An intermediate level arrangement for baritone horn and piano of a shortened version of Tchaikovsky’s Valse Sentimentale Opus 51 No.6. ideal as an e Show More...
An intermediate level arrangement for baritone horn and piano of a shortened version of Tchaikovsky’s Valse Sentimentale Opus 51 No.6. ideal as an encore in a performing context. In this version an alternative ending is provided which simplifies Tchaikovsky’s original cadenza like coda. Formally this short version of the movement can be described as in ternary form ABA with a short coda as the closing section. Originally composed as a piano solo and dating from 1882 it is described as salon music intended in its time to be performed as drawing room music rather than in the concert hall. This is music ideally suited to being performed in intimate surrounds. As a movement a waltz needs to have a one in the bar feel to it rather than three beats to the bar. The playback tempo of the realisation is 44 dotted half notes (minim) beats to the minute which the music editor feels on reflection is probably a little on the fast side. The baritone part is notated in the treble clef and sounds a ninth lower than written. Please advise the PlentyMusic office if you require a bass clef option. What is paramount in a performance is that the music does not stutter in the tempo changing sense during a performance. It is a movement that requires subtle changes of tempo in the tempo rubato sense. The waltz is a dance and as much of Tchaikovsky’s music is associated with ballet, the Valse Sentimental needs to played with an awareness of movement. The music needs to glide or ebb and flow. If played strictly in time the music becomes quite dull. A movement that is excellent for developing an understanding of performance practice in the romantic / late romantic tradition. A perfect movement to understand how to manage tempo in music in the playing sense and to understand how rubato should work and be used in a music performance. There is the suggestion that no two performances could ever be the same simply because of the acoustic and possibly the mood of the soloist. The melody needs to be played legato. Players should be working to improve both the intonation and quality of tone in their playing. Piano accompaniments are available playing at 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 beats per minute where the beat is a dotted half note or minim. In the cadenza like coda beginning at bar where the music has a more dramatic quality and is marked meno mosso it is more practicable to approach this section with a three in the bar feel to the music. Use of the sustaining pedal is recommended by the piano accompanist but not indicated in the sheet music score apart from the first couple of bars. The music editor’s preference and recommendation is for minimal use the pedal. The bracketed notes are editorial and can be omitted. Tchaikovsky's exceptional gift as a composer apart from writing beautiful melodies and accompaniments is his ability to express a great range of moods from the happiest to the saddest moments in his music probably better than anybody else. Close
Lullaby (or Cradle Song) by J. Brahms is a famous and familiar melody from the classical music repertoire. In this arrangement for baritone (horn) wit Show More...
Lullaby (or Cradle Song) by J. Brahms is a famous and familiar melody from the classical music repertoire. In this arrangement for baritone (horn) with piano accompaniment the sounding key is F and the PlentyMusic realisation plays back at 76 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. One of the most beautifully shaped and sounding melodies to be found in the history of Western music. A movement that needs to be played and communicate simplicity even though there is a hint of something a little more complex in the lilting accompaniment. Improve music practice strategies with PlentyMusic pdf sheet music and mp3 accompaniment downloads playing at 72, 76, 80, 84 and 88 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute with each being introduced by a two bar click beat. These are available from the PlentyMusic website. The piano accompaniments available are not as nuanced as an accompanist but do provide the opportunity for preparation for performance. The melody needs to be played legato and there is opportunity to use rubato or robbed time which is associated with the performance of music from this time in music history. The baritone part has been notated in the treble clef and sounds a ninth lower than written. This is an excellent performance piece that can be played at a range of tempi and players should experiment with the tempo particularly in different acoustics and venues. As a familiar melody it needs to be learnt thoroughly and is an excellent piece for the soloist to memorise. This is a movement inviting interpretation during a performance. Players need to consider articulation, dynamic range and matters of tempo in their performances. An awareness of tempo rubato and its relevance to music performance in the romantic period would also be a valuable practical consideration. Pianists should be aiming for a legato touch in their playing and while use of the sustaining pedal is recommended markings are not indicated in the score. Formally the pattern of the music can be described as binary represented as ABAB The ornaments have been incorporated into the sheet music in the notation to add clarity of intention. Analysis reveals the simplicity of the movement from the harmonic point of view. The tonic, mediant, sub-dominant, dominant 7th and sub mediant chords in the scale all feature in either root position