SKU: A0.587520

Felix Mendelssohn’s Wedding March was originally written in 1842 as incidental music to Shakespeare’s famousplay, Midsummer Night’s Dream. When Queen Victoria’s daughter used the music for her marriage in 1858, it became instantly popular and has remained a wedding favourite ever since.

This full version is arranged as a duet for Violin and Viola and the performance time is around 6 minutes. Of course, performers, especially at weddings, may wish to abridge and shorten the arrangement. This is easily done as the different sections are self-contained and interchangeable. Repeats may also be ignored. Follow the links above to hear a short sample or watch a complete performance on youtube. The samples are from the clarinet version of this arrangement.

Musicians at an intermediate level and above will find this ideal for formal and informal performances, with both parts enjoying melodic interest.

Teachers will enjoy using this arrangement as a fun way to help with detailed articulation and dynamics.

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

SKU: A0.1402227

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is a famous piece for the organ. Surprisingly, it wasn't very popular when Bach was alive. It was first published in 1833 by Felix Mendelssohn in a collection called noch wenig bekannte Orgelcompositinen. Mendelssohn performed it in 1840, which made it more well-known. This piece is different from Bach's later works in style and composition; for example, the fugue is relatively simple. Music expert Peter Williams suggested in his 2003 book The Organ Music of J. S. Bach that it might have originally been written for solo violin. Following his idea, some people tried to adapt it for solo violin, with some versions in A minor based on his suggestion.

While it's unsure if Williams' idea is correct, it implies that this piece might work well for string instruments. We decided to arrange it for a Violin and Viola Duet, trying to stay close to the original organ version. However, because of technical reasons, we had to remove some parts. Our first arrangement was liked at a small concert in 2022. During this, we realized that the music could be good for string ensembles. We also found that removing some notes made the remaining ones stand out, sometimes making a special beauty. This suggests that the music might have been meant for string instruments originally.

We first planned to publish this arrangement in 2020, but we changed our minds. We wanted as many people as possible to enjoy this wonderful piece, so we decided to publish two versions. Version 1 is similar to the organ score, sounding familiar but being technically hard. In contrast, Version 2 skips some notes, making it easier technically. Players will still experience the unique beauty of string ensembles with intentional note removal. The choice between the two depends on what players prefer and their skill level.

To help players understand better, we've used colored notes. Different colors show different voices, helping players know each instrument's role. In Version 2, green notes show parts where both instruments play the same thing. While these notes are optional, playing them will help synchronize the two parts.

Turning pages can be hard because there aren't many rests. We suggest using a tablet or arranging music stands side by side with all six pages in a row. If that's not possible, we suggest connecting pages 1-3 and 4-6 horizontally with cardboard. Put pages 1-3 in front and 4-6 in the back. For specific instructions during the piece:

- The Violin plays the Viola part in bar 74, shown by solid parentheses. Turn the page after playing the third beat of bar 75 and don't play the Violin part in bar 76 (marked with dashed brackets), as the Viola will play it.

- The Viola turns the page right after playing bar 73. Instead of playing the part in dashed parentheses in bar 74 (which the Violin will play), play the Violin part of bar 75 (marked with actual parentheses).

SKU: A0.1402228

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is a famous piece for the organ. Surprisingly, it wasn't very popular when Bach was alive. It was first published in 1833 by Felix Mendelssohn in a collection called noch wenig bekannte Orgelcompositinen. Mendelssohn performed it in 1840, which made it more well-known. This piece is different from Bach's later works in style and composition; for example, the fugue is relatively simple. Music expert Peter Williams suggested in his 2003 book The Organ Music of J. S. Bach that it might have originally been written for solo violin. Following his idea, some people tried to adapt it for solo violin, with some versions in A minor based on his suggestion.

While it's unsure if Williams' idea is correct, it implies that this piece might work well for string instruments. We decided to arrange it for a Violin and Viola Duet, trying to stay close to the original organ version. However, because of technical reasons, we had to remove some parts. Our first arrangement was liked at a small concert in 2022. During this, we realized that the music could be good for string ensembles. We also found that removing some notes made the remaining ones stand out, sometimes making a special beauty. This suggests that the music might have been meant for string instruments originally.

We first planned to publish this arrangement in 2020, but we changed our minds. We wanted as many people as possible to enjoy this wonderful piece, so we decided to publish two versions. Version 1 is similar to the organ score, sounding familiar but being technically hard. In contrast, Version 2 skips some notes, making it easier technically. Players will still experience the unique beauty of string ensembles with intentional note removal. The choice between the two depends on what players prefer and their skill level.

To help players understand better, we've used colored notes. Different colors show different voices, helping players know each instrument's role. In Version 2, green notes show parts where both instruments play the same thing. While these notes are optional, playing them will help synchronize the two parts.

Turning pages can be hard because there aren't many rests. We suggest using a tablet or arranging music stands side by side with all six pages in a row. If that's not possible, we suggest connecting pages 1-3 and 4-6 horizontally with cardboard. Put pages 1-3 in front and 4-6 in the back. For specific instructions during the piece:

- The Violin plays the Viola part in bar 74, shown by solid parentheses. Turn the page after playing the third beat of bar 75 and don't play the Violin part in bar 76 (marked with dashed brackets), as the Viola will play it.

- The Viola turns the page right after playing bar 73. Instead of playing the part in dashed parentheses in bar 74 (which the Violin will play), play the Violin part of bar 75 (marked with actual parentheses).

