[sdhedrick]

Hey folks. I don't consider myself an 'arranger' really, but I have arranged a few things for our sax quartet recently. Recently, I arranged a pretty tough (and beautiful) string quartet for saxophone (SATB) that is kinda beyond our current Sax quartet lineup (well, it's also not really something that a typical sax quartet would play as it'd probably put the audience to sleep so we haven't had the interest to work on the individual parts... ).

The piece is Dvorak's String Quartet 8, op. 106, 2nd movement: Adagio ma non troppo.

I have an electronic sax that allows me to record my arrangements and after recording this one, I was kinda proud of it so I wanted to share it here.

Anyway, I've uploaded the part here and if there's any classical oriented sax quartet out there that want's to play it (and could record it), I'd love to hear it... or hear any comments about it in general. (and yeah it's long and rather boring for a sax quartet piece... not boring to play IMO, but probably boring for a sax quartet audience).

I arranged this from the original string score so that's why it's written in 3/8 (it'd probably be easier to read in 3/4.. but anyway).

Scott

 

[sdhedrick]

Recording

Here's a recording I did of this piece for reference.

I made this recording on my (quite handy, but cheasy sounding) yamaha WX-11 wind controller (aka electronic sax). Recorded it one part at a time on top of each other basically.

To hear it, you need to go to http://www.sacramentosaxophonics.org/esax.htm and then click on the Dvorak - Quartet 8 - II link there.

I whipped this page up real quick cause someone wanted to hear the piece so it's very unfinished.

 

[awholley]

Sounds great on the mp3. We'll give it a read this evening if we can fit it in!

Alan

 

[sdhedrick]

Thx. Cool.

PS: One mistake I found recently (after posting the PDFs). The Baritone part, measure 31. The very last note should be E instead of D. (not that it's noticeable at all really).

 

[awholley]

There's also a typo in the tempo marking at A. It's easy to miss because the font's c and e look quite similar.

 

[awholley]

Thx. Cool.

PS: One mistake I found recently (after posting the PDFs). The Baritone part, measure 31. The very last note should be E instead of D. (not that it's noticeable at all really).

I just took a look at this. Are you sure it's not a mistake in the string score? I could see either D or E making sense in context, but the preceding and following measures make it look as if it _should_ be D.

 

[sdhedrick]

Yeah I listened carefully to an actual string quartet recording (which matches the way the score was written).

Measure 30's last should be D, measure 31's last is E and measure 32's last is D.

Thx for the update on the spelling error too. (I'm sure there are more... I'm not an "arranger" so I have no actual technical music education for this kind of stuff... i imagine there are more mistakes in there somewhere).

 

[bari-gadje]

I took the parts along to our sax quartet today and it went down a treat. Thanks very much. I have one of those WX11s lying unused in a drawer. Time to practise that as well I think. The Dvorak piece was very nice as well. You are doing great. Thanks again.

 

[sdhedrick]

Awesome. Glad you like it! The piece is one of the most beautiful string quartets I've heard and it's not horribly difficult either. I just wish I was in a sax quartet that would enjoy playing something like that... Oh well, someday perhaps.

 

[Desax]

Ok Guys, I have Adagio, with strings, by numerous composers and producers to include the freak mix rave/trance nightmare. My question is i am trying to find a philaromonic or full symphony version. Any Help/. not just stirings. Thanks.

 

[CharlesWest]

Looked really interesting - i love the Dvorak string quartets, there is a fabulous arrangement of the American Op 96 - but when I click on your links all I get is a gif of 1 pixel. ;-(
Charles West

 

[Saxmad98]

Hey guys,
I've just started up a site to start putting up some saxophone arrangements I've worked on before. As an amateur arranger I would love feedback from you more experienced guys out there, let me know what you think:
http://blythbennett.wix.com/the-social-saxophone

 

[LostConn]

Hey guys,
I've just started up a site to start putting up some saxophone arrangements I've worked on before. As an amateur arranger I would love feedback from you more experienced guys out there, let me know what you think:
http://blythbennett.wix.com/the-social-saxophone

We played a concert band arrangement of O Magnum Mysterium a couple of years ago, so maybe I'll give your quartet version a try. Looks interesting. May I ask why you chose AATB rather than SATB?

 

[Saxmad98]

I bet the concert band arrangement sounded awesome! At the time I was arranging for an AATB quartet and I've not got round to copying over a soprano part. I was also using Musescore which is much more inflexible than Sibelius and trying to make the score look presentable is much more challenging. If you like the look of it pop me over an e-mail and I'll send you the individual parts: [email protected]

Blyth

 

[LostConn]

I bet the concert band arrangement sounded awesome!

It was very good, but quite difficult to play because of the extreme attention that had to be paid to dynamics, intonation, and blending. Because of the stylistic preferences of much of the user base of SOTW, it seldom gets discussed here how challenging it can be play ppp parts while still sounding musical in the context of a powerful ensemble, but it's hard.

At the time I was arranging for an AATB quartet and I've not got round to copying over a soprano part. I was also using Musescore which is much more inflexible than Sibelius and trying to make the score look presentable is much more challenging. If you like the look of it pop me over an e-mail and I'll send you the individual parts: [email protected]

Thanks! Will do that.

 

[Saxmad98]

I imagine blending was also a challenge in a mixed ensemble. I find concert band music either exciting or dull to play but it is always interesting to hear what parts are paired up within the ensemble.

Blyth