Wind Quintet
Traditional arr. Thackray – The Animals Went In Two By Two (Wind Quintet) – Digital Download
Excellent for young audiences, the arrangement, by Roy Thackray, is helpful in learning to recognise the sound of the instruments, both together and separately. For colleges, conservatories and professionals.
Children in particular will enjoy listening to this rousing piece, arranged by Roy Thackray, which has also proved very suitable for audience participation. For schools, colleges and professionals.
One of the most well known tunes of all. Once attributed to Henry the Eighth and introduced here in a beautiful new arrangement by Carlo Martelli. This arrangement was recorded on the CD British Light Music Premieres Vol. 2, released in 2005 by Dutton Epoch CDLX 7151.
Like its predecessor, Christmas Medley One, this is a cleverly devised potpourri by Carlo Martelli of some of your favourite Yuletide tunes framed by Jingle Bells, one of the most recently composed. Other carols included in this concatenation are Ding Dong Merrily on High, Good King Wenceslas, I Saw Three Ships and Hark The Herald Angels Sing. Suitable for concerts, encores, or just sheer enjoyment.
Recorded by the Pavão Quartet on the CD A Christmas Collection (released in 2007 on Discrete Recordings DISC 0702), this is a skilfully concocted collection by Carlo Martelli of several well known seasonal favourites, including Away in a Manger, The First Nowell, The Holly and the Ivy, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Past Three O'clock, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, O Come All Ye Faithful and Jerusalem. Suitable for concerts, encores, or just sheer enjoyment.
In this arrangement the exploration of register and alternative harmonies, together with the sustain pedal, creates an image of sound reverberation in open spaces. The piano's open fifths in the middle of the piece gives an eastern feel. Rebecca Faith has added a new original theme alongside the main melody that gives a fresh unique quality - this theme immediately sets the atmosphere in the piano introduction and is later heard more powerfully on the flute, returning at the close of the piece in the high register of the piano creating a music box like feel.
Flute & Piano
Traditional arr. Faith – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Flute & Piano) – Digital Download
Deliberately fun and slightly tongue in cheek, this arrangement by Rebecca Faith is challenging but highly enjoyable. The new composed melodies become as much loved as the original tune, seamlessly layered and intertwined. The descending bass line, punchy accents and shifting time signatures give this piece a sense of a 'swing' style. Definitely a piece that requires strong drive and attitude.
Five sea shanties arranged by Alan Danson, each presented with a little twist. The clarinet provides a stomach lurching rolling motion in Blow the Man Down while bended tones on the cor anglais and bassoon provide a quasi queasiness to the arrangement. Set in a stoic march mood The Mermaid has the members in antiphonal fanfares at the close of the setting, along with the occasional (intended) mis-pitched flattened 7th on the Clarinet, while 'Drunken sailor' is given an up tempo treatment with horn call references to the chase. Bobby Shaftoe is in true dancing mood, with a beguine feel to the middle section before ending the shanty with toe tapping togetherness.
The first in a series of three, each movement of these arrangements by Alan Danson presents a 'quasi cameo' of the character of its American origins. Ragtime Cakewalk suggests the essence and style of this type of dance through the chuckling cor anglais, solid bassoon accompaniment and counter line on the clarinet. In Cowboy's Toon the bassoon provides a laid back foundation, whilst the clarinet and oboe duet side by side with a line incorporating some of the bending tones one might expect to hear from the cowboy's drawl. In Barn Dance a sense of team enjoyment is portrayed, with the clarinet line accompanied by high jinks, vocal calls and clapping from the Cor Anglais and Bassoon.
This attractive brass quintet based on the traditional sea shanty What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor opens with a fanfare followed by a main theme, first on trumpets and then on the horn. A series of linked variations follow, with the tune passed between the instruments in constantly changing tempos and styles. A strong rhythmic accompaniment keeps the sea shanty mood and the piece finishes with a showy flourish. Arranged by Eileen Clews, this light hearted work gives each player the chance to show off their instrument, so making it an ideal concert piece or a study piece for brass workshops.
Traditional
Traditional & Parry arr. Thorp – Welsh Rum and Rarebits (String Quartet) – Digital Download
We have all heard of Wales described as the Land of Song, but in this lively medley (a companion piece to Bill Thorp's Suite Irish Sherry), the well-known folk songs David of the White Rock, Cadair Idris and The Ash Grove are combined with lesser-known Welsh dance tunes Hunting the Hare, Powell's Fancy and Corris’ Whim, culminating in the unforgettable (and certainly unpronounceable!) Pibddawns gwŷr Gwrecsam. Originally arranged for a wedding this is a fun piece that is perfect for 'function' quartets. With interest in all parts it is a good piece for any string quartet, whether student, amateur or professional, to relax with and enjoy in concert or at home.
Violin & Piano
Terence Johns – Sky Blue (Violin & Piano) – Digital Download
Another piece in the Blue series for solo instruments and piano, this time for violin and piano. Slow, dreamy and written in the high register of the violin, it has a soft fluid middle section suggestive of bird song. It was first performed by Alisdair Savage at the Little Venice Music Festival in London in 2004 and since then at the BBC in Glasgow and the Elgar Society's concerts in Edinburgh. A difficult piece that needs a secure high register.
Trinity College London Advanced Certificate (Grade 8 Equivalent) Exam Piece until further notice.
