Beijing's summer gardens are a wondrous place for a nocturnal stroll. "Jasmine Nights" and "Dragon Fire" are two musical pieces that capture the essence of the city's beauty and excitement.
1. Jasmine Nights
2. Dragon Fire
For String Orchestra Grade 1.5
Beijing is a city that truly comes alive in the summer, with its many gardens offering a peaceful escape from the bustling streets. As the sun sets, the air is filled with the sweet fragrance of jasmine, creating a magical atmosphere for a nocturnal stroll.
The musical piece "Jasmine Nights" is a beautiful composition that captures the essence of this experience. It uses the pentatonic scale, a traditional Chinese musical scale, to create a soothing and calming effect. The gentle dissonances and tone clusters add a touch of complexity to the piece, making it a delight for the ears.
As the night progresses, the city comes alive with the sounds of celebration. "Dragon Fire" is a dynamic musical piece that captures the excitement and wonderment of a Chinese New Year festival. The music is full of energy and passion, with the pounding of drums and the clash of cymbals creating a sense of anticipation and excitement. It's a piece that truly captures the spirit of Beijing and its vibrant culture.
1. Jasmine Nights
2. Dragon Fire
For String Orchestra Grade 1.5
This nautical-themed piece starts with violas and cellos evoking the swell of waves. The seconds create sea breeze sounds; the first violin plays the main theme energetically. Everyone gets a chance to participate, and the middle section featuring cellos is eerie. The suspenseful wait for the sea breezes to pick up again adds to the effect, and the piece ends with a fun and lively section.
For String Orchestra Grade 1.5
These quirky pieces are trinkets that can spark young musicians' imaginations. They cover many techniques, such as pizzicato, staccato, harmonics, and rapid eighth notes, which can help beginning orchestras build their skills in a fun way. The memorable tunes often shared around the orchestra will indeed have your students begging for more!
1. Busy Bikes
2. Sanpan in the Clouds
3. Elephants and Fleas
4. It's Raining Diamonds
5. Very Dark Elves
6. Tibetan Trinkets
7. King Bruce's Spider
8. Nullarbor
9. Dragon Crusher
10. Magical Mandolines
11. Fuji
12. Ice Train
For String Orchestra Grade 1
These works are perfect for the beginner string ensemble player. They continue the earlier publication titled "A Dozen Dazzlers." They feature unison, simple parts and call-response writing and prepare the players for the greater demands of a full-string orchestra. All parts have been meticulously crafted for ease of playing and to focus on essential ensemble skills such as pizzicato, legato, staccato, and harmonics. These attractive pieces will ignite the students' imaginations.
Two great pieces for young players! "Guitar Lullaby" is based on a familiar melody with a wide range. Hold the instrument like a guitar. "Chit Chat" is a catchy call and response piece with syncopated rhythms.
1. Guitar Lullaby
2. Chit Chat
For String Orchestra Grade 1
La Tempesta di Mare is the overture to Salieri's opera, Cesare in Farmacusa. It narrates the journey of the young Julius Caesar as he sails through a treacherous storm to Farmacusa, near Sicily. The plot is filled with pirates, gypsy lovers, and, of course, Roman gods, providing much entertainment for audiences of that time.
The music is a journey through the Mists of England, the lush green fields of Ireland, Wales's sublime beauty, and Scotland's invigorating highlands. The tunes and textures are vibrant, wistful, and unforgettable, making them perfect for any performance. Your players will be humming them long after the rehearsal is over.
Listen to #1 – Mists of the Winter Solstice
Listen to #2 – Road to County Derry
Pleyel, a renowned musician and entrepreneur in early 19th century Paris, wrote a beautiful piece for two violins in the late Classical style. The piece follows the sonata form and features a brooding first theme contrasted with an impish second theme played in staccato quavers. The movement ends with a lively duel between the violins, adding vibrancy and passion to the piece. Your orchestra will love it!
For String Orchestra Grade 3.5
Introduce your students to Russian classical music with "Pictures at an Exhibition" by Mussorgsky. "Promenade" links various pieces, while "Danse Caracteristique" features harmonics, syncopated accompaniments, and chromatic scales.
1. Promenade (Mussorgsky)
2. Dance Caracteristique (Rebikov)
For String Orchestra level 2.5
