IMSLP Forums

Any suggestions of interesting but not too difficult 5-10 minute pieces for strings and wind only?

I have an amateur orchestra of strings (no basses: 2-2-2-3-0) plus a decent amount of wind (4 flutes, 4 clarinets, 2 alto sax, 1 tenor sax) and can add a bass clarinet to that later.

If the piece is for strings and wind, I'm happy to do a fair bit of arranging of the wind parts to fit what we have - oboe parts won't sound quite right on flute and clarinet, but we'll live, and I can transfer bassoon and horn parts to the saxes and bass clarinet fairly easily.

Any suggestions of pieces that would arrange well? Ideally something reasonably well-known so they know how it's meant to sound already. Also happy to consider original works or your own arrangements if you're willing to offer them (could pay up to $30).

Thanks,

Chris Hutchings
chris@hutchingsmusic.co.uk

Well, allow me to be so bold as to suggest my 6th symphony:
http://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.6_%27 ... rs,_Rob%29
Orchestra: flute, oboe, 2 clarinets (Bb), bassoon, trumpet (Bb), 2 horns (F), strings (contrabass ad lib.)

Or maybe even more suited (since there are no oboe parts), my Sinfonietta:
http://imslp.org/wiki/Sinfonietta,_Op.1 ... rs,_Rob%29
Orchestra: flute, 2 clarinets (B♭), bassoon, 2 horns (F), strings (double bass ad lib.)

Both pieces are easily playable and in a moderately modern idiom.
Both have short parts for a vocalist/choir too, hope that isn't a problem.
The pieces haven't been performed yet, so they could present world premieres.

(P.S. I just uploaded a new version of the Sinfonietta with some typos corrected, so it may not have been cleared for copyright yet. If so, just grab the older version by clicking the file number (under "complete score"))

Too bad amateur wind players don't seem to want to tackle the oboe or bassoon any more. Add at least one each of these two instruments and, even without sax players, and you'll have a WEALTH of material to play, dating back to the Baroque.

--Sixtus

Why not try the Glazunov Sax Concerto?

http://imslp.org/wiki/Saxophone_Concert ... Aleksandr)

An quasi-chamber-orch arrangement of Gershwin's American in Paris that gave the sax players even more to do might be interesting (GREAT use of the them in the original). It would even be publishable under Creative Commons here, whereas the original can't, go figure.

--Sixtus