String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1460809

By Celine Dion. By Harry Warren and Mack Gordon. Arranged by Homco/Crinion. Blues,Film/TV,Jazz,R & B,Wedding. 9 pages. Homco/Crinion #1039708. Published by Homco/Crinion (A0.1460809).

The lyric sings: At last - my lonely days are over, and life is like a song. Maybe that is the reason At Last is such a popular selection for weddings. Maybe also because it has been recorded as Big Band music with Glenn Miller and his orchestra, as Jazz and Blues with Etta James, and even with a more modern throw-back spin with artists like Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Christina Aguilera, Gladys Knight and Beyonce. It's Jazz; it's Blues; it's R&B; it's Soul; it's timeless.

String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin,Voice - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.749202

By Celine Dion. By Harry Warren. Arranged by HELEN MARPLE-HORVAT. Oldies. Score and parts. 21 pages. Helen Marple-Horvat #3539949. Published by Helen Marple-Horvat (A0.749202).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRqJrKjpk0o

‘At Last’ was composed by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical ‘Sun Valley Serenade’ in 1941. It was recorded by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, becoming a chart hit in 1942, and in 1960 by Etta James, who was subsequently inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The song is a frequent wedding favourite for quartets.

I also have a version for string quartet without a vocalist listed on this site, which is very similar, but entails more double stopping for the players. I am also planning to do several arrangements of this wonderful classic, including a version with a simplified first violin part.

This version is for a professional quartet, as the opening is tricky for the first violin. However, most of the double stopping includes open strings for one of the notes. This is a great opportunity for the singer to try her improvisational skills, so I have taken the vocal line from the original, with a few tweaks here and there. This is not set in stone however, and our recording shows my daughter embellishing the vocal line. Nevertheless, the quartet parts are almost identical to the score I am uploading.

As I am classically trained, it was quite difficult, at first, for me to stick to the beat and not to try to follow the singer when accompanying on the piano!  It’s important to remember to keep the quartet in rock solid time so that she can feel free to pull the lines away from the main pulse sometimes. Little slides up to notes suit the style well too.

Look out for the upcoming simpler version if this one feels a bit daunting and exposed!

Have fun and post me any recordings. I can be found on Facebook very easily.