introduce some of the elements of classical performance style in melody and accompaniment playing. This intermediate level arrangement for alto and tenor saxophone explores classical compositional techniques in a two part texture and features an alberti style bass, the melody played in the bass clef and changes of time signature. The music has been transposed and sounds in the key of F. Close

Minuet in G minor App.115 arr. alto & tenor saxophone

An arrangement for alto and tenor saxophone of this minuet from the Anna Magdalena Notebook sounding in the key of G minor and like most dance music f Read More...

An arrangement for alto and tenor saxophone of this minuet from the Anna Magdalena Notebook sounding in the key of G minor and like most dance music from this era in AB or binary form. The movement has a haunting quality and is often performed with the Minuet in G BWV App.114. Like so much of the music from the collection it is a great study piece for music students and can be played by a combination of different instruments. Keep the eighth notes (quavers) as even as possible and a tempo of around 116 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested. The score has the appropriate transpositions in place for the specified instruments. Close

Sleeper\'s Wake arr. alto saxophone & tenor saxophone

This is music based on a chorale (hymn) tune that would have been familiar to Bach's congregations. Arranged for alto and tenor saxophone this is a sh Read More...

This is music based on a chorale (hymn) tune that would have been familiar to Bach's congregations. Arranged for alto and tenor saxophone this is a shortened two part version of this movement familiarising players with its rhythmic figuration and bass line. The rhythmic shapes sound modern and not surprisingly the movement has been subject to being arranged by a number of contemporary performing groups in a variety of styles. Close

Siciliano in G minor arr. for alto saxophone & piano

An arrangement of this movement for alto saxophone and piano. The siciliano is a slow tempo movement in 6/8 and 12/8 time particularly popular in the Read More...

An arrangement of this movement for alto saxophone and piano. The siciliano is a slow tempo movement in 6/8 and 12/8 time particularly popular in the baroque period featuring dotted rhythms to give it a lilting feelthat said this piece should not be played too slowly. This music has great beauty and gracefulness and the arrangement has the ornaments notated to clarify how they are to be played. Close

Polonaise in G min arr for alto & tenor saxophone

An arrangement for alto saxophone and tenor saxophone of this characterful and rhythmic piece in binary (AB) form sounding in the key of G minor.

Minuet arr. for alto saxophone and piano

An arrangement for alto saxophone and piano of this uplifting piece which features imitation in the writing and like many of Bach’s short works Read More...

An arrangement for alto saxophone and piano of this uplifting piece which features imitation in the writing and like many of Bach’s short works composed in two sections. This binary (AB) form dance form movement needs to be played fluently with all notes being clearly articulated. Close

Minuet in B flat BWV App.114 arr. for alto saxophone & electric guitar

This familiar Baroque melody arranged for electric guitar and alto saxophone and sounding in the key of Bb The guitar part also has a TAB chart.