J.S. Zamecnik’s Polly in an arrangement for marimba, flute, guitar & bass This novelty piece published in 1926 is a lively movement that needs to be Show More...
J.S. Zamecnik’s Polly in an arrangement for marimba, flute, guitar & bass This novelty piece published in 1926 is a lively movement that needs to be played in a swing style. The realisation score plays back at 64 half note or minim bpm.
In this arrangement rehearsal markings are in place in the score with the music sounding in the original key of D. The pdf #sheetmusic download has individual instrument parts appended to the full score. Electric or acoustic guitars can be used and either electric bass guitar or acoustic bass. There is a strong chromatic element in this movement which has a formal structure related to the American march form. Additionally there is a strong repetitive element in the use of shapes and motifs which is often a feature in the popular music idiom. Modern instruments are tonally much stronger than the instruments of the 1920’s and some of the indicated articulation markings may need to be reviewed by players.
The marimba is presented as the solo instrument in the arrangement with the flute providing the fills and links at the end of phrases. The guitar part is fairly straight forward although some of the chords have been revoiced so that the chord choices are straightforward. In the appended parts chord symbols are in place to assist players where they are appropriate.
This is a mix and match arrangement so other arrangements in D, flute, cello and bassoon can make use of this choice of accompaniment for practicing.
Popular music idioms in the modern sense were established in the first decade of the 20th century first with ragtime and then with related styles like novelty piano, stride piano and subsequently with blues and jazz styles and much later other combinations . Musicians as such were provided with a career choice of either pursuing the popular or more serious classical idiom. Interestingly many successful popular music composers and performers in the early 20th century were classically trained.
The realisation plays back at 62 half note or minim beats to the minute. Accompaniments are in place playing back at 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70 and 72 half note or minim beats to the minute.
The conventions used in the notation of swing music are confusing and not altogether consistent so thare are a few rhythmic ambiguities in the score Time spent listening to performances of this piece will be helpful. It is communicating the swing style element that is important when the music is played. The triplet pattern or shape is the key rhythmic element.
John Stepan Zamecnik had a successful career as a composer of music for film or more accurately silent films commonly referred to as photoplay music. As a composer he frequently used pseudonms. It would be interesting to ask him why? Whilst American by birth he studied music in Prague with Dvorak in the mid 1890's. Much of his working life was spent in the city of Cleveland. Close
Added: 21st June, 2024 13:06 PM |
Views : 1594
Nola by Felix Arndt arranged for marimba & guitar. The composition dates from 1915. It is frequently referred to as the first piece of novelty music a Show More...
Nola by Felix Arndt arranged for marimba & guitar. The composition dates from 1915. It is frequently referred to as the first piece of novelty music an idiom that emerged from the ragtime era. Light and breezy in character it is a style of music very much intended to lift the mood and spirit. This is the perfect “party piece.”
Arndt was a New York based composer and pianist who died during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1919. Individual marimba parts are appended to the full score in the pdf sheet music download. Accompaniments are in place allowing the marimbaplayers to participate in play-a-long ensemble activities as part of music practice routines with a guitar .
The guitar accompaniment tracks play back at 58, 60, 62, 64 & 66 & 68 half note (minim) beats per minute. There is a two bar count in /click track at the beginning of the accompaniment tracks. The guitar accompaniment is much more playable and not nearly as difficult as the solo marimba.
Sections need to be played at the same tempo and there is little opportunity for slowing down at the end of phrases and sections.
This is music that moves along quickly but also needs to played in a completely relaxed manner. Nola is brimming with musical ideas and inventiveness and is a very “modern” sounding work for 1915. As a musical snapshot of its time it references both the ragtime era of its near past and points to the future in its swing jazz style triplet rhythms. Swing playing identifies more with the 1920’s so this is music that can be viewed as being ahead of its time.
The playing style of the bass and chords is derived from ragtime. Contrasting and repeating sections are in evidence whilst the formal pattern of the music is A B A C D C A with an 8 bar coda at the end. The key plan can be summarised as I – i – I – IV - I The novelty era has a strong connection with ragtime particularly in the choices of formal patterns and musical shapes. Whilst the repetitive element is strong the composer does not make use of repeat signs.