Inspired by a water colour by Robert Fowler from the book Beautiful Wales, this piece was written for Angela Whelan of Fine Arts Brass and has been widely performed by Mark O'Keefe, principal trumpet of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The music evokes the image of the ruined castle with a mysterious introduction of muted fanfares reminiscent of ancient battles. The main middle section is a broad melody, Welsh in character in the style of a folk song with harp-like accompaniment. This piece has been a Trinity College London Advanced Certificate (Grade 8 Equivalent) exam piece since 2008.
Penderyn is a tiny village at the edge of the Brecon Beacons and is the birthplace of the compose's grandmother. The old church of Penderyn is enclosed by trees that are home to scores of birds from which the village takes its name - 'Hill of Birds' is the English translation. The flute evokes the bird song and in the central section plays a folk style melody, while the piano takes a harp like role with an old Welsh hymn (Llef) hidden in the harmony and following the bird song.
This work, originally for trombone and piano but including a version for horn and piano, is a delightful composition. The piece was orchestrated by the composer and broadcast by Simon Johnson with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. It is written in the jazz ballad style, sustained and high in register with a little optional improvisation over the final bars.
This is the first piece in Terry Johns Blue series for solo string instruments and piano. Written in a highly accessible blues idiom, and first performed by Michael Beaston at the Twelfth Annual International Viola Congress in Glasgow. The piece might be said to evoke the stillness when all is quiet and the clock strikes 12! This piece was a Guildhall School of Music and Drama Grade 7 exam piece between 2001 and 2004 and was also a Trinity College of Music grade 5 exam piece between 2003 and 2006.
The work has been recorded by the composer on his CD Terry Johns Classic and Romantic and broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland and Classic FM. For studios, schools, colleges and professionals. This was a Trinity College of Music grade 6 exam piece between 1998 and 2004.
Double Bass & Piano
Terence Johns – Deeply Blue (Double Bass & Piano) – Digital Download
A work for double bass and piano that is another title in the 'Blue' series for solo instruments and piano. Written to be played pizzicato throughout for a 'jazz' player or by an orchestral player with a well developed pizzicato technique. The piano is featured in a jazz style that is composed with improvisation in mind. The work was first performed in Tony Alcock's recital at the Scottish Double Bass Congress at the RSAMD in Glasgow in 2004.
A quartet for three concert flutes and alto flute. Written in a jazz style, this work was commissioned by the flutes of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for their flute quartet Aye Flutin'. A romantic, melodic middle section is framed by a quick be-bop movement, making it a real showcase for a flute group with an affinity for jazz. Aye Flutin' has been performed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and broadcast by the group Zauberflöte.
In his Three by series Stephen Morland has compiled and edited favourite themes in an interesting and challenging way. These flute quartets, in this case Dance of the Reed Pipes, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Waltz of the Flowers from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, have been delightfully arranged in such a manner that students of varying ability can have a rewarding and enjoyable musical experience. For schools, studios and professionals.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Waltz from The Sleeping Beauty (String Quartet) – Digital Download
This arrangement of one of Tchaikovsky's most loved waltzes displays all of Carlo Martelli's customary skill and inventive power. For conservatories and professionals.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Waltz from Symphony No. 5 (String Quartet) – Digital Download
This charming waltz, arranged here for string quartet by Carlo Martelli, is the third movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, and as with all this composers least pretentious music has a tenderness and pathos which give a guileless and unalloyed pleasure to the discerning listener.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Waltz from Swan Lake (String Quartet) – Digital Download
Arranged for string quartet by Carlo Martelli, this is one of Tchaikovsky's many famous waltzes in which the lyrical side of his genius is always to the fore.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Waltz from Serenade for Strings (String Quartet) – Digital Download
Since this piece was composed originally for string orchestra the arranger Carlo Martelli has retained as far as possible the existing distribution of the parts. For conservatories and professionals.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Waltz from Eugene Onegin (String Quartet) – Digital Download
Tchaikovsky's lyrical genius and his extraordinarily subtle gift for portraying character is at its peak in this, his most well known, opera. This waltz, which opens the second act, is one of Tchaikovsky's finest, brilliantly transcribed here for the four strings by Carlo Martelli.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Song without Words, Opus 2 No. 3 (String Quartet) – Digital Download
Arranged for string quartet by Carlo Martelli, this is the most well known of all Tchaikovsky's many drawing-room pieces for piano, using a title invented and made popular by Mendelssohn more than forty years earlier.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Romeo and Juliet Overture (String Quartet) – Digital Download
In this version of Tchaikovsky's early romantic masterpiece the arranger Carlo Martelli has considerably curtailed the original in length.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Romance, Opus 5 (String Quartet) – Digital Download
Tchaikovsky's piano music is of the drawing-room order and always charmingly written - this Romance is typical, and is ideal for transference to the string quartet as is here arranged by Carlo Martelli.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Pique Dame Medley, Opus 68 (String Quartet) – Digital Download
This medley, arranged by Carlo Martelli from Tchaikovsky's penultimate opera, is a collage containing most of the Mozartian pastiche found in the piece and some of the more overtly 'Russian' numbers.
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky arr. Martelli – Pathétique Symphony No. 6 Movement 2 (String Quartet) – Digital Download
Arranged here for string quartet by Carlo Martelli, this famous 5/4 movement from the Pathétique Symphony turned out to be its composers swan song.