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Dance Music


andyorgan

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I'm putting together some recital prgrammes that are based around dance music and I'd like to tap into all of your collective creative libraries to see if you can help me with some ideas.

 

I've already got quite a few in my repertoire already, but they are very biased towards fast and loud. I have some rumbas, gigues etc, original pieces as well as transcriptions. As well as coming up with ideas to add to this list, I'm also really keen to find some slower dances/dance movements to provide some contrast. So, other than the Howells Sarabandes, anyone got more ideas?

 

Thanks, in advance!

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Guest Stanley Monkhouse

things that come quickly to mind

Samuel Scheidt: (1) Variations on a theme of John Dowland; (2) Bergamasca.

Hollins: the two Grand Choeurs (C and g) go with a swing that is dance-like.

Whitlock: Scherzo (5 short pieces) a dance that stumbles occasionally. Chanty (Plymouth Suite).

Peeters: Scherzo (Modaal)

Christopher Steel: Dancing Toccata

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... Karg-Elert: Valse Mignonne ...

Hello,

 

the Valse mignonne op. 142 is very good and would be my favourite.

What's about John Ireland's Cavatina? I think it is half the way to light music.

 

Cheers

tiratutti

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Thanks so far, keep them coming.

 

I also had the Hollins Minuet and the Karg Elert. Others so far include Toccata all rumba (Planyavsky), Dance Suite (Rawsthorne), Gavotte (Lemare), Resurrection Dances (Ridout), Fugue a la gigue (David Johnson), Toccata a la Gigue (Martinson).

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In the less rumbustious vein:

 

Buxtehude: Suite on "Auf meinen lieben Gott" (not the best of Buxtehude, admittedly)

Howells: Siciliano for a High Ceremony

Howells: De la Mare's Pavane (from Lambert's Clavichord)

 

According to Christopher Palmer, Howells himself arranged the Pavane for organ, though I have no idea whether the arrangement still exists. The piece was played at De la Mare's funeral (presumably on the organ).

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Any Passacaglia/Chacone will also be good to include. Most movements from French Baroque Suites are