The music editor’s observation is that Felix Arndt was a hugely talented, imaginative and inventive composer and it is a tragedy that he did not live longer to compose music that similarly anticipated future trends. He left the music world with the potential to achieve so much. Born in 1889 if he had lived his entitled three year scores and ten he could have lived until 1959 and would have been a contemporary with so many other greats. It is also ironic because 1959 is the year that a version of Nola achieved success in the pop charts. What is so evident is that he had a wonderful understanding of harmonic colour and the relevance of chords in the popular music idiom. He can be truly described as a musical forerunner. Apart from the abundance of musical ideas it is understanding of the harmonic framework which makes his music so appealing. There are several dance patterns referenced in the music. Close
Added: 29th May, 2024 07:05 AM |
Views : 1065
Nola by Felix Arndt arranged for two marimbas The composition dates from 1915. It is frequently referred to as the first piece of novelty music an idi Show More...
Nola by Felix Arndt arranged for two marimbas The composition dates from 1915. It is frequently referred to as the first piece of novelty music an idiom that emerged from the ragtime era. Light and breezy in character it is a style of music very much intended to lift the mood and spirit. This is the perfect “party piece.” #sheetmusic & accompaniments link: coming soon
Arndt was a New York based composer and pianist who died during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1919. Individual marimba parts are appended to the full score in the pdf sheet music download. Marimba accompaniments are in place allowing marimba 1 players to participate in play-a-long ensemble activities as part of music practice routines. The lowest sounding note is A2 in the marimba 2 part.
The marimba 2 accompaniment tracks play back at 58, 60, 62, 64 & 66 & 68 half note (minim) beats per minute. There is a two bar count in /click track at the beginning of the accompaniment tracks. The accompaniment (marimba 2) is much more playable and not nearly as difficult as the solo (marimba 1). The music editor has limited each player to one beater in each hand so only two sounds can be sounded by each of the players at any one time in this arrangement. If marimba players require more of a challenge please advise the PlentyMusic Office with a specification.
Sections need to be played at the same tempo and there is little opportunity for slowing down at the end of phrases and sections.
This is music that moves along quickly but also needs to played in a completely relaxed manner. Nola is brimming with musical ideas and inventiveness and is a very “modern” sounding work for 1915. As a musical snapshot of its time it references both the ragtime era of its near past and points to the future in its swing jazz style triplet rhythms. Swing playing identifies more with the 1920’s so this is music that can be viewed as being ahead of its time.
The playing style of the bass and chords is derived from ragtime. Contrasting and repeating sections are in evidence whilst the formal pattern of the music is A B A C D C A with an 8 bar coda at the end. The key plan can be summarised as I – i – I – IV - I The novelty era has a strong connection with ragtime particularly in the choices of formal patterns and musical shapes. Whilst the repetitive element is strong the composer does not make use of repeat signs.
The music editor’s observation is that Felix Arndt was a hugely talented, imaginative and inventive composer and it is a tragedy that he did not live longer to compose music that similarly anticipated future trends. He left the music world with the potential to achieve so much. Born in 1889 if he had lived his entitled three year scores and ten he could have lived until 1959 and would have been a contemporary with so many other greats. It is also ironic because 1959 is the year that a version of Nola achieved success in the pop charts. What is so evident is that he had a wonderful understanding of harmonic colour and the relevance of chords in the popular music idiom. He can be truly described as a musical forerunner. Apart from the abundance of musical ideas it is understanding of the harmonic framework which makes his music so appealing. There are several dance patterns referenced in the music. Close
Added: 25th May, 2024 07:05 AM |
Views : 1000
In this arrangement conceived for 4 marimba players with two instruments available. Marimba parts 1 and 2 are scored in the treble clef and parts 3 an Show More...
In this arrangement conceived for 4 marimba players with two instruments available. Marimba parts 1 and 2 are scored in the treble clef and parts 3 and 4 in the bass clef. The score is formatted as a one document pdf file with individual parts for the marimba players 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 whilst this realisation sounds in the key of D it plays at a tempo of 84 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. Close
Added: 26th June, 2023 15:06 PM |
Views : 1284
In this arrangement of Tico-Tico for marimba and acoustic guitar the sounding key is A minor/major and the realization plays back at a tempo of 84 qua Show More...
