Chamber Winds

These are arrangements of two melodies found in ""Come 'A Singing Canadian Folk Songs" by Marius Barbeau, et al published in Ottawa by the King's Printer, 1974. 1. 'My Lonely Heart' was collected from Mme. Bolduc of Quebec City in 1918. 2. 'The Jolly Raftsmen' is a lumberman's song from the Ottawa River. This version of 'Jolly Raftsmen' is the first one I made. Later, I set it for 12 woodwinds as 'The Merry Raftsmen' [7905] and for woodwind quintet 'The Jolly Raftsmen' [9513].

Antonin Dvorak (1841 – 1904) Slavonic Dance in G Minor, Op.46, No. 8 transcribed for chamber wind ensemble. For easy reading, the score and parts are written out so that no da capo or skip to al fine is necessary.

This is a revised and re-notated version of this work. Cues have been added and the keys of the first two movements have been lowered a whole step. An aural scrapbook of music heard during the 19th century: 1. Washington’s March at the Battle of Trenton by James Hewitt (1770 - 1827), 2. Farewell, Thou Dear Country by G. F. Stanbury (1800 - 1845) 3. Waltz by F. A. Vogel, 4. Reel and Hornpipe (Buckley's Favorite Reel and Saratoga Hornpipe). For wind nonet. E-flat and B-flat contra bass clarinet parts are provided to substitute for contrabassoon or double bass.

Fragments for wind octet was composed beginning in 1992 and worked on sporadically until 2010. It uses a compositional technique as if themes placed on a bulletin board are moved around for each instrument. The motives recall the traditional figures played when harmonies – ensembles of pairs of woodwinds and horns - were in vogue: leaping clarinet arpeggios, bouncy bassoon bass lines, sprightly rhythms and lyrical oboe melodies. The horns, however, play a corrupted version of ‘horn fifths’ throughout without sharing it.

The 'Turkish March' is from the incidental music for 'The Ruins of Athens', Op. 113. This setting is for wind octet or nonet (2Ob, 2Cl, 2Bn, 2Hn with optional contrabassoon or double bass). $12.00

Bach's famous 'Air for the G String' transcribed for wind octet or nonet (2Ob, 2Cl in B-flat or A, 2Bn, 2Hn and optional contrabassoon or - even better! - double bass). The bass line, most often played 'pizzicato', is best played by a double bass, but the part is doubled in other instruments. Based upon the version performed by The Toronto Chamber Winds. $10.00

The well-known march in a setting for wind octet or nonet (2Ob, 2Cl in B-flat or A, 2Bn, 2Hn with optional - but lovely addition - contrabassoon or double bass. $12.00

Written in 1980 for Terence Wardrop, Q.C., then president of The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday. A neo-classical fanfare using the Handel ‘Fireworks’ instrumentation. For 3Ob, 3 Bn, CBn, 3Hn, 3Tp, Timp

Music from the Ottawa River where rafts of lumber were floated to sawmills guided by men perched on the logs. The arrangement recalls the vibrant, outdoor life of the raftsmen in a setting for triple orchestral woodwinds. Performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at children’s concerts to demonstrate the woodwind instruments. It is dedicated to Victor Feldbrill. For Pic, 2Fl, 2Ob, EH, 2Cl, BCl, 2Bn, CBn

This easy transcription of the familiar march from Schumann’s Pieces for Children is a delightful encore. For 2Ob, 2Cl, 2Bn, 2Hn