Brass Ensemble - Level 3 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.808675
Composed by Alexander Borodin (1833–1887). Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. Broadway,Holiday,Musical/Show,Romantic Period,Wedding. Score and parts. 19 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #3130463. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.808675).
    The defeat of Igor Svyatoslavich, a Rus’ prince, in his 1185 campaign against invading Cuman (Polovtsy) tribes was immortalized in the Russian epic, The Lay of Igor’s Campaign. Seven centuries later, Alexander Borodin started work on an opera based on that old tale. Borodin died before finishing, but Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov completed Prince Igor, and it was performed for the first time in 1890. Sixty-three years later the Broadway production Kismet opened featuring songs adapted by Robert Wright and George Forrest from the music of Borodin. Arguably, the most popular of the show’s songs was Stranger in Paradise, which was based on the Gliding Dance of the Maidens from the Polovtsian Dances of Prince Igor.
    This beautiful brass quintet arrangement of Gliding Dance of the Maidens was adapted from the orchestra score. The key is A major, time signature is 4/4 and tempo marking is Andantino at the opening, slowing to a suggested quarter note = 63 at measure 15. Trumpets, Horn in F and Trombone all play a few grace notes. Highest notes for Trumpets are their G-sharp just above the staff; for Trombone, E above the staff. While not particularly challenging technically, the key to playing this piece is interpretation and feeling.
    This arrangement was completed in 2017, and performance time runs about 2 minutes, 38 seconds. The arranger, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge; 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.)
