In 2016 I was named as the Composer in Residence for the annual convention of the Classical Mandolin Society of America, and they requested a piece to be performed by the En Masse mandolin orchestra. My only published works for mandolin orchestra had been arrangements (including an arrangement of my 3 Rags After Bach, originally written for piano), so I set out to write my first original composition for mandolin ensemble. Since it was to be performed by a large group including many amateur musicians, I avoided the meter changes that I am fond of using in my solo pieces, and any difficult passage work, trying instead to make it interesting primarily through the harmonies.
The convention was
to be held in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania,
near Philadelphia, which inspired me to use
a popular tune from the time of the American
Revolution for my variations: Chester, by
William Billings (1746-1800). The first
statement of the theme uses Billings' four
part voicing exactly as written, with the
melody in the tenor part played by mandola
and guitar. When the theme is played a
second time, the first mandolin and mandola
parts are reversed, putting the melody in
the top voice, and the guitar is given
chords to fill out the harmony.
Catalog # NGP 004 (score)
ISMN
979-0-800030-16-1
Price: $30.00
Please note that this is for the score, only. The
parts will be available shortly as pdf files, with
a license to print as many copies as needed for
the purchasing ensemble. Because of the length of
the piece a full set of printed parts could easily
cost well over $100 and make the piece
unaffordable, both to print or to buy, so I see
this as the only solution.
Catalog # NGP 004-P (parts)
ISMN
979-0-800030-17-8
Price: $30.00
BACK to Neil
Gladd Publications
BACK to
Neil Gladd.com