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Also, I can really imagine a GREAT all-strings arrangement for Ronald Binge's "Elizabethan Serenade" - nice, simple individual parts I imagine, but a sweet overall sound... yeah, just another thought... lots of performances of that one obviously - here's the Mantovani Light Orchestra version for those unfamiliar - ( plenty pizzicato as well ! ) -
OK- MORE suggestions please for @fiddlerman folks - bring 'em on !
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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My favourite Binge piece is:
It was used for decades as the channel marker / interval signal by the BBC for the shipping forecast. The Worthing Symphony Orchestra included it in last year's Remembrance concert programme. With a little imaginative work, it could be a candidate for a group project; surely Pierre would approve of the sailing theme?
Peter
"It is vain to do with more that which can be done with less" - William of Ockham
"A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in" - Frederick the Great
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oh, that is imprinted in my mind..... sailing by, shipping forecast, radio 4 (what else would I be listening to, at that time of the night/early hours? lol) -
Yup, another good one @Peter - it has the similar feel to El. Serenade with the sort of "cascading strings" feel to it... nice tune....
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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I wasn't familiar with those pieces. Beautiful. Possibly a great option.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Someone, somewhere, and some time subsequent to that, either wrote the lyrics, or, if they already existed in some other form to a different tune ( I know not which ) - put the words of the English Folk song "Where the Gentle Avon flows" to the music....
And WHY this folky version has had only a paltry 299 views beats me - this dude deserves a medal !!!!
I'll post a comment on his channel - it's not Robert Binge as it shows on the YT video, it's RONALD !!! ( and I too get it wrong at times because of the "musical" connection to "Roland" and call him Roland Binge... so I am just as bad..... )
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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Oh, and I would have suggested a scaled-down version of RVW's "Tallis Fantasia", but Nicky Benedetti has already done it:
Thomas Tallis Fantasia (octet)
Somehow, a double string orchestra has been morphed into a string octet. She also truncated the piece somewhat, without losing the feel of it.
Still, there's no reason why we couldn't do this?
Peter
"It is vain to do with more that which can be done with less" - William of Ockham
"A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in" - Frederick the Great
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What we all need to do is buy all the instruments and equipment we can from Fiddlershop. Then Pierre's profits will increase and he'll be able to afford additional employees freeing up his time to do a Group Project every month. When we have enough songs, he can put out an album resulting in more profit. Then, we'll all jump on Pierre's boat and do a concert tour up the east coast. You all agree?
Ya, I know - there I go thinking again......
grandpa
Violin ---- the most human of all instruments
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Ahaaa, a cunning plan there @Grandpafiddle !!! 
Let's do it !!!
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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Okay, since I'm new (& I like a challenge) I'll stir the pot! BTW, I still like everyone's suggestions.
I ran across several versions of this to stir the blood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....l0CvQTCH44
And this just hits me personally (soon):
Probably everyone knows "King of the Fairies", but the 2nd one in this video is a melody from Sweden & has HARMONICS (I haven't even tried, yet):
I can't believe I saw almost 36,000 musical score arrangements for String Quartets available online at Sheet Music Plus. Having a score to start from would be of help, wouldn't it?
My 2 cents!
- Emily
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[ LOL I won't re-post my own take on "When I'm 64" here - it's been posted elsewhere in the forum, but, it is a fun tune to play around with ! ]
For the group projects, I wouldn't worry over-much about "having a score to start with" - I think Pierre turns out his own arrangements faster than you can say "wow, that was......." (fast!) - and of course they are carefully crafted for a much larger mix of voices (if I recall correctly, the Amazing Grace project had 5 different parts for each of violin, viola and cello. But yes indeed, the Sheet Music Plus site (although commercial) is a great resource not just for a small ensemble, but also even for individuals who may play each of the parts themselves, and mix them down.
Thanks for your suggestions ! Cool!
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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Thank you, BillyG!