or an inversion. Analysis will help clarify how composers were so the reliant on the cycle of fifths at this particular time in music history. Brahms is an important and significant romantic composer associated with many large scale choral and instrumental works. Most of his music is technically very challenging to play. This song arrangement requires a relatively basic technique and is an excellent introduction to playing his music. Brahms was a family friend of the Schumann family and the connections between them are often referenced in commentaries, music works and performances. For those who have the time, skill set and imagination working the melody with a different accompaniment and stylistic approach can be a rewarding and broadening musical experience Re-invention is an important aspect of music making and PlentyMusic would be keen and willing to both listen and publish work in this category. Close
In this arrangement of the Bach - Gounod “Ave Maria” from PlentyMusic for baritone horn and piano Gounod’s melody is played on by the baritone p Show More...
In this arrangement of the Bach - Gounod “Ave Maria” from PlentyMusic for baritone horn and piano Gounod’s melody is played on by the baritone player while the Bach Prelude No. 1 is played by the pianist. The music has been transposed to the key of F. There is no definitive edition of the work and there are countless melodic variants so do expect to hear the movement played differently particularly in respect to the last four bars. Gounod’s arrangement has an extra bar (bar 27) than Bach’s original Prelude which has a total of 35 bars. In Gounod’s arrangement the first 4 bars are repeated making it 40 bars long without a repeat. Gounod’s melody if time allows should be internalised so that players they can concentrate on the tonal and interpretative aspects of their performance which in time will enable them to make the movement their own. The performance focus should always be on communicating the beauty of the melody in a legato singing style. The music editor suggests avoiding any exaggerated playing or eccentricities from the ornamentation point of view. There are many different interpretations of the Gounod arrangement particularly as to how the dotted notes are played and the pick-up or anacrusis notes in the section from bar 23 to bar 28. There are as many different endings to the movement as there are performances - deciding how the last 4 notes /4 bars are to be played is a topic in itself. In making a decision players should essentially consider the range of the instrument they are playing. Some of the tied notes can be/and are untied in the closing section particularly by brass players and other instrumentalists playing at a slow tempo. The best advice is to listen to contemporary practice and on the basis of the evidence make your own decision. Rhythmically the accompaniment needs to be played by the pianist in an even and as controlled way as possible. Pianists will need to make use of the sustaining pedal and its use is indicated in the opening bars and the pattern although not indicated should continue through the movement. The best rule to follow when using the sustaining pedal is simply not to overpedal and obscure the clarity of the harmony. Piano accompaniments are available as mp3 downloads playing at 63, 66, 68, 70 and 72 beats per minute (bpm). Pitch is at A = 440 hertz and the recording quality is 256kbps which will allow the recordings to be amplified and used in performances, teaching and practice contexts. Originally published as a Meditation on Prelude No. 1 by J. S. Bach the music appeared in 1859 with a text setting of the Latin prayer “Ave Maria” which has become widely known and performed both as an instrumental and vocal solo. Whilst Bach is a baroque composer Gounod, a French composer, known particularly for his operas belongs to the romantic period in music history. The movement is frequently performed at weddings and funerals as well as being an excellent concert piece. As this movement is so familiar to audiences performers cannot afford to even go near playing a wrong note never mind actually playing one! Close
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 Show 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 Gottschalk’s virtuoso playing. The playback tempo in the playback score is 58 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 sounds in F and the B section in Ab. The repeat does not play 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. A baritone part in the treble appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Players who would like the music notated in the bass clef please advise the PlentyMusic Office. The small ornamental or acciaccaturas (crushed) notes do not sound in the realization and the music editor suggests leaving them out certainly during the learning of the piece. It is then up to the player’s own discretion whether or not to play them. There is a strong influence of Chopin in the music of Gottschalk. Piano accompaniments are also available for download in mp3 format at tempi of Accompaniment (1) 63 Accompaniment (2) 60 and Accompaniment (3) 57 dotted quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. As the repetitive element in the movement is strong there is an opportunity to explore articulation, 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 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 great 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
