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Since it's getting closer to the end of Summer, could we start thinking of a project specifically suited for 2020 Autumn or Halloween?
- Emily
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From the classical repertoire, Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" or Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" might be a good choices for a Halloween piece that could include all levels of players. Maybe Eric Whitacre's "October," but there might be copyright issues with that one.
As I mentioned before, my orchestra has done the Grieg as a side-by-side performance with our youth orchestra program, with the beginner to intermediate level kids getting simplified parts.
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AndrewH -
If I were ever to claim a piece of music for my own personal theme, it would be Alfred Hitchcock - so you have my vote for "Funeral March of a Marionette"! Ooo, Ooo - maybe I should change my user name...
REALLY like Grieg's, "In the Hall of the Mountain King", too.
In some suggested Autumn classical music, I found I REALLY (I know, overuse of the word) like "Le Grand Cahier" by Litvinovsky!
AND...
Autumn also makes me think of "Square Dances" with bales of straw & dried corn stalks - maybe some suggestions from the Country Music fans (maybe NOT Aaron Copland's "Hoe-Down")? 
Hey, where are all you Country Music Fans???
Maybe this "Hoedown" from the movie, "Kingsman: The Golden Circle"?
...or ANY of the pieces (or medley) from the Dolly Parton movie, "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (here's Courtyard Shag)!
Okay, I'm getting carried away... but it could be adapted so the whole tune is all strings!
- Emily
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End of summer?
Where do you live, Emily, Fort Yukon?
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I do think we have to remember that we have true beginners here. I am positive I would not even attempt songs that fast and changing. But, whatever the majority and Fiddlerman want to do. I am happy to listen and watch the result. But, if you want everyone to consider joining in on this, it has to be more basic.
I sat out GOTS because it was too much. But, again, I really enjoy watching, so, this is bottom of the list requirement.
The adagio has time signature changes and time signatures I have never seen before. I will sit that one out, again, not an issue with me. I have participated twice.
But, keep in mind the different levels of playing ability and knowledge here if you want beginners to consider joining. I hope this makes sense. I am kind of rushing because my daughter just posted shared videos of my granddaughters and I NEED to watch them. 😁
Cello and Viola Time!
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I practice an old country tune called "Four Walls" 3/4 70bpm or slower in C. It's mainly whole notes so it's easy to practice bowing and slurring. Because of covid, it might be considered appropriate.
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Gordon Shumway -
Thanks no, I'm too old for living like that anymore!
Just meant we usually have to work a while on practicing a piece (after Pierre prepares all the parts) & we have one and 1/2 months until September (my idea of the start of Autumn) - so, there ya go.
MrYikes - Thank you! Everyone should definitely listen to a sound bite of "Four Walls".
cid - Thank you, very aware of us beginners - hence my suggestion of 2 pieces from Litvinovsky's "Le Grand Cahier". I've heard how great you play!
I would like to encourage people to think outside the box, be positive & have fun - cause don't most "fiddlers" play to party? ...and Autumn is traditionally a time when the end of harvesting is celebrated!
I have TOTAL faith in the Fiddlerman's ability to simplify parts for everyone if we have enough people support something.
- Emily
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Halloween:
Okay, maybe not as a main piece. . . not a lot of notes, but it's cool for a minute or so. . .
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SharonC - That's great!
I'd forgotten how creepy that is! Have you seen a medley with part of this in it?
Anyone a "Danny Elfman" Fan? I sure am! ANYTHING by Danny Elfman gets my vote!
Wish we could do something crazy with "Dead Man's Party" (always liked it), but here's a link to audio samples of the songs from "Nightmare Before Christmas", performed by "Vitamin String Quartet" - https://www.vitaminstringquart.....#038;_ss=r
Hey! What about Alan Parsons Project, "The Raven" (an old fav of mine)? Short version, maybe simplify/split up the chords?
Maybe this could be something the EV's (EViolists? ECellists?) could join in & have fun with? Suggestions? I don't know everything EV's are capable of... (I'm not talking about using an EMI vocoder). Here's a sheet music sample:
https://www.sheetmusicdirect.c.....oduct.aspx
Always thought "The Teddy Bear's Picnic" fit the Halloween bill -
Still wish we could get more suggestions from all the different genre lovers! Maybe there's something Gypsy-Jazz out there...
- Emily
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MrYikes - I meant to ask you if you were referring to "Four Walls" like by Jim Reeves (maybe slower version by Merle "Red" Taylor)? Or like Lynyrd Skynyrd (Four Walls of Raiford)?
I'm having a hard time finding Autumn/Halloween Country or Blue Grass!
This is not the same genre, but I'd like to suggest looking at some of these -
"Bringin' Home the Rain" by The Builders and the Butchers (folk rock band from Portland, Oregon) -
"Witches' Wrath" by the Bridge City Sinners, reminds me of New Orleans (but they're from Oregon, too)
- EmilyRegulars
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Is it sacrilegious to mess with Danny Elfman?
I had mentioned "Dead Man's Party" & I found sheet music transposed into 7 Keys, other than original (looks/sounds good transposed into D minor).
https://www.musicnotes.com/she.....0088007_D1
Try listening to Midnight String Quartet's version at .75 speed - sounds great!
And who could forget The Doors' "People are Strange"?
...sheet music - https://www.musicnotes.com/she.....=MN0159894
Cool thing about this searching - I've found several pieces I will now learn even if they aren't a project!