I figured Fiddlerman would have to "fiddle" with ANY arrangement just so he can make it perfect for us!
I'm just geeked that while I wanted to show a quartet video of "The Fairy King", the bonus "Powerlåten" (at the end) got me thinking about the harmonics in it.
→ led me to the Fiddlerman's tutorial
→ I forgot about it
→ then a happy accident!
I set off a harmonic last night - think I stopped practicing to talk to my BH or cat when it happened. Eureka - I get it now!
Except nobody wants to be around when I play them... and this should probably be a different forum thread...
It was still worth it.
- Emily
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Quite a few people are now talking about reviving Holst's "Thaxted".
I watched it last week - then the other day I caught myself (out of the blue) warming up with it before my practice - unconsciously (no, I don't have the sheet music)! I was pretty surprised that it had been rolling around in my head that much... I DO love Thaxted.
Now, here's where I'm going to take a pummeling!
Where's the challenge? Vibrato maybe or long bow strokes?
Or is the answer "it's just for fun"? I guess that's okay, then.
I thought Game of Thrones was a challenge - in fact peaked my interest enough I want to pursue the whole original theme. But I'm just not seeing something that makes me want to challenge myself in Thaxted (as much as I like the piece).
Maybe someone can point it out to me?
I realize the process itself is a challenge. I also realize there needs to be a range of parts to play so we all can participate. But, I hope the music we play in these group project provides a challenge that can help everyone improve.
Maybe Covid-19 just has me crazy!
- Emily
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There is a challenge in playing any piece, in time, and in tune with feeling. Longer controlled bow strokes and such.
Which brings me to a new suggestion. How many think it would be cool to play Barber's Adagio for Strings? The challenge would be to play with liberty without a conductor. We have options. I could actually have a video play back with ME as a conductor, or we could play it straight and I make the rallentandos and such myself in the mix. Not sure how that would work out though. But even with a conductor click track, there will be different interpretations from person to person not hearing ones colleagues simultaneously.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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That was beautiful. That would be such a good one to use for cello to learn from. Ot sure how the thumb position parts will go. You can mute my sounds there. 😂
Seriously, from a cello viewpoint, that would be nice, if there was easy enough cello part. I have done just a very little with thumb position, so I have done it. The GOT parts were all a bit beyond me, especially the speed, if I recall.
I would love to give this one a shot.
Learn Violin and Fiddle
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Fiddlerman's Fiddle Talk Forum
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Okay, this would be a challenge for me!
I'm not sure if I have the self control, but I'd try.
Fiddlerman - Thank you for keeping me on my toes and making me look up words!
- Emily
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I think of the Barber Adagio as a REALLY hard piece, even if transposed to an easier key. The bow distribution is a challenge even for fairly advanced players. (Then again, I've only read through the string quartet version. It looks like the orchestra is playing shorter bows than I remember from the quartet version.)
What about the Gavotte from Grieg's Holberg Suite, something from either the Tchaikovsky or Elgar Serenades for Strings, or maybe the slow movement of Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence?
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Thaxted is starting to sound preetty good to me, now.
I'm very curious...
Has anyone heard or been aware of what the younger players are interested in?
It would be very gratifying to support a project that they get excited about.
- Emily
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eh?
in Em though.
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Depends on what you mean by "younger"? I'm pretty sure I'm within the youngest 25% of members here.
I'm trying to come up with options from the classical repertoire that can be arranged to include beginners, and don't require a large number of advanced players (because I know there will only be a handful). Here are some of the things I was thinking of and listed either above or in the other thread:
Grieg, Gavotte from Holberg Suite
Dvorak, Serenade for Strings (the first movement might work well if transposed to an easier key)
Tchaikovsky, Serenade for Strings, first movement
Sibelius, Finlandia Hymn (from about 5:30 of this video)
Another idea: maybe the Intermezzo from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana?
Or maybe the Promenade from Mussorgsky's Picture at an Exhibition?
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