String Ensemble - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.719775 Composed by Many. Arranged by Curtis Hanson. Renaissance. Score and parts. 63 pages. Curtis Hanson #6258417. Published by Curtis Hanson (A0.719775). Hey string players and teachers, are you looking for something different to program or teach your students? This collection of pieces, suitable for beginning and experienced ensembles, may be what you’re looking for. For the choral musician, the secular music of the 16th and early 17th centuries comprise some of the most delightful works of early repertoire. The madrigals in this collection are arranged for string trios, quartets, and quintets. The intent of these arrangements is to enable the instrumental musician an opportunity to experience a genre perhaps less familiar, with its varying degrees of rhythmic complexity and the juxtaposed interplay of duple and triple rhythmic figures. In keeping with the period, no dynamics are indicated, and articulations are kept at a minimum. Traditionally, repeated sections are to be played at a softer dynamic, but nothing is written in stone. For the up-tempo piece, as many are, rhythmic cleanliness and clarity are paramount, particularly in the iconic Fa-la-la sections. Accordingly, although they may be warranted, no slurs are given. Occasional staccatos are suggested for crispness. Vocal breath marks (') above the staff are meant to serve as guides in phrasing only, and tempos are only suggestions. As non-sacred works, they are generally not meant as 'serious' music, but rather as the music of the common people. Bottom line, they are meant to be fun, and the performer is free to interpret as desired. This collection is a companion to the arranger’s series of Renaissance Motets Arranged for Strings. With the purchase of this collection, permission is granted to photocopy parts as needed. The audio example contains one piece from each of the three composers included, John Dowland, Thomas Morley, and Thomas Weelkes, three English giants in this genre.