SKU: A0.1189417

This arrangement adapted for violin and viola duet was written keeping the characteristics of the original work, in order to be performed by young music students who want to enter the symphonic music. Besides, it can also be used by professional musicians, for recitals, repertoire, academic presentations and didactic material. As much as it is a funeral march, it is well suited for any musical performance occasion. The transcription is faithful to the structure, with only one change of key, so that it is comfortable for all the instruments in the formation, as well as for use in ensemble practice between musicians of different traditions.

Ludwig van Beethoven began concentrated work on his Symphony No. 7 in A major Op. 92 in 1811, it was completed in 1812, and was dedicated to Count Moritz von Fries, and premiered in Vienna on December 8, 1813. It is considered a remarkable example of the more ebullient side of Beethoven's compositional personality and evidence that even after the onset of deafness, he still found cause for musical optimism. The second movement Allegretto is a funeral march in everything but name. Often several contrasting melodic ideas are made to coexist, as if Beethoven were imagining several processions converging on the cemetery at the same time. As he was working on this symphony during the years of the Napoleonic Wars, this experience was probably within his experience. It was also used as the soundtrack to the film Knowing, by director Alex Proyas and starring Nicolas Cage, where it is used in the final scene of the film. Beethoven called Symphony No. 7 his most excellent symphony, and a music critic of the time reported, this symphony is the most melodically rich and the most pleasing and comprehensible of all Beethoven's symphonies..

SKU: A0.913469

Count your Blessings for Violin and Viola. Each of the three verses becomes a bit more complex. The second verse has the lead in the viola part so that both parts have the melody. In the key of D, the note ranges remain on G, D and A strings with a few open Es for violin and high E on the A string for viola. Players need to be able to utilize a high third finger for C# on the G string and a low one for D# on the D string.  

SKU: A0.550317

Five Duets, Duration: ca. 8:00. Great music for sightreading.
Josquin des Prez (1450-1521) was a French-Flemish composer who lived during the Renaissance period. His chamber music was influential in the development of modern tonality and musical genres. Josquin's compositions encompassed both secular and sacred works, including chansons and Italian frottola. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance and was among the first to use innovations such as multiple voices and counterpoint. His achievements as a musical magician-mathematician remain stunning even centuries after his death. The importance of Josquin des Prez's chamber music lies in its influence on the development of modern music and its enduring legacy as a masterpiece of the Renaissance period.

SKU: A0.590618

Love is a beautiful original composition by David McKeown, arranged as a duet for one Violin and one Viola, and is one of series of pieces celebrating Love in different languages around the world.

This duet is inspired by the songs from the great American Songbook. Musical theatre on Broadway reached its heyday in the ‘30s and ‘40s with composers such as George Gershwin and Cole Porter writing regular new shows. This period coincided with the jazz and swing era; as well as countless instrumental interpretations, singers such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald brought these songs to new audiences outside the theatre. They remain popular today, providing a soundtrack for every romantic occasion, and Love aims to capture the melody, form and spirit of these timeless songs.

Love is written for players at an intermediate standard and upwards. Expressive throughout, after the rubato preamble, the song is a classic 32 bar AABA structure. Love has a performance time of around three minutes and a half minutes. Click the link above to listen to a full YouTube performance the Clarinet version of this duet.

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

SKU: A0.589295

Hava Nagila is a Hebrew Folk tune, often performed by Klezmer musicians. This version is arranged as a duet for one Violin and one Viola.

Hava Nagila was originally a Nigun melody thought to have originated in the Ukraine. In 1918 a professor and musicologist at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, set the tune to words adapted from Psalm 118. Hava Nagila was first performed at celebrations at the end of the Great War and quickly spread throughout the Jewish diaspora. In the fifties and sixties, performances by singers as diverse as Harry Belafonte and Bob Dylan popularised the song far beyond its original Jewish audience. Hava Nagila remains one of the best-known and loved Klezmer standards today, traditionally performed at Jewish celebrations.

Hava Nagila is simply arranged in a key and range best suited to the instruments. After a steady beginning, the melody gradually increases in tempo, with constant variations in the accompaniment. Hava Nagila is suitable for players at an intermediate level and above. With a performance time of around two and a half minutes, this version of Hava Nagila is perfect for celebrations, weddings and concert performances, both formal and informal. 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 at http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/david-mckeown/6203 

SKU: A0.1189318

This arrangement adapted for violin and viola duet was written keeping the characteristics of the original work, in order to be performed by young music students who want to enter the symphonic music. Besides, it can also be used by professional musicians for recitals, repertoire, academic presentations and didactic material. The transcription remains faithful to the structure, with only one change in tone, so that it is comfortable for all the instruments in the formation, as well as being used as an activity in ensemble practice among musicians of different traditions.

Beethoven's Turkish March (Op. 113) is the 4th movement of the operatic work: The Ruins of Athens, a set of incidental pieces written in 1812 by Ludwig van Beethoven, where the melody was originally written in 1809 as Theme with Six Variations for Piano, Op. 76. The work was written to accompany the play of the same name by August von Kotzebue, for the dedication of a new theater in Pest. Perhaps the best known part of the composition is the Marcia alla turca, In Latin America, this movement became known in Jean-Jacques Perrey's version (who titled it The Elephant never Forgets) since it was used as the opening theme of the successful Mexican TV comedy El Chavo del Ocho. The opening and the turkish march are often performed separately, and the other pieces in this set are not often heard.