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Hey Guys (& Gals),

I do not have too much experience with the Salvation Army books, but I do have a couple of questions:

If you were playing as a trio, or a quartet, do you use parts 1,2,3 and 1,2,3,4 respectively, or is there some other optimal configuration? (Preferably one of the voices being tuba, but it could also be euphonium).

Any hints for using them as sing-a-long material?

Thanks!

There are some of the songs in these books where the Melody goes in to the 3rd part but I believe it is queued in the 1st and second parts. When working with a trio (and a tuba in it) we use 1, 2 and 4. When working with a quartet, we use 1, 2, 3 and 4. When we have a standard brass quintet, we have the trombone play the optional 5th part.

Thanks for the info on how you do it. It sounds like a good plan of action.

Anybody else have insights that they can share? Are the tunes in good keys for singing?

ehlutzcem wrote:When I first read this post, I thought, "Hmm...these sound like some interesting arrangements to have," so I tried to find them using Google. No luck. Found a lot of links for brass bands and S.A. Bands, but none for the music.

So, how does one go about purchasing the S.A. arrangements?

Try http://www.jwpepper.com and search for "salvation army christmas". It will take you right to it.

EuphBoss wrote: As for the 5th part, it is written with Euph in mind.

Around here, playing the 5th part is sort of a status thing and pecking orders prevail. Unless not enough people show up to play the kettle.

lgb&dtuba wrote:

ehlutzcem wrote:When I first read this post, I thought, "Hmm...these sound like some interesting arrangements to have," so I tried to find them using Google. No luck. Found a lot of links for brass bands and S.A. Bands, but none for the music.

So, how does one go about purchasing the S.A. arrangements?

Try http://www.jwpepper.com and search for "salvation army christmas". It will take you right to it.

For many years, the Salvation Army books were never sold to the public. I ran across a few of the little red books (not a whole set) in a box of march folios a few years back. When I inquired about out buying missing books, I was informed by the 'home office' (at that time) that those books were not sold to the public. Pepper does now indeed have some S. A. arrangements but I doubt if all of their publications will ever be made public.

Dillon Music, a sponsor here, lists them for sale. I bought the band's first set thru them and some addons/replacements also. I have seen them out of stock on some books and it can take a long time for them to replenish from the SA.
jlb

bill wrote:There are some of the songs in these books where the Melody goes in to the 3rd part but I believe it is queued in the 1st and second parts. When working with a trio (and a tuba in it) we use 1, 2 and 4. When working with a quartet, we use 1, 2, 3 and 4. When we have a standard brass quintet, we have the trombone play the optional 5th part.

I see on the Pepper site that they have all kinds of combinations in all the different instrument keys:
10023259 C Instrument Treble Part 1
$9.95
10023278 Bb Instrument Part 1
$9.95
10023279 Eb Instrument Part 1
$9.95
10023280 C Instrument Treble Part 2
$9.95
10023281 Bb Instrument Part 2
$9.95
10023282 Eb Instrument Part 2
$9.95
10023283 F Instrument Part 2
$9.95
10023284 C Instrument Bass Part 3
$9.95
10023285 Bb Instrument Part 3
$9.95
10023286 Eb Instrument Part 3
$9.95
10023287 F Instrument Part 3
$9.95
10023288 Viola Part 3
$9.95
10023289 C Instrument Bass Part 4
$9.95
10023290 Bb Instrument Part 4
$9.95
10023291 Eb Instrument Part 4
$9.95
10023292 C Instrument Bass Part 5
$9.95
10023293 Bb Instrument Part 5
$9.95
10023294 Percussion
$9.95
10023295 Conductor & Vocal Score
See the Music $19.95
For a standard brass 5-tet, which combination of these works better, in your experience?
Thanks in advance!
Scottw

I've used them for years. In fact I am going to use them tonight and Sunday. They line up like this.
Part 1 = Soprano
Part 2 = Alto
Part 3 = Tenor
Part 4 = Bass
Part 5 = Optional obligato part in Euph range

I just mix 'em up using whatever key I have to in order to get the instruments and parts matched in range. You don't want an oboe on Part 3 for instance. That part would be reserved for alto sax, tenor sax, trombone, horn, euph, bassoon, or even alto horn. I have also used English horn on part 3. I even used a bass clarinet out of necessity once. It worked, but he was not happy.

There are also probably a hundred church hymn, gospel and sacred jazz arrangements between 2 and 4 minutes in length that are available. Decent charts, arranged by legitimate brass band guys. I use them all the time. When our church orchestra was in it's beginning stages that was all we could play because of our wierd intrumentation.

You might contact Joe Johnson, Conductor of the GA Brass Band and keeper of the Salvation Army bookstore/music store in Atlanta. He can probably fix you up.

Here is the phone number from the GA Brass Band site. 770-978-3987 I don't have Joe's email address.