Brass Ensemble Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1130062 Composed by English Folk Song by way of American Appalachians. Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. Celtic,Children,Folk,Irish,Traditional,Wedding. Score and parts. 28 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #730439. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.1130062). The origins of this lullaby can be traced back to 15th-century England. Pioneers from the British Isles brought it with them to the American Appalachians. Written in three verses, its lyrics tell of four seemingly impossible gifts the singer gave my love. The first verse describes each gift: cherry that has no stone, a chicken that has no bone. a story that has no end and a baby with no cryin'. The second verse poses the riddle: how can such items exist? The third provides the answers: A cherry when it's bloomin', it has no stone. A chicken when it's pippin', it has no bone. The story of I love you, it has no end. A baby when it's sleepin', has no cryin'. This Riddle Song has enjoyed somewhat of a revival since mid-20th century, making appearances in various movies, TV shows and recordings. In 1956, Jerry Livingston and Paul Francis adapted The Riddle Song tune, added an original bridge and created new lyrics; Johnny Mathis recorded it as The Twelfth of Never, giving the haunting melody probably its greatest surge in popularity. This arrangement is in G major and opens with an upbeat introduction. For the first statement of the melody, tempo slows and Trumpets alternate the lead. On the second time through, tempo speeds up slightly and tuba takes the lead. For the third, tempo is back to the opening speed and Horn in F plays the melody. On the fourth time through, Trumpets and Trombone frame the tune in a call-and-response form. In the fifth, Trombone takes the lead. In the sixth and final statement, Horn in F and Trombone play melody at half speed while Trumpets play a fairly complicated counterpoint (at what may seem like double speed!). This, until the last phrase (A baby when it's sleepin'), when the melody switches over to Trumpets and Trombone takes the counterpoint. Trumpet 1 plays its A above the staff a number of times. Tuba's lowest note is its F down below the staff. Otherwise, notes for all instruments are well within normal playing range. Because of the recommended tempo, the countermelody at measures 68-83 could be problematic for Trumpets and Trombone and may require a little extra work. Completed in 2022, performance time runs about 3 minutes, 42 seconds. The arranger, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge. He would like to receive your suggestions, comments, corrections and criticisms. For more arrangements by Les, enter Sweetwater Brass Press (without the quotation marks) in the Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct search box. (Also, purchase of this piece entitles you to your choice of another of his arrangements at no charge; send a copy of your purchase receipt directly to him at lessmith61@bellsouth.net.)

Brass Ensemble Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1164066 Composed by Al Stillman and Ernesto Lecuona. Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. Multicultural,Pop,Standards,World. Score and parts. 37 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #764401. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.1164066). Ernesto Lecuona was born 1895 in Cuba.  He began piano lessons at 5 years of age and developed into a virtuoso pianist and internationally celebrated composer.  In 1928 he composed Suite Andalucía, a six-movement piano piece portraying the people and places of the Andalusia region of southern Spain.  Two of those pieces eventually achieved tremendous popularity as standalone songs:  #2, “Andalucia� and #6, “Malagueña.�  Lecuona had composed both in ¾ time.  Salvador Tutti Camarata reframed “Andalucia� in 4/4, Al Stillman provided English lyrics and the song was given a new title, “The Breeze and I.�  Jimmy Dorsey’s big band recorded it in 1940 with the vocal by Bob Eberly.  It was hugely popular, lasting nine weeks on the Billboard magazine chart and peaking at #2.  Fifteen years later, Caterina Valente recorded both “The Breeze and I� and “Malagueña� to great success.     This arrangement opens in A-flat major with Trumpets, Horn and Tuba laying down a Latin beat and the Trombone playing an opening lick.  After the introduction, Trombone and Trumpets take turns with the melody, while Horn and Tuba provide variety and accents.  On the second time through, the key changes to E-flat major and begins with a Trumpets-and-lower-brass fanfare.  The melody repeats, but this time with a different take.  Horn and Trombone take turns with melody and counter melody, then Trumpets take over.  After several cascade effects, the tune reaches its end and Trumpets play an extended version of Trombone’s lick from the introduction.  The group then repeats the final 16 bars of the tune and winds up with an extended ending treatment.  Trombone once again contributes its opening lick, and the arrangement fades away . . . all to a Latin beat.  Enjoy!     Time signature is 2/2 and suggested tempo is 72 BPM, which is maintained all the way through.  There are two instances of a one-bar change to 3/2.  The fanfare at Section C contains a measure and a half of 16th notes.  All notes are well within the normal playing range of the five instruments.     Completed in 2023, performance time runs about 3 minutes, 30 seconds. The arranger, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge.  He would like to receive your suggestions, comments, corrections and criticisms.  For more arrangements by Les, enter Sweetwater Brass Press (without the quotation marks) in the Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct search box.  (Also, purchase of this piece entitles you to your choice of another of his arrangements at no charge; send a copy of your purchase receipt directly to him at lessmith61@bellsouth.net.).

Brass Ensemble Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1033890 Composed by Jaromir Vejvoda. Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. Holiday,Pop,Wedding. Score and parts. 41 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #639202. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.1033890).      Jaromir Vejvoda, born in 1902 in the Czech city of Zbraslav, was a fiddler and flugelhorn player. As a young man, he began writing music while working as a bartender. In 1927 he composed a particularly rollicking, toe-tapping tune. He persuaded the Czech-American composer Eduard Ingriš to write an arrangement for the piece, and the result was titled "ModÅ™anská polka" (ModÅ™any being the Prague suburb in which it was first performed). In 1934 Václav Zeman added lyrics, and the title changed to "Škoda lásky," Czech for “Wasted Love.” It also became known as “Rosamunde.” The public loved it. It was so successful that Vejvoda was able to quit tending bar and turn full time to music. The polka soon spread to other countries. Lew Brown and Wladimir Timm added English lyrics, and when the Andrews Sisters recorded it in 1939 as “Beer Barrel Polka,” it became one of their biggest hits. During World War II it was the favorite song of the Western Allies and has since been played and recorded by literally dozens of artists.      Suggested tempo for this brass quintet “Škoda lásky” is 120 BPM. It opens in C major, changes to F major, then back to C. All five instruments get a chance to shine. There are no really tricky rhythmic patterns, and the notes are, for the most part, within the normal playing range of each instrument. Some possible exceptions: Trombone’s highest notes are F above the staff; it’s lowest, G at the bottom; Tuba’s highest notes are F in the staff; Trumpet 2’s highest are its G at the top of its staff.      Completed in 2022, performance time runs about 3 minutes. The arranger, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge. He would also like to receive your suggestions, comments, corrections and criticisms. Contact him directly at lessmith61@bellsouth.net. For more arrangements by Les, enter "Sweetwater Brass Press" (without the quotation marks) in the search box. (Also, purchase of this piece entitles you to your choice of another of his arrangements at no charge; send a copy of your purchase receipt directly to him at lessmith61@bellsouth.net.)