In this arrangement of Tico-Tico for marimba and acoustic guitar the sounding key is A minor/major and the realization plays back at a tempo of 84 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute with the repeats being played. The appended part for the acoustic guitar also has a TAB chart to support the conventionally notated copy. The piece is structured into three sections and formally can be represented as AABBAACCA. Dating from 1917 this Brazilian choro (lament) was composed by Abreu and whilst there is no definitive notated version and is a piece that has travelled widely in various formats. It is an excellent ensemble piece and there are many arrangement possibilities suited to both formal or more informal music making activities. There is understandably in this Brazilian piece a strong syncopated element. Accompaniments featuring the acoustic guitar can be downloaded as mp3 files playing at (1) 88 (2) 84 (3) 80 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Close
Added: 15th January, 2020 15:01 PM |
Views : 3223
None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song dating from 1869 and comes from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. This arrangement for flute accompan Show More...
None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song dating from 1869 and comes from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. This arrangement for flute accompanied by marimba and acoustic guitar keeps close to the composer’s original version of the song and is an excellent piece for the flute player to develop both control and quality of tone in their playing. The accompaniment comprising marimba and acoustic guitar with off-beat or syncopated chords adds both intensity and urgency to the music. The suggested phrasing is determined by the shape of the melody and the punctuation of the poetry. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 90 quarter notes or crotchet beats to the minute. Individual parts are appended to the full sheet music score and the marimba and acoustic guitar accompaniment is available playing at (1) 88 (2) 90 (3) 92 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute as an mp3 download. For a piece of just 54 bars in length there is a considerable musical and emotional range in the music with the music editor suggesting that this is both an excellent performance and assessment piece. Close
Added: 3rd January, 2020 09:01 AM |
Views : 3077
None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song dating from 1869 and comes from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. This arrangement for oboe accompani Show More...
None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song dating from 1869 and comes from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. This arrangement for oboe accompanied by marimba and acoustic guitar keeps close to the composer’s original version of the song and is an excellent piece for the oboe player to develop both control and quality of tone in their playing. The accompaniment comprises marimba and acoustic guitar with off-beat or syncopated chords adds both intensity and urgency to the music. The suggested phrasing is determined by the shape of the melody and the punctuation of the poetry. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 90 quarter notes or crotchet beats to the minute. Individual parts are appended to the full sheet music score and the marimba and acoustic guitar accompaniment is available playing at (1) 88 (2) 90 (3) 92 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute as an mp3 download. For a piece of just 54 bars in length there is a considerable musical and emotional range in the music with the music editor suggesting that this is both an excellent performance and assessment piece. Close
Added: 3rd January, 2020 09:01 AM |
Views : 3096
None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song dating from 1869 and comes from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. This arrangement for violin accompa Show More...
None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song dating from 1869 and comes from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. This arrangement for violin accompanied by marimba and acoustic guitar keeps close to the composer’s original version of the song and is an excellent piece for the violin player to develop both control and quality of tone in their playing. The accompaniment comprises marimba and acoustic guitar with off-beat or syncopated chords adding both intensity and urgency to the music. The suggested phrasing is determined by the shape of the melody and the punctuation of the poetry. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 90 quarter notes or crotchet beats to the minute. Individual parts are appended to the full sheet music score and the marimba and acoustic guitar accompaniment is available playing at (1) 88 (2) 90 (3) 92 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute as an mp3 download. For a piece of just 54 bars in length there is a considerable musical and emotional range in the music with the music editor suggesting that this is both an excellent performance and assessment piece. Close
Added: 3rd January, 2020 08:01 AM |
Views : 3287
None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song dating from 1869 and comes from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. This arrangement for viola accompan Show More...
None but the Lonely Heart originates as a song dating from 1869 and comes from the composer’s Opus 6 collection. This arrangement for viola accompanied by marimba and acoustic guitar keeps close to the composer’s original version of the song and is an excellent piece for the viola player to develop both control and quality of tone in their playing. The accompaniment comprises marimba and acoustic guitar with off-beat or syncopated chords adding both intensity and urgency to the music. The suggested phrasing is determined by the shape of the melody and the punctuation of the poetry. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 90 quarter notes or crotchet beats to the minute as an mp3 download. Individual parts are appended to the full sheet music score and the marimba and acoustic guitar accompaniment is available playing at (1) 88 (2) 90 (3) 92 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. For a piece of just 54 bars in length there is a considerable musical and emotional range in the music with the music editor suggesting that this is both an excellent performance and assessment piece. Close
Added: 3rd January, 2020 08:01 AM |
Views : 3098
This arrangement of Odeon for marimba, acoustic guitar and string/upright bass is a lively rhythmic movement full of energy featuring many syncopated Show More...