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 Show 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 baritone accompanied by the piano the sounding key is Eb. Baritone 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 a featured of 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 as well represented in the realization as it might be. A baritone horn part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Piano accompaniments are also available for download in mp3 format at tempi of Accompaniment (1) 128 Accompaniment (2) 124 and Accompaniment (3) 120 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Close
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 Show 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 brass quartet comprising trumpet or cornet in Bb, tenor horn, baritone and tuba 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. The music editor is quite happy to respond to requests for an arrangement that includes other brass instruments. Please advise the PlentyMusic office. Close
The origins of this piece are as a Venetian song about gondolas (boats) and gondoliers (those steering and propelling the boats). Themes often expres Show 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 words 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 60 dotted quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. In this arrangement for baritone with piano accompaniment the sounding key is F. 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 66, 63 and 60 dotted quarter note beats (crotchet) beats to the minute. A baritone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close
When The Saints Go Marching In arranged for baritone and piano sounding in the key of F. The playback tempo is 100 half note or minim beats to the min Show More...
When The Saints Go Marching In arranged for baritone and piano sounding 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. A baritone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score and there is a piano accomanpiment available. Close
Paisiello was 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 th Show More...
Paisiello was 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 = 56, 2 = 54 and 3 = 53 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. A baritone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close
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 Show 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. A baritone horn part is appended to the full score. A piano accompaniment is also available for this arrangement. Close
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 Show 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 a duo 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. A baritone part appropriately transposed is appended to the full music score although it is a tuba sound heard in the recording. 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
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 Show 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. It is a tone lower than the piano original and the Vivo sections have been transposed down an octave. 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. 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. A baritone part is appropriately transposed is appended to the music score. Close
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 Show 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 baritone horn and piano sounding in Eb is in common time whilst some of the accompanying chords and rhythmic shapes have been updated to give a more 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. 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 is an possible to recruit a percussion player. A baritone horn part appropriately transposed is appended to the full score. Close
This familiar Scottish folk song begins and ends with a chorus (chorus-verse-chorus) and whilst the song’s text describes the escape of Bonnie Princ Show More...
This familiar Scottish folk song begins and ends with a chorus (chorus-verse-chorus) and whilst the song’s text describes the escape of Bonnie Prince Charles it 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 instruments. This arrangement keeps the melody as it usually sung but some of the accompanying chords have been updated to give a more contemporary feel. The players have the option of playing the repeat whilst a baritone horn part is appended to the full score. There are three piano accompaniments available playing at (1) 52 (2) 50 (3) 48 dotted quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Close
Santa Lucia has its origins as a Neapolitan song with its lyrics celebrating the outdoor lives of boatmen who lived and worked in the Bay of Naples in Show More...
Santa Lucia has its origins as a Neapolitan 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. A baritone horn part appropriately transposed is 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
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 Show 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 used and generally its use is governed by the harmonic rhythm of the movement. Like many French composers he was a very fine organist Many musical commentators suggest that Saint-Saens music is deserving of being explored for its high quality and variety. A baritone part appropriately transposed in the treble clef is appended to the full score. The music editor is interested in hearing from baritone horn players as to other keys options for this piece because available recordings suggest that there is more than one option. This version sounds in the key of Bb and utilizes the Sibelius tuba sound in the realisation. There are four accompaniments available playing at 75,72, 69 and 66 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Close