SKU: A0.1125331

Score: 5 pages. Duration: 2:38.

Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude & Fugue in G Major BWV 557 is a piece of organ music composed in 1703 and first published in 1714. It is a two-part composition with a prelude followed by a fugue. The prelude is a stately and joyful piece in the Baroque style. It is built around a series of themes, each repeated with slight variations, before culminating in a grand climax. The fugue is similarly constructed and features a clear exposition, with a main theme followed by several episodes. The piece has become one of Bach's most beloved works, due to its simple structure and its remarkable balance between prelude and fugue. It has been used in films, television, and other media, and is a staple of the organ repertoire.

SKU: A0.755009

In The Land of Wonder-Wander attempts to capture the essence of both Maxfield Parrish’s illustration and Eugene Fields’ poem The Dinkey-Bird. Both the painting and the poem create the feeling of a magical place where beauty, joy and pleasure abound. It is a mysterious place, perhaps as occurring in a dream, yet a place where one does not wish to leave. In The Land of Wonder-Wander begins quietly with vague tonality and sparse instrumentation as it transports the listener into this mystical land. As the tempo becomes stricter and the instrumentation fuller, the beauty of this place is apparent. A change to a triple meter and a faster tempo creates a joyous and wondrous section as there are many sweet treats growing to satisfy the soul. Children scampering and playing are represented by an allegro section with playful melodies and slight dissonance. The Dinkey Bird becomes the focus of the next section, which uses a staccato motif surrounded by rapid scales and arpeggios. These ideas build in intensity, expressing the wonder and beauty of this far away land, until they begin to fade away as the land recedes into the sea. A last flourish occurs as if one is trying to hold on to the experience before one wakes up from this marvelous dream.

SKU: A0.1313969

String Quartet 

In the Bleak Mid-Winter is a popular Christmas Carol which has been set to music by both Gustav Holst and Harold Darke. This string quartet arrangement is based on the Holst version and combines the composer's beautifully simple harmony with the arranger's own counter-melodies and intricate part writing. Lovely writing for all instruments. An ideal work for Christmas concert programming.

This is a through-composed instrumental arrangement that explores the melody and harmonies of the Holst hymn in 3 differently arranged verses. After a short introduction the first verse uses Holst’s original 4-part harmonisation in its beautiful simplicity, with the first violin playing the melodic line. In verse 2, the viola presents the tune in a lower register while the 'cello plays a Baroque style ‘walking bass’. The violins weave countermelodies above them, introducing new material for a Pachelbel-like interlude of an ascending sequence - bringing the music to a climax before subsiding into verse 3. Here a slightly ornamented version of the tune returns with the new material continuing in the bass line. After another smaller climax we return to the original Holst as the work ends quietly and thoughtfully.

SKU: A0.1313145

Saxophone Quartet (SATB or AATB)

In the Bleak Mid-Winter is a popular Christmas Carol which has been set to music by both Gustav Holst and Harold Darke. This sax quartet arrangement is based on the Holst version and combines the composer's beautifully simple harmony with the arranger's own counter-melodies and intricate wind writing. Lovely writing for all instruments. An ideal work for Christmas concert programming.

This is a through-composed instrumental arrangement that explores the melody and harmonies of the Holst hymn in 3 differently arranged verses. After a short introduction the first verse uses Holst’s original 4-part harmonisation in its beautiful simplicity, with soprano saxophone playing the melodic line. In verse 2, the tenor sax presents the tune in a lower register while the baritone plays a Baroque style ‘walking bass’. The sopranoe and alto weave countermelodies above them, introducing new material for a Pachelbel-like interlude of an ascending sequence - bringing the music to a climax before subsiding into verse 3. Here a slightly ornamented version of the tune returns with the new material continuing in the bass line. After another smaller climax we return to the original Holst as the work ends quietly and thoughtfully.

SKU: A0.1314203

Clarinet Quartet - 3 x Clt. & Bass Clt. (or 4 x Clt.)

In the Bleak Mid-Winter is a popular Christmas Carol which has been set to music by both Gustav Holst and Harold Darke. This clarinet quartet arrangement is based on the Holst version and combines the composer's beautifully simple harmony with the arranger's own counter-melodies and intricate wind writing. Lovely writing for all instruments. An ideal work for Christmas concert programming.

This is a through-composed instrumental arrangement that explores the melody and harmonies of the Holst hymn in 3 differently arranged verses. After a short introduction the first verse uses Holst’s original 4-part harmonisation in its beautiful simplicity, with clarinet 1 playing the melodic line. In verse 2, clarinet 3 presents the tune in a lower register while the bass (or 4th) clarinet plays a Baroque style ‘walking bass’. The first and second clarinets weave countermelodies above them, introducing new material for a Pachelbel-like interlude of an ascending sequence - bringing the music to a climax before subsiding into verse 3. Here a slightly ornamented version of the tune returns with the new material continuing in the bass line. After another smaller climax we return to the original Holst as the work ends quietly and thoughtfully.

SKU: A0.793604

Written by Paul McCartney and included in the 1969 album 'Abbey Road', the song wasn't fully appreciated by the other members of the band.
However we like it as it is an upbeat tune despite it's dark subject.

For more Bacchus Quartet arrangements visit - sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/bacchusquartet/5331.