Draft #1 - The Astounding Eyes of Rita by Anouar Brahem
I've decided to use the piece The The Astounding Eyes of Rita by Anouar Brahem as the work which does not represent Art Music as well as being the non-Australian work. The piece is composed by Tunisian composer and oud player, Anouar Brahem.
The students in my fictitious Year 12 Music 2 class play:
-Trumpet
-Classical Guitar
-Piano
-Violin
-Cello
Here is my first draft for adapting my original transcription found here for the five instruments listed above.
In this first draft, I've composed a rhythmically altered version of the main melody, using mainly rhythmic diminution. It was appropriate and most practical to use the bass guitar part for the cello and the bass clarinet in Bb for the trumpet in Bb. However, a few amendments have been made rhythmically and in terms of register used.
Undertaking some research to ensure appropriate range for the trumpet (the student in the class would be considered an advanced player) -
Pedagogy:
As I am including an improvisation section in this arrangement, I have given students many parameters including the mode to be used (G Aeolian) and several examples of melodic cells which can be imitated and varied in the improv section, using techniques studied in the HSC Music 2 course.
I will still need to compose a piano part for the next draft version.
In this second draft, I have started to add a piano part in the first half of the arrangement, mainly as chordal harmony as it is most stylistically appropriate. The role of the piano in this section is to create a steady harmonic foundation for the other voices.
In the past, one piece of feedback for my piano writing has been to not only use chords in root position but to use chords in inversion to create smoother voice leading, so I have payed careful attention to this!!
In this draft, I have finished the second half of the piece for the piano part.
As the piano student is performing at AMEB Grade 8 level, she is capable of performing more complex musical material, so I've added scalic passages and some embellished arpeggios to create interest. The piano student also has the opportunity to improvise in the improvisation section, to showcase their musicianship.
Final version - found here
In this final version, I have gone through the arrangement to ensure appropriate dynamic markings and articulations for each instrument, as well as made some amendments so that the appropriate range for each player's abilities is adhered to.
Cello range -
Reference List:
Smith, C. (2020). What is the range of a trumpet?. Retrieved 1 June 2020, from https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-range-of-a-trumpet
Goss, T. (2020). Cello - Registers as Defined by Clefs - Orchestration Online. Retrieved 1 June 2020, from https://orchestrationonline.com/orchestration-tips/cello-registers-as-defined-by-clefs/