This arrangement of Odeon for marimba, acoustic guitar and string/upright bass 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. In this particular arrangement the music has been transposed up a semitone and where necessary there are some octave transpositions in the melody line to keep within the instrument’s range. The three individual instrument parts are also appended to the full score. 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 or swaying in a dance context. The acoustic guitar and string bass as accompanying instruments needs to be played quite percussively communicate the energy of the movement. There are accompaniments featuring acoustic guitar and string bass available at tempi of 96, 92 and 88 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute with the repeats being played. Close
Added: 12th December, 2019 09:12 AM |
Views : 2965
When The Saints Go Marching In arranged for pitched percussion (marimba), acoustic guitar and bass guitar in the key of D. The playback tempo is 100 Show More...
When The Saints Go Marching In arranged for pitched percussion (marimba), acoustic guitar and bass guitar in the key of D. 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 bass 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. The marimba player has the option of playing the repeats an octave higher whilst chords shapes have been indicated in the guitar score and the bass guitar is notated both conventionally and TAB. Individual parts are appended to the full score. The accompaniment mp3 features a string bass in the playback. Close
Added: 14th August, 2019 08:08 AM |
Views : 3194
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 Show 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 92 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 C19th Rio de Janeiro (Chôrinho = 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. In this arrangement for mandolin, acoustic guitar and string/upright bass individual parts are appended to the full score. There are particularly instruments associated with the performance of this style of music namely the flute, guitar and a small type of guitar originally from Portugal with 4 strings known as the cavaquino or Portuguese ukulele which may play either a melody or a chord rhythm. From the sheet music point of view this is a very concisely notated piece of music. In this arrangement for marimba, acoustic guitar and upright/string bass individual parts for the three instruments are appended to the full score. The acoustic guitar part plays a combination of countermelodies and chords. Close
Added: 21st February, 2019 08:02 AM |
Views : 3068
This is an arrangement for marimba, acoustic guitar and upright often described as string bass with the score formatted as a one document pdf file wit Show More...
This is an arrangement for marimba, acoustic guitar and upright often described as string bass with the score formatted as a one document pdf file with individual parts for the three instruments 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 whilst this realisation sounds in the key of D and plays back 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 in what is a sunny piece. Close
Added: 26th January, 2019 16:01 PM |
Views : 3556
This is an excellent ensemble piece in that it allows for great flexibility in instrument combinations. In this arrangement for marimba, two guitars a Show More...
This is an excellent ensemble piece in that it allows for great flexibility in instrument combinations. In this arrangement for marimba, two guitars and acoustic or electric bass in G the realisation tempo is 76 quarter quarter note beats to the minute whilst the repeats are not played. Individual instrument parts are appended to the full score. 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 follow the structure of the typical American March which can be represented by letters as
I AA BB AA CC DD. Close
Added: 20th November, 2017 11:11 AM |
Views : 4260
In this arrangement of Tico-Tico for marimba, acoustic guitar and string bass the sounding key is A minor/major and the realization plays back at a te Show More...
In this arrangement of Tico-Tico for marimba, acoustic guitar and string bass the sounding key is A minor/major and the realization plays back at a tempo of 84 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute with the repeats being played. This syncopated piece is structured into three sections which can be represented as AABBAACCA. Dating from 1917 this Brazilian choro (lament) was composed by Abreu and whilst there is no definitive notated version it is a piece that has travelled widely in various different formats. It is an excellent ensemble piece and there are many arrangement possibilities suited to both formal or more informal music making activities. Individual instrument parts are appended to the full score and accompaniments featuring the acoustic guitar and string bass can be downloaded as mp3 files playing at (1) 88 (2) 84 (3) 80 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Close
Added: 27th July, 2017 11:07 AM |
Views : 3726
This very popular tango dates from 1903. The English translation of El Choclo is the "The Ear of Corn." A tempo of 60-66 quarter note (crotchet) notes Show More...
This very popular tango dates from 1903. The English translation of El Choclo is the "The Ear of Corn." A tempo of 60-66 quarter note (crotchet) notes to the minute is recommended. An adaptable piece this movement exists in arrangements for solo instruments , various duos, cafe style groups and orchestra. Guitarists have the option of changing the chord positions on the fretboard to alter the chord voicing and improve the ensemble. The double bass is to be played pizzicato throughout the arrangement and can be substituted by bass guitar or an acoustic bass guitar. Ãngel 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
Added: 27th July, 2017 11:07 AM |
Views : 3132
