é Edited by ITH'BRION and MICHAEL BRANDGrainger’s Chosen Gems for Winds ‘Togive zeay thurman feelings to overflow and swim in hurnare fectings i huaman enough, but the jarthest north of reumaness ws, for me, to be a lightning conductor of suck fectoigs in suck a Way that they are particularly fitted to fil itches in coming men’s minds.. 4 Grainger’s passion for musical expression extended beyond bis own compositions. He was fascinated by all music: fib avant wate electronics to great historical wort. [is intrest in early music hegen to ounsh 10 the 1940's when be became asscizted wut spedalsrs Gusiav€ Resse and araokd Doimetsch Geainger’s frst acrangements of eznly music were created in 1952, Subsequently, from 1937-44, 2 pciod comesponding with his summer ceactng al ntetonen, Gruger developed fis Chosen Gems for Wits. Nay of Ui strangeuets wey fist peeve Unteroshen The Phaser Gomsfor Winds are an extensive group of arangeent of mse voter composers. sk Gre alae peone'smusi"The ‘Chasen Gens incude 25 settings, ranging fom the 12th century to Ekzabethan cms, to such relative" movers Franc, Faure and Eugene Goosen, Grainger believed that there were neglected “great musics” of every period, He had specific eas toevae a pppracenes of smi and ow it should prograntmed and iterpete: a ‘Te Value of Older Musi: e Far son reson or other music as iis practise ior concert iis Biko aban ofthe arts, We would regard as an ignoramus a prefessor of literature who taught Iig.students nothing abot Homer, Corfucius, The Arabian Nights, (ef). Our andignces are fansiliar with European music rom 1709 to 1300, but before thal period (ohich in the opiaian of some studious musicians is one ofthe weakest periads in musical hisiory) Wier knowledge does fot normaly exten.The 500 years of decipherable music that precedes Back is a least as lovely an ‘music, od in the opinion of many wetinformed and “classically trained” music-iovers, the 200h hus aiready proved itself a century, 0 far, siigulany nici in muste of spurtual content and soup Peasy, Yet these old ard new musical treasures are, qd remain, urperformed in our midst” Appropriateness: & Tri ru thot most ofthe older examples of chamber music are fr dispecified instruments: butthere 4 no reason fo imagine that strings were frocréd-alimeqinds,.An examination of old drawings, paintings, sculptures, eic, depicting musical rehearsals and performances will foster a contrary opinion..The fact that church choirs in the Middle Aes there equipped with portative and positive ong (ofthe sie of reed orga of tog) shows tha wind colar, as muck as string color, was considered @ normal tonal background to ial mausic.? Props a such uplitiing musicas this, sui geormance ith massed instruments, together with the Juiectable morcels for wind chamber musi ed cwth Hfecit compositions for band by living composers (such as Stravinsky; Bindemith Foch and Cowell) justifies the giving of musical {festivals for sokich the hond forms the unshiurmental nucleus. Such undertakings roould extend considerably the radius of band activity, would give the band an enhanced aesthetic sanding it the contmunity, and would open iipsig_ impressionable bund-players new vistas of the extent ard sublinity of classical reusic from 1200 to out day. 4 Anverprettion: It seems fo me that fre INDEVIDUAEETY..is a condition of highly individual perts forming harmony thr keen autenes-aP icity fthe-otherparts 1 do not expet eur modern musctas o how what doit the indvidualistically vite vote leading ofthe middle ages..We he gti provide mienih attics sncthe natal randf aed net work in the mass) isthe "indiiduaiism” of Graingtts carefully notated interpretive aristry that sets the Cisasen Gems apart trom other band arrangements, His, ‘musical persona sings the lines, test Harm change ‘Gears the way for important entrances, drops the volume for the next line to come through. phrases over ar nes, pars 2 natural see OF moto, and balances Rartonic and metodterexures, ln shor, he has Wren the Sore of uerpretAion ‘ve hears in a masterful chase musie pecformance. laste Scoring: ‘Gruinger's concept of elastic Segringidllowed him to adzot the music alof she maddening pesibe(or impossible) instrumental combinations one encounters in educational swans: this early music setigs, each musical voce is assigned a "Tone Stra”: Strand orth soprano lie, rand B for the alto tne, et. through the the hass li ‘Fhese parts may then he played by a variety of instrumental combinations, te bar thf mamas, Later of Perey Ginger 1901-4, Hy res aaah rf nn, Mg Hk ~ Da 0 Uh 203 Gotaman, Bich, Pe Band’s Muss (rena Pbliig 137), “Lec Foe rie wo Do Ann Hg, cabo 22 148 Coury of Gane Meroe).NOTES TO THE DIRECTOR: ..from Bach, my artistic forbear.