Feierlicher Einzug der Ritter?

[scottw]

Hi all, and Happy New Year!
I heard the piece above today on public radio here in Philly and enjoyed it a lot. I am not familiar with this work of Richard Strauss. It was performed by the London Brass Virtuosi, under the direction of David Honeyball. I looked at 6-7 sites where I usually go to find pieces like this and came up empty. Has anyone here played this? Has anyone a source of supply?TIA!
Scottw

[imperialbari]

As you actually spell the title right, you should have been able to find out yourself.

I first heard this music in a video where tubadork (Bill Pritchard of Atlanta-Georgia took part.

Today I heard this performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWlsbgYxx_s

which puzzled me because of some unexpected sounds, likely because an organ is involved as substitute for some of the several brasses. When I have time I will compare with the for free score:

http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnk ... Einzug.pdf

Parts are here, some in a less common transposition:

http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnk ... Einzug.pdf

The above video performance has some impressive sounds, but the music is too static to be really catching.

Klaus

[cbettler]

I have played both a brass choir arrangement of this (Solemn Entry of the Knights of St. John) and a version for quintet and organ. Beautiful music, and a lot of fun to play!

[imperialbari]

by the death+70 years rule Richard Strauss’ would still be under copyright. The reason there are several versions for divers sizes of ensembles is to be seen down left at the first music page in the score: The copyright was claimed in 1909 by a Berlin edition/editor. At least in my country the 70 years count from the year of the first printed copyright claim.

The previous page reveals that there were 11 arrangements in print right from the outset.

I see potentials in arranging this for 4, 4, 4,1, euphonium, and timps with organ, where I will reduce the function of the organ as much as possible (to sustained notes that is) and move the melodic phrase openers to the trumpets os much as at all possible. But as I write with community ensembles in mind I am a bit worried about a high concert C in the 1st trumpet and about the horns going in unisono up to concert C.

Klaus

[scottw]

I see potentials in arranging this for 4, 4, 4,1, euphonium, and timps with organ, where I will reduce the function of the organ as much as possible (to sustained notes that is) and move the melodic phrase openers to the trumpets os much as at all possible. But as I write with community ensembles in mind I am a bit worried about a high concert C in the 1st trumpet and about the horns going in unisono up to concert C.
Klaus

That would be wonderful, Klaus! As it is arranged in the example above, there are at least 12-14 trumpet parts, which seem somewhat extreme in number; surely they could be condensed to 4-5 parts? Also, all the trumpets and horns are in Eb, & the tenor trombones in tenor clef. One of the bassbone parts seems like a fit for euphonium.
Your concerns about the ranges of horn and 1st trumpet are valid, but doable at least for the group I would like to play this.
Please let me know if you decide to do this one? It would be most appreciated!
Regards and a wish for a Happy New Year.
Scottw

[imperialbari]

Without giving away all of my ideas: In my modular settings all instruments formally are interchangeable as long as ranges fit and good balance is kept. When I write specific arrangements like the Juneau premiered Joy to the World, I consider euph on a trombone part a crime, because clarity and unity of timbre will evaporate.

However the euph is an excellent bass instrument and will cover the tuba parts along with a contrabass tuba.

Strauss writes 2 bassbones in the score, which I doubt he would have access to in a 4 part section, and the 3rd part is playable on a tenor. But again applied common sense would not place a Yamaha 354 on that part just because that is what the youngest player in the section has.

I noticed a low Eb concert in one of the trumpet parts. Doable with slide pulling og by triggering, but hardly common among amateurs.

The score isn't entirely clear about on some passages: 1 or 2 players, but then the original parts are available for referencing.

Ranting, but as always no promises issued and no deadlines accepted.

Klaus

[scottw]

Understood! And, I am not a turd, as someone once verified!lol

[imperialbari]

Understood! And, I am not a turd, as someone once verified!lol

I don't think I have used that term here, so I don't really get the point.

I was mad the other night, though, when I found one of my free arrangements watermarked and for sale at a Chinese site.

[tbn.al]

Don't get upset. Take it as a compliment. They only copy the good stuff.

[scottw]

Understood! And, I am not a turd, as someone once verified!lol

I don't think I have used that term here, so I don't really get the point.

I was mad the other night, though, when I found one of my free arrangements watermarked and for sale at a Chinese site.

Klaus---Just a feeble attempt at humor on my part. Wade getting ripped off is serious stuff and I do not wish the same to happen to you when you are so kind as to do these fine arrangements.
Scottw

[imperialbari]

As mentioned this piece came in several versions already back in 1909, when it was written. The military versions were arranged by a Th. Grawert, while I assume Strauss had a hand into making the version for big orchestra with optional organ and 1-part choir.

The task of arranging this music is not so much about grasping the musical structure, but about planning the logistics of having 15 trumpet parts covered optimally by 4 trumpet players plus very little residual playing capacity from the horns and trombones.

In some less than cathedral-sized churches seating close to the organ would pose a problem. But then the horn, trombone, and tuba parts would be covered by the respective sections in the planned for 14-piece brass ensemble. That eliminates any urgent need for the organ pedal, which opens up for a pragmatic use of modern electronic church organs. Even I have a good single-manual one. As we are talking arrangement, not a simulated original, I think synthesized brass sounds would carry some kind of dishonesty to them. And in my ears organ sounds come in better electronic versions than trumpet sounds do.

But then another option might be worth pursuing. Strauss has the this version including a one-part choir. I have asked my librarian to try getting that version for me. Main interest would be about the syllables Strauss imagines the singers using.

My Joy to the World-setting caused some interest because of the maybe somewhat different combined usage of vocals and brasses. Some of the 12 tutti trumpet parts could very well be covered by subdivisions of the normal SATB choir pattern like maybe in SSA, SAA, and TTB.

Klaus