Am I stirring up any more ideas for anyone?
- Emily
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The sheet music to “People Are Strange” in the version above looks doable at my end, from the page I saw. since it has to be purchased to see the entire thing, I don’t know if it gets messed up with key and time signature changes further in.
From the page I saw, it only has the F# (G major or E minor) and is 4/4. If it is that all the way and does not change into a bunch of different time signatures I have no clue about or keys that require too many notes that are not where I already know them to be, probably doable in the time frame.
That is the issue with 4 or more sharps or flats. I am having enough trouble hitting the mark with three flats or three sharps. I have done one song with three and it was in E flat manor. The problem is not knowing that the A, B and E are flatted. The problem is figuring out the extended, shifting or whatever fingering is required to play it. If, those of us who still are learning and have not dealt with anything beyond the easier key signatures to finger, and have not really had much experience figuring out our own fingering, and it is not lesson work, it is very daunting. With the time constriction to get it done, that just adds to it.
I would absolutely love to do this song, but I don’t know what it is like beyond that first page. It is like the little dog my brother got quite a few years ago (more than a dog’s life). It was a color he always wanted in a dog. As it grew from puppy to dog, Pooch changed color. She was still loved just as much and made no difference, just not expected. I am not sure what changes will be taking place further into the piece.
I wonder, though, if it will get muddied up in sound with so many instruments. What I mean by this is this. When I was in high school chorus the chorus teacher resigned and joined the FBI, later was one of their top head agents in searching for missing children or cases involving children, we got a new teacher. The first teacher chose songs appropriate for large or numerous voices. The replacement chose songs more popular, songs we listened to on the radio (mid 60’s to 72). These songs were not intended for a large chorus and always sounded muddy to me. Scarborough Fair, Windy, etc. Maybe a professional chorus could have done them nicely, but I always thought they sounded muddy or muddled with our school chorus. Would that happen here? That was a quartet, not many. I am probably over thinking because I like a lot of the Doors’ songs, this being one of them.
I babbled, once again, but that is what went through my mind. The time signature and key on the page I saw is doable, just not sure what lies on the other pages. I sure hope this made sense.
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ELCB said
Is it sacrilegious to mess with Danny Elfman?.................................................................... Emily
I don't know but here is my version of Beetlejuice.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Fiddlerman -
that's smokin' - right up there with the "Kingsman Hoedown"! I don't know why I thought you had already made this a group project...
- Emily
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I like @AndrewH suggestion of In the Hall of the Mountain King--Fiddlerman has some versions posted here:
https://fiddlerman.com/wp-cont.....st-pos.pdf
https://fiddlerman.com/wp-cont.....n-King.pdf
and @ELCBK suggestion of Dead Man's Party.
Another seasonal suggestion: The fiddle tune Harvest Home. Version of sheet music & audio here:
https://sheetmusic.lyco.org.au.....st%20Home/
and here (some of the ones here have straight eighth notes instead of the dotted eighth/sixteenth rhythms):
https://thesession.org/tunes/49
Slower tempo example on youtube:
Whatever we play, I think I want to wear Gibbles' Beetlejuice wig.
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Two more ideas that may be more challenging, but it might still be possible to arrange excerpts from them with parts for all levels:
Astor Piazzolla's Primavera Porteña -- autumn here is spring in the Southern Hemisphere!
Autumn from Glazunov's The Seasons? The recurring Bacchanale theme heard at the beginning could probably be arranged to have some easy parts, and there's a "Petit Adagio" section in the middle (about 4 minutes in) that could be workable too.
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AndrewH - Really liked the last half of Primavera Porteña & enjoyed the tempo changes in Glazunov's "Autumn".
The accordion reminded me how I love to play along with Beoga's "Eochaid" - here's how great this sounds with a huge string section - the whole orchestra comes in for this after approx 1 min -
I've only found a little (very basic) sheet music for "Eochaid" on "The Session" and "Musescore".
SharonC - thanks for ref of "Musescore", also your other suggestions & links!
https://thesession.org/tunes/17037
I still have Litvinovsky's "Le Grand Cahier" stuck in my head, but I am SO frustrated that I can't find any sheet music for the 2 parts I posted!
- Emily
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Thank you damfino - for suggesting an Old Time tune! "Over the Waterfall" has quite a history. It could be done Bluegrass with breakdown/improve on parts or instruments! I hope this video of an ensemble helps Violists, Cellists and Bassists visualize they could take part in a Group Project like this - cid, AndrewH, Ilona - could it work?
This fits the Fall "Harvest Celebration" mood - still sounds REALLY good if you set it at .75 speed!
History - https://pickthestrings.com/tag.....ce-bloyer/
damfino also suggested "Crested Hens". I personally love playing this tune - first stumbled upon Winifred Horan's solo when she only called it "a tune from Northern France"!
- Emily
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I'm not opposed to playing bluegrass tunes. I'm just not suggesting any because I know so little about bluegrass or any other fiddle tradition -- I heard fiddle music rarely and only in movies until the last 10 years. (Non-musical Asian family, grew up in the Middle East hearing mostly Arab folk music and Bollywood music, and have only ever lived in big cities, so fiddle music just hasn't ever been part of the culture around me.) I'd be happy to play any genre if there's an arrangement that looks like it will sound good with a lot of people playing each part.
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