SKU: A0.1153136

It's the end of a long day in the Old West. The cowboys have unsaddled their horses, lit the campfire, and can't wait for grub to be served! After chow, they lay on their bedrolls, reminiscing about their hometowns, their adventures, and maybe the gal they left behind. When it's time to settle in for the night, they watch the clear skies above and maybe point out a shooting star or two. Then it's time for sleep, before another hard day on the trail arrives too soon. Written it 3/4 time, The Cowboy Waltz is a relaxing, comfortable piece for Beginning String Orchestra. Watch out! You might just catch some of your audience snoozing - along with the cowboys - afterwards! This chart has three part harmony, as the second violin and viola play the same part as do the cello and string bass. Your first violin is on his or her own!

SKU: A0.1488869

In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, the English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly initially wrote the words to Danny Boy to a tune other than Londonderry Air. One story is that his sister-in-law Margaret Enright Weatherly (AKA Jess) sent him a copy of Londonderry Air in 1913 and Weatherly modified the lyrics of Danny Boy to fit its rhyme and meter. A different story has Jess singing the air to Weatherly in 1912 with different lyrics. Yet another story is that Frederic did not set the poem to any tune, but that, in 1913, Margaret, who, with her husband Edward Weatherly, was living at the Neosho mine near Ouray, Colorado in the US, set it to the Londonderry Air which she had heard as a child in California played by her father and other Irish railway workers.

Weatherly gave the song to the vocalist Elsie Griffin, who made it one of the most popular songs of the new century. Ernestine Schumann-Heink produced the first recording of Danny Boy in 1915.

Jane Ross of Limavady is credited with collecting the melody of Londonderry Air in the mid-19th century from a musician she encountered

If you would like any similar music scoring for String Orcestra get in touch at klscj(at)me(dot)com.

SKU: A0.933524

The Prelude and Fugue in C major were created during the period of study with Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, who lived from February 3, 1736 to March 7, 1809. Albrechtsberger was an Austrian theoretician and pedagogue of music, an organist, as well as a composer. He entered upon his career early as a choirboy in the choir of the monastery of Melk, Austria. There he was discovered by the crown prince, the later emperor Joseph II. The latter facilitated an appointment as the court organist.

Later Albrechtsberger became conductor of the chapel choir of the famous Stephansdom in Vienna. Albrechtsberger was a highly praised pedagogue; Beethoven, too, was among his pupils. It was this composer that studied with Albrechtsberger from January 1794 to March/May 1795. Together with Beethoven, Albrechtsberger researched all forms of the counterpoint, which is most manifest in the large number of exercises passed down; over 300 studies, fugues etc. have been preserved with corrections and alterations by Albrechtsberger.

During this period of study, greater works were also composed, such as the Dona Nobis Pacem (Hess A57), the Prelude and Fugue in E minor (Hess 29), the Prelude and Fugue in F major (Hess 30) and the present one in C major (Hess 31).

The piece was probably composed in 1794-95; this opus also shows numerous improvements and alterations by his master, although some alterations are by Beethoven himself. The manuscript of the work is to be found in Vienna, and did not appear in print until 1967 for the first time.
The present version sticks closely to Beethoven’s, but has been provided with a double bass part so as to adapt the work for being performed with a larger strength than for which it was originally written. The strength originally intended by Beethoven was two violins, a viola and a cello, so as a string quartet. With the supplementary bass part, the piece can also be played by a string orchestra, which will no doubt promote its dissemination and familiarity. In a sense, the work is already a preliminary study for the string quartets Opus 18 produced later.

Especially the rhythm, melodic forms, and the counterpoint applied, frequently return in these string quartets. Beethoven has hardly indicated any rests in the empty bars; Cees has as yet added them.

The phrasing, dynamics and time indications have also been added. Beethoven merely writes down the notes, while we have to accept the fact that various notes have been changed by Albrechtsberger but Beethoven’s notes might have been just as interesting. Of some notes it was not clear what Beethoven exactly meant; in such a case, Cees has adhered to the harmonious form, adapting the notes which, logically speaking, fit in with the harmonic unity.

SKU: A0.1286698

INDIVIDUAL INSTRUMENTS PARTS 2 of 2 (Harp and Strings).  This four act contemporary opera, original libretto and music, by 21st century American composer James Nathaniel Holland is the story of the triumph of Love over Evil, however delayed, and the power of keeping steadfast to one’s righteous promise.  

Based on the German fairy tale The Six Swans, in a kingdom, during Saxon times, the murderous daughter of an evil entity, Ravia, infiltrates and takes over the lives of a royal family due to the King’s rash promise to marry her many years before. 

The royal children are sent away by their father for safety to a hidden, woodland cottage, but Ravia discovers where they are and hexes the younger siblings, turning them into swallows.  Usha, the eldest, escapes and flees to the wilderness and is visited by the apparition of her dead mother who explains what is going on and that Usha must swear an oath of silence for six years to break the spell and change her siblings back into human form.

Five years pass and a dashing and kind king, Rohric, of another kingdom, finds Usha while hunting, falls in love with and marries her, but Usha must remain silent and cannot reveal who she is.  Ravia, who now is sole queen of the old kingdom, is invited by Rohric’s nobles with hope to secure a “proper� wedding for Rohric.  Usha is accused falsely of killing her own child by the two and is sentenced to be burned at the stake, but as the bell tolls she finally can declare her innocence.  To the crowd’s amazement her siblings change back, all truth is revealed, and for Ravia’s failure, she is dragged back to hell by demons.  

Singers:  King Alfred (bass), Ravia (soprano), Princess Usha (mezzo), Queen Mother Arna (soprano), the royal siblings (children’s/boy’s chorus), King Rohric (Tenor), The Evil Noble (baritone), An angel/a demon (bass), SATB Chorus

Scored for full orchestra.  Instrumentation:  picc/treble recorder, fl12, ob12, eh, cl12, bsn12, hrn 123, tpt123, trom12, tba, timp, perc.12 (bd, crash cym, ride cym with soft mallets and stick, small gong, wood blk, glk, chimes, snar, tri), hrp, strings

Duration:  2 hours
Full Orchestral Score (concert pitch), Piano Vocal Score and Instruments Parts 1 (woodwinds, brass, perc.) and Parts 2 (harp and strings) sold separately.

SKU: A0.835570

LONDONDERRY AIR (DANNY BOY) is an old Irish melody that originated in County Londonderry (also known as County Derry) in Northern Ireland. This beautiful melody is arranged for beginning Intermediate string players and beyond and utilizes many embellished chords giving it a more modern sound. This arrangement will certainly be a crowd favorite. If this composition appeals to you please consider the many others in this string series by typing VINCENT VITALE in the search bar located on the home page. I hope you and your students enjoy performing this piece. As always I thank you very much for your consideration and wish you and your students much musical success.

SKU: A0.1044627

The download contains arrangements of 3 very popular Irish tunes ('The Londonderry Air' - sometimes known as 'Danny Boy', 'The Lark in the Clear Air' and 'The Mountains of Mourne') All arranged for String Orchestra with optional percussion parts. A full set contains a score for each of the 3 pieces and a set of parts (with permission to copy to suit your own requirements) for the following instruments Ist Violins, 2nd Violins, Violas, (extra cello part, substitute for viola) Cellos, Bass, Percussion (optional).