News & Views Thursday, March 28, 2024

String Orchestra for Winter – Off-The-Beaten-Track Monday, October 01, 2018

recommended by Dan C., Orchestra Specialist

When programming for your Winter/Christmas Concert, it’s always nice to have a fresh piece or two to include with your traditional fare. Here are two new titles that will add a tasty twist to the holiday season.

fjh-st6445-fArre Borriquito arr. Carrie Lane Gruselle, Grade 2
Stanton’s is always on the hunt for you to find unique, educational and musically satisfying Christmas/Winter Concert material. Arre Borriquito (Giddy-Up, Little Donkey) is certainly in that bailiwick. The image of a donkey-riding traveler on the way to Bethlehem is vividly portrayed in this Spanish children’s carol. A descending minor third is used to depict the braying donkey (Hee-Haw) in the cellos and basses and also is the opening interval of the chorus. Pizzicato eighth notes and optional woodblock are the clip-clop of the donkey’s hooves. The spritely tune and accompaniment incorporate short sixteenth note groups, there is shifting for the basses and the option of teaching second position in the cellos to avoid raucous open A strings while they have the melody. The biggest teaching element is the fact that the verse and the chorus are in different keys (D and G) so your student will have to pay attention to the key they are in at any given time. Many courtesy accidentals and fingering hints are provided as reminders. So, educational opportunities abound and it is also a delightful new addition to your holiday library at the Grade 2 level. Giddy-up!

alfred-46692-fSee Amid the Winter’s Snow by Dan Forrest/arr. Kirk Moss, Grade 3
If you are looking for THE piece that people will be talking about at the end of your High School Winter Concert, look no more. When played sensitively, this absolutely gorgeous arrangement will bring tears to the eyes and goosebumps to the skin of your whole audience. Starting with the delicate and sublime English Carol, See Amid the Winter’s Snow, based on the tune, Humility, Kirk Moss has taken the beautiful choral arrangement by Dan Forrest and scored it for string orchestra with optional percussion (wind chimes, suspended cymbal, bells) in a stunningly exquisite rendition that will bring a sumptuous hush over the venue. Not technically difficult, although there is a key change from G to Bb and back to G, it sits so well for strings that it could be performed in a combined concert with middle and high school players after working on coloring the sound with bowing lanes, sul tasto bowing and vibrato with your students. It will make everyone heart-happy.

Find more holiday and winter choices for orchestra on our website, or contact us for more ideas! Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
Dan C. has worked at Stanton’s since 1979, primarily with orchestra music and print promotions. A “working” musician, he’s a classical cellist, a rock & jazz bassist and a folk & country guitarist/singer. His free time is spent with family or reading, gardening, cycling and working puzzles. His series of musical puzzles (RP3 Rebus Puzzle Picture People) can be found on the Stanton’s Facebook page each Sunday. He also has a reputation as a pretty good joke teller. Seriously.

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