SKU: A0.1488743

The two Serenades, Op. 11 and 16, represent early efforts by Johannes Brahms to write orchestral music. They both date from after the 1856 death of Robert Schumann when Brahms was residing in Detmold and had access to an orchestra.

Brahms had a goal of reaching Ludwig van Beethoven's level in writing symphonies, and worked long and hard on his first symphony, completing it only in 1876 when he was 43 years old. As preliminary steps in composing for orchestra, he chose early on to write some lighter orchestral pieces, these Serenades.

The second serenade was first sent to Clara Schumann, who was delighted by it. It was written in 1859 and dedicated to her.

The first public performance, reportedly for full orchestra (version lost?), was in Hamburg on 10 February 1860.

Brahms himself reworked the piece for piano 4 hands in 1875.

The same year he revisited the orchestral version, this time for a small chamber orchestra.
The new scoring was for :
piccolo,
2 flutes,
2 oboes,
2 clarinets (in A for movements I, IV, V; in C for movement II; and in B flat for movement III),
2 bassoons, 
2 horns, 
violas, cellos, and double basses.

(omitting violins, brass, and percussion)

The five movements take approximately thirty minutes to perform.

Allegro moderato (A major)
Scherzo. Vivace (C major) – Trio (F major) (This arrangement)
Adagio non troppo (A minor, ends in A major with a Picardy third)
Quasi menuetto (D major) – Trio (F? minor)
Rondo. Allegro (A major)

Arranged wind dectet/decet/double wind quintet and bass.
Horns in C basso ( as in original) but alternative Horn in F parts provided.
My clarinet parts are for Bb clarinets.

SKU: A0.752457

In 1982, the Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Nuclear Power Plant started a series of tests to simulate an electrical power outage to help create procedures for maintaining the circulation of the reactor coolant for the 60-75 seconds needed until the back-up generators got to full power. This was key to ensure that the coolant pumps did not stop working; otherwise, it could lead to the core overheating or, worse, the core melting down. The first test was unsuccessful, and, after some modifications, the test was repeated in 1984 and 1985.

On 25 April 1986, a fourth test was scheduled to take place at 1415hrs during a controlled power-down of one of the reactors. However, at 1400hrs, another regional power station went offline, causing the test to be delayed by 10-hours. With the well-prepared day and evening crews’ shifts over, the test was left to the unprepared night crew. Unbeknownst to them, safety systems and protocols had been disabled or ignored earlier in the day, power-output issues had left the reactor in an unstable condition and there were basic design flaws with the reactor when it was constructed. All of this led to an uncontrolled chain reaction and, at some point around 01:23:45 in the morning of 26 April 1986, explosions and a fire destroyed a reactor building of reactor number 4 at Chernobyl. Radioactive contamination was released into the surrounding areas, 100,000s of people were evacuated, a 30-kilometre exclusion zone was put in place and whilst, officially, only 31 people died from this disaster, it has been estimated that between 4,000 and 16,000 fatalities are related to the events of that day. The area is likely to be unsafe for the next 20,000 years.

The soundtrack to the TV mini-series Chernobyl is by the Icelandic composer, Hildur Guðnadóttir. The music is made, almost entirely, from sounds that she recorded at a decommissioned Nuclear power plant in Lithuania, giving it a very raw quality. She says the show itself portrays the disaster with respect and realism, and I was adamant the score reflects this. I wanted to show the viewer how it would feel to be there, and to tell this story of fear, loss and, ultimately, human error.

Vichnaya Pamyat translated to Memory Eternal in Ukrainian, but a better English equivalent would be Rest in Peace. It is a hymn used during Ukrainian Orthodox Christian church funerals and memorial services.  Guðnadóttir’s arrangement is heard at the end of the final episode of the series.

This arrangement is in the original key. A transposed version, making it easier to play, is available, item number H0.1100563-SC004126925. The arrangement also includes alternative parts for tenor horn, treble-clef trombone/euphonium and tuba. A recording of the music from the original soundtrack can be found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Poc3MF8GFk.

SKU: A0.1147416

This arrangement adapted for baritone saxophone trio 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: A0.891973

Clarinet Sextet, loosely based on ROMANCE by LUDVIG SCHYTTE.

Ludvig Schytte (28 April 1848 in Aarhus – 10 November 1909 in Berlin) was a Danish composer, pianist, and teacher. Born in Aarhus, Denmark, Schytte studied with Niels Gade and Edmund Neupert, and Liszt. In 1884, he travelled to Germany to study with Franz Liszt. Schytte lived and taught in Vienna between 1886 and 1907 and spent the last two years of his life teaching in Berlin. Originally trained as a pharmacist, Schytte composed a Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor, Op. 28, and a Sonata in B-flat, among numerous other piano works. He also wrote two operas: Hero (25 September 1898 in Copenhagen) and Der Mameluk (22 December 1903 in Vienna). His shorter works are still used today as educational studies for piano students.

