Brass Ensemble - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.808712 Composed by F. Leslie Smith. Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. Children. Score and parts. 37 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #6656487. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.808712).   Gremlins, trolls and hobgoblins. All are imaginary or supernatural, products of folklore. The first is a mischievous elf. The second, a product of Scandinavian imaginations, is a rather unattractive dwarf (or maybe a giant) that dwells in caves or on mountains. The third is a small, hirsute and naughty household spirit. In other words, these are just the types of beings that show up on your doorstep on October 31 evenings threatening to play tricks unless you provide treats.  This composition exemplifies not only these creatures, but also the witches, skeletons, ghosts, vampires, black cats and other scary beings that populate Halloween. Written in the key of C minor with a 6/8 time signature, it rolls along at a suggested tempo of 96 BPM. Based primarily on the traditional melody, The Hearse Song (the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out), it also quotes the composer’s own The Eerie Night and Chopin’s Marche Funèbre. And like the worms of the song, the melodies work their way sinuously in and out among the five instruments. Most notes are well within normal playing range: Trumpet 1’s highest is five A notes above its staff; Tuba’s lowest, G below the staff. There are no tricky rhythmic figures. It’s just a fun piece for Halloween . . . or any time of the year.  Completed in 2021, performance time for Gremlins, Trolls and Hobgoblins runs about 3 minutes, 33 seconds. The composer, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge. He would also like to receive your suggestions, comments, corrections and criticisms. 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.)
