Viola Duet Viola - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.587290

By Dave Koz & Kelly Sweet. By Irving Berlin. Arranged by David McKeown. Christmas,Holiday,Jazz. Score. 3 pages. David McKeown #3124953. Published by David McKeown (A0.587290).

White Christmas is one of the best loved of all Christmas songs. While sung by countless artists over the years, it is synonymous with its original performer, Bing Crosby, who nailed the original recording with orchestra and singers in under eighteen minutes. Written by Irving Berlin in 1941, the song reached its audience via the 1942 movie bearing the same name. This version, arranged as a duet for two Violas, is true to the original in structure and feel. There are two verses, one reflecting Crosby’s free phrasing, and the second, copying the stricter phrasing of the singers and orchestra.

Musicians at an intermediate standard will find this ideal for formal and informal Christmas performances, with both parts enjoying plenty of interest. There are a few moderately difficult rhythms and some less familiar accidentals. Total performance time is around three minutes. The short audio sample is from the Clarinet and Alto Saxophone version while the full-length performance on the youtube link is the Clarinet Duet.

Teachers will enjoy using this arrangement as a fun way to approach expressive playing.

There are many more top quality arrangements and compositions by David McKeown for you to browse at http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/david-mckeown/6203

 

Viola Duet Viola - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.589814

By John Denver. By David Leslie Froggatt, Jane Barnes, and Johnny Marks. Arranged by David McKeown. Children,Christmas,Country,Holiday,Rock. Score. 4 pages. David McKeown #6096185. Published by David McKeown (A0.589814).

This version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is arranged by David McKeown as a duet for two Violas.

The song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, was written in 1949 by Johhny Marks. The Rudolph story was written by Marks’ brother-in-law, Robert L May, a decade earlier. The success of the song was guaranteed when it was recorded by Gene Autry, a huge star at the time. Initially Gene Autry didn’t like the song and was only persuaded to record it by his wife. She obviously knew best as Rudolph went on to become the second best-selling Christmas record of all time after White Christmas, with versions by everyone from the Jackson Five to Alvin and the Chipmunks.

This duet version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is based on the Gene Autry version, with a short introduction, and three choruses of the melody, with a key change and varied accompaniment throughout. Rhythms are simple in a swing style and the range is conservative, so this arrangement is ideal for players at an intermediate level.  Click the link above to listen to a full Youtube performance of the Clarinet version of this duet.

There are many more top quality arrangements and compositions by David McKeown for you to browse, (including many Christmas carols and songs), at https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/david-mckeown/6203