Full Orchestra - Level 3 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.809889
Composed by Robert E. Proctor. Blues,Contemporary. Score and parts. 270 pages. R. E. Proctor #4800403. Published by R. E. Proctor (A0.809889).
This concerto is in the traditional three movement format with the first and third movements being fast and the middle movement slow. The second and third movements are most like a blues work. The first movement is a rondo format, is not particularly bluesy. A Les Paul™ guitar would play particularly well in this movement. The second movement switches between the soloist as the distorted guitar sound to the vocalist as the clean guitar sound. The final movement is happy, upbeat, and lively good time blues. In the second and third movements in particular, the basses (cello, double bass) should be easily heard. At the end of the third movement, the precisionist on the drum set should improvise a loud, untimed measure, solo utilizing all the drums and cymbals in the set ending with four moderately paced and slowing beats on the snare drum. A momentary pause, then the final chord.
The guitarist will need at least one foot pedal for distortion enabling him/her to switch between a clean sound and a distorted sound. The guitar should be the equivalent of a Fender™ Stratocaster or Telecaster guitar; a Gibson™ Les Paul would do nicely also. The music is partially fingered leaving the player the opportunity to interpret the part. The work is after the fashion of Chicago style blues of the 1960’s. The conductor and guitarist may wish to listen to recordings by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, B.B. King, etc. to get a feel for the music of the 1960’s blues bands. It would be highly desirable to use an organ, for the 3rd movement, that can produce a Hammond B3™ with Leslie sound, as that instrument was widely used in blues of that period. Although some of the notes notated as harmonics (h) in the score can be played as fretted notes, playing them as natural and artificial harmonics provides an interesting change of tonality. The orchestral part is not particularly challenging. The concerto is approx. 17 minutes in length.
