Pieces for smaller / flexible orchestra

[hutchingsmusic]

Hi all,

First post here - I looked back through the last year's topics, but couldn't see anything relevant to this.

I run an orchestra which has an unpredictable membership each year depending on who turns up. For example, last year we ended up with 2 flutes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, an alto sax, 5 violins and one cello, plus a couple of percussionists, and we'll probably have a pianist - I was able to recruit a viola for the concert, and we mostly did some arrangements of the Carnival of the Animals (which are on my website if anyone wants them - hutchingsmusic.co.uk). But I don't have time to do a whole bunch of arrangements this year (though I can transpose parts fairly quickly if necessary). Something in four-five parts, with each part transposed for a few different instruments, would be ideal. But there aren't many such arrangements of well-known pieces.

So in general, can you recommend some pieces which could be played by orchestra with an unpredictable membership? Or if you've got any arrangements you've made for smaller orchestras, those would be handy to know about too.

Instruments that I know we'll have: violins, flutes, clarinets, piano, percussion. We also have a female voice choir (10-12) members, so a vocal line (or two) is also fine. We might also have any of horns, trombones, trumpets, oboes, violas, cellos and basses turning up to the first rehearsal, so a piece with optional parts for all of those would be ideal - but anything flexible is useful.

Thanks!

[Melodia]

Grainger is the obvious choice.

Not PD though...

[hutchingsmusic]

PD would be preferred, but we have some music budget. Is there anywhere I could find a list of Grainger's pieces with orchestration summaries (e.g. 2-1-1-1 2-0-0-0 strings, etc.)?

[kcleung]

Your orchestra sounds really like my orchestra, except that we have a few more strings - three first violins (incl concertmistress) and six seconds, and we had a horn and a trumpet. Then we had two flute, a clarinet and a bassoon.

Don't worry. Most Baroque and early classical repertoire will be fine for you (they are all PD!!). This is what we did.

We played a lot of Beethoven (Eroica last year and 5th this year). The year before we played Mendelssohn 3rd symphony. Last year, we manage to play the violin concerto "Butterfly Lovers" by CHEN Gang and HE Zhanhao, although this work was meant for a full orchestra.

Usually you can pull in extra better-skilled players 3-4 rehearsals before the performance. In our case, we pulled in an oboe, an extra brass and a trumpet (for the Mendelssohn symphony, when we didn't have a trumpet at that time).

So don't underestimate your orchestra! By the way, What level are your players at?

[KGill]

Well, this is kind of officious/arrogant of me, but last year I wrote a work for small orchestra - you can find it here - 1-0-2-0-0-1-0-0 plus five-part strings, but you hardly need a full section (3-3-3-3-2 would be the ideal/full numbers, but you could definitely do with less if you had strong players). It also has optional parts for oboe and bass clarinet. I know it isn't exactly what you're after, because you really need all nine different parts represented, but I've been thinking of making a two-piano version anyway and I may be able to find time later this summer to arrange it for, say, a few winds, a couple violins, and piano if need be. (Of course, I also have other projects right now and may not be able to.) If you get the necessary parts and your players aren't averse to atonal music (it really isn't very), then it could be perfect - it was written originally for a high school orchestra (so it's fairly easy to put together) and was performed in December with great success.

[ZacPB189]

My HS Orch had a string lineup of 30(not sure how they split them).6.9.5 and a wind lineup of 3(3 alt Picc).2(2 alt cor. ang.).2.2 - 3.3.3.1 and 5 percussionists and a harp. Needless to say, the violas couldn't be heard at all.

I believe Erik Satie wrote a couple pieces for really small orchestra, and you could ask any local composers if they'd be willing to write something. I suspect that Mahler's 8th won't be in your repertoire any time soon .

[vinteuil]

Well, I have a more standard repertory piece: If you can find a really good singer, then Berlioz's Les Nuits D'ete is for a somewhat smaller orchestra than usual (you might have to scrounge up some more players, but it might sell more tickets

[hutchingsmusic]

Thanks for all the suggestions - much appreciated. Ordering some music now (suite from Lord of the Rings for expandable string orchestra, it lets you add up to double wind and brass, presumably doubling the string parts), but will keep all those in mind once we know what forces we have available.