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Carol of the Bells – Flute Choir
A slow and stylish introduction leads to a very entertaining version of this familiar carol. Motivic innovation combined with dramatic meter changes and changing colors will keep the audience listening from the first note to the last.
The Ohio State University Flute Troupe, directed by Katherine Borst Jones, recorded this piece. The full version is available for your listening pleasure under Hear an Excerpt.
Composer: Ryan Nowlin
Instrumentation: 4 C Flutes, Alto Flute & Bass Flute
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 2:30 / 23 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: N/A -
Carol Of The Bells – Flute Quartet
The Ukrainian Bell Carol never sounded like this before! Here is an exciting and clever arrangement with a surprising and lively jazz waltz section that will delight everyone!
The flute quartets can easily be expanded to flute choir by adding both alto and bass flutes. The Alto Flute part is included and the bass plays Flute 4.
Composer: Bill Reichenbach
Instrumentation: Flute Quartet
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 3:15 / 17 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: D minor – G minor -
Changes – Flute Choir
M.F.K. Fisher, in her book The Gastronomical Me, wrote poignant stories of her life and career based on memorable meals and her experiences with food. When asked by Julia Child why she chose food and hunger for these stories, Mrs. Fisher replied, “When I write about hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth, and the richness and fine reality of a hunger satisfied.”
Changes tries to capture that warmth and richness and reality musically. The titles of the three movements are chapter titles from this book, with the music reflecting the many changes that are an inevitable part of living.
The first two movements are both slow and reflective. In the first movement each instrument has something to say and shares it with the others, with the resulting interchanges both bitter and sweet. The second movement, dreamlike as suggested by the title, recalls big dreams as well as little dreams—success, frustration and finally satisfaction. The final movement is playful and at times humorous, with a flurry of notes and amusing syncopations, a drastic change from the first two movements. The ending, with tongue in cheek and consideration of the meter used, is indeed a feminine ending in the classical sense as it does end on the second beat.
The sample score shows the first page of each of the three movements. At this time there is no recording available.
Composer: Anne McGinty
Instrumentation: Piccolo, 4 C Flutes, Alto Flute & Bass Flute
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 9:30 / 48 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: N/A -
Chinese Dance – Woodwind Quintet
The Suite of movements extracted by Tchaikovsky from his ballet music for The Nutcracker was an immediate success. As prevalent as the complete ballet The Nutcracker is today, it is hard to imagine that it took years, and perhaps the staging of George Balanchine, for it to become popular.
Some of the most memorable pieces from the suite are the Characteristic Dances. In Act II of the ballet, these movements are employed to introduce different residents of the “Land of Sweets.” Tchaikovsky’s orchestration makes adept use of wind instrument color. This translates very effectively in arrangements for the woodwind quintet.
The Chinese Dance (Danse chinoise), used to introduce Tea, employs low horn and bassoon in a constant rhythm. This contrasts the famous recurring upper register flute theme.
Composer: Mark Questad
Instrumentation: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, F Horn & Bassoon
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 1:05 / 10 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: Bb