® ~of all the composers who have ever existed,..Greig and Bach are the‘tnes I love rost.® ‘The Chorale-Prelude: O, Mensch... is taken from Bach's Orgelbiichlein cofigction.. Grainger created the setting Ddetween 1937 and 1942. While not unusual today, his beautiful realization gf ego ‘was revolutionary in the 1940's, Gminger's witten out wills and melodic omamentation may appear fatrcate, however once basic rhythm is established, simple repetition will allow graceful synchronization of these elements? Perform the omaments as a natural pact of the melodic tone-line. lay the quick notes and the long ones with matching sonority. Support legato phrases with resonant breath that flows equally through armament and melody. The omaments must never interfere. ‘with the flowing legato of the musical line, Grainger’s Bach is not a mechanical organ, but rather a human wind- chorale. In this edition, the beaming of eighth notes follows Grainger’s mannscipt, ‘The groupings indicate both phrasing. and rhythm. When the same pitch is repeated under a slur mtarks (for instance the opening two notes of Tone Strand A) the serond note shonld receive slightly more weight of tone, Percussion: . ‘The editors have supplied optional parts for malitércussion. These may be used as a percussion ensemble, or ‘with band, In fll band performance, the percussion should not sound forth as a distinct color. ll pats are written sempre tremolo. The rolls should not be audible: sidgle notes. Use ‘Orchestra Bells with medium rubber mallets only if Vibraphone and Marimba are nmavailahle. Fant fruhber, astic or metal maliets will alter the character of the music. Blast Scoring Although Grainger’ arrangement of “O'Mensch..." was designated "set for wind-band,” the orchestration formula, follows his principles of elastic scoring, Elastic Scoring duplicates organ registration by assigning instrumental lines (C*Tone Strands) to varinns organ aetsveessuch a8, Rf and 16 f. stops. Tr suggests the possihilty of perfarming the work with a varety of instante comb ‘Take care to insure equal weight cow foreach toestand Conductors wishing to perform this chorale-prelude ‘with instrumental forces smaller than Grainget’s fll wind-band may consult the following matrix as a guide to ‘balancing available instruments. Grainger Believed equal balance of voices was more important than instrumental color . Letters of Percy Grainger 1901-14, Bd, Kay Dreyfus (MacMillan Co. of Australia VIC, A. 56 othe Far North of. Magna Music ~ Bai ie.INSTRUMENTATION By ENSEMBLE CHOIRS OF LIKE INSTRUMENTS Tone | Ongen Stop Strand] (Octave) rates | DOME | Gasines | saves Percussion Reeds ah upper octave! Bute Tones Piccolo J 88. sluser newae) aa upper vetavey Vibrophoned| Marimba T Oboe § Bb Clarinet 1] Bb Sopeams [Rb Trumpet Fae tt Piccolo It Oboe Mh Fb Clesnet 1 : BE. upper octave? Wet tower wccave} a — rT sh Bassoon {” Bb Clarinet Mf Eb Alto F Bh Comet Fh e thors t Trombone ("| | Marimba if hover oa) yn Tempore ve [[rmean [omen upper aetaver| | Alto Flute | English Hors : Bf © [Bo Clarinet My, ‘famoue LC. ‘trombone 1s" Bassoon Ht oe * | Marimba 111) hover ot) ess a lt phot i Phot & 1 ‘Bassoon II ‘Tuba s ass Trombone| Bb Bas Caine | Barone Contrabassoun Nass 1 Traties indicate itisteumental pars suggested by the editors 2. Pants marked asterisk((*) are 10 be used for full hand performance only. 3. The Piccolo’ parts ae, optional and should read the lower octave 4, Oboe I ntiyplayeither octave ad li. 5. if Trunipets are used fo#-Tone Strand A or B, great care must be exercised to see that they blend with the woodwinds. Comet or Bugelhom are preferred. paal.nctave danblings may be added inthe Percussion parts by playing four hands on one instrament Ai80; Towe Steands B and C may be played four hands if only one Marimba Is availabe.BRASS QUARTET Tone Strand A Comet E B Comet It © Hor 11 D Bass Trombone Brass QUATEE ‘Fou Strand A Comnet I B Comet Il Hom M1 (play cues) D Bass Trombone ‘Tuba D Bassoon IIL [Brass Sexrer Tone Strand A Comet £ B Comet I Euphonium IE or ‘Trombone I (band part) © Hom w (play enes) . Euphonium IL or Trombone I D Bass Trombone or Tuba Baass CHO ‘Tone Strand A 1 Eb Comet Oboe II (or English Hom) D Bassoon [1] Contrabassoon (optional). © MENSCH, BEWEIN, DEIN’ st SUNDE GROSS 55, wactt oa ‘Stowly Ang Seth Re a kad Mie Ba mE] a aes she meace > amma » om ¢ van meee fn (orsneom Amo sy Be © ce) PSEAa egy ue — Se ss ms ° bv” bg SSSSey © fo Pe > gec Beas Avontoses fd(coo SEA] ee © » (ES) © > &ae er © cee)SIRE) Amcor e mE ©© Aw ont ner eh eee | | PEPE ==eqn may © ran Perca BORE on © o a ee « ace °eenceee BAP © 34 Son