Incidentally I am reliably informed that his name is pronounced in Danish as Luthfig Shooter, just in case of any confusion!!!

SKU: A0.1492052

The title of this piece is based on Psalm 146:10, which says: 'The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.' Years ago, I inwardly heard some of the music as I was riding in a van, perhaps with some bumpiness in the road, and set out to write it down and expand on it.

SKU: A0.592201

Mimi the Multicoloured Mummy is a fun and original duet written by David McKeown for two Cellos.

Mimi the Multicoloured Mummy is one in a series of ten Halloween-themed duets each presenting a portrait of a different Halloween character. All ten can be bought together in one collection by searching for 10 Spooky Halloween Duets for Cello.

Back in Ancient Egypt, Mimi always turned heads with her blonde hair and fashion sense. She made her fortune in a pyramid selling scheme and acquired Joseph’s Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at a charity auction. When she choked on a locust her friends tore up the coat and used it in the mummification process instead of the usual white bandages. So three thousand years later Mimi still dresses in style. 

Mimi the Multicoloured Mummy is suitable for players at an intermediate level and above, with the accessible keys and range balanced by some fast passages. With a playing-time of around four minutes, Mimi the Multicoloured Mummy is a perfect upbeat addition to any performance program, formal or informal. Click the link above to listen to a full performance of the clarinet version of this duet on YouTube.

To keep up with new titles, search for Dave McKeown Sheet Music Downloads on Facebook.

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: A0.911472

WEDDING SERIES - a set of popular songs and wedding standards that I have arranged for years. The formations are varied, from duos to orchestras with choir. The majority are mixed/flexible sextets in which some instruments can be replaced and the ensembles can be totally changed. Some arrangements have shortened versions. These options are provided in my catalogue.

IN MY LIFE - for 2 clarinets and harp (piano).

SKU: A0.513250

The song by Swedish pop music group ABBA. It was released on 2 September 2021 from the band's upcoming ninth studio album and first in 40 years - Voyage has been freshly arranged for SAB with Piano accompaniment. Accessible and appropriate for any school or concert setting.

SKU: A0.813966

Euphonium Quintet - Intermediate - Digital Download. This arrangement of Silent Night, or in German, Stille Nacht, would be a wonderful addition to any music library and could be performed for Christmas concerts, recitals, and, especially, church services. It is equally suitable for junior and senior high school students and even older musicians. Depending on their ability, younger musicians would also enjoy playing this selection. Included are a score and a complete set of parts (7 pages). This selection is one of the many arrangements from The Regis Bookshar Trumpet Ensemble's extensive music library which are being made available for the first time.

Silent Night is probably the most popular Christmas carol ever written. It was composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr and was first performed on Christmas Eve at St. Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, a small village in present-day Austria. A young Catholic priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had written the poem, Stille Nacht, in 1816 and had gone to Oberndorf in 1817. The melody was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, schoolmaster and organist in the nearby village of Arnsdorf. On Christmas Eve, 1818, Mohr brought the words to Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for that night's mass, after river flooding had possibly damaged the church organ. The church was eventually destroyed by repeated flooding and has since been replaced with the Silent-Night-Chapel.

According to Gruber, Karl Mauracher, an organ builder who serviced the instrument at the Oberndorf church, was enamored with the song, and took the composition home with him to the Ziller Valley in Tyrol, Austria. From there, two traveling families of folk singers, the Strassers and the Rainers, included the tune in their shows. The Rainers were already singing it around Christmas, 1819, and once performed it for an audience that included Franz I of Austria and Alexander I of Russia. They also gave the first performance of the song in the United States in New York City in 1839. By the 1840's, the song was well known and was reported to be a favorite of Frederick William IV of Prussia. During this period, the melody changed slightly to become the version that is commonly heard today. The version of the melody that is generally used today is a slow, meditative lullaby, or pastoral, differing slightly from Gruber' s original which has a moderate tempo. The song has been translated into about 140 languages and has been recorded by many singers across many music genres. The version sung by Bing Crosby in 1935, has sold over 10 million copies as a single.

In this arrangement of Silent Night, Regis Bookshar has kept the basic form of this familiar Christmas carol, but has also included a descant during the third verse. Also, in addition to this version for a Euphonium Quintet, written in Treble Clef, there are other arrangements of Silent Night available for a variety of instrumental ensembles. There is also a version for a Euphonium Quintet written in Bass Clef, if you prefer. There are Quintets and Octets readily available for purchase. Please take the time to look for other versions of this composition. You may find something else that might also suit your needs.

I would also encourage you to search for other arrangements by Regis Bookshar, as well, as there are numerous arrangements in a wide variety of styles, also available for purchase. You may find something else which might interest you. Please continue to check periodically because new arrangements are being added as often as possible. I'm certain that this wonderful arrangement of Silent Night will continue to entertain both performers and audiences alike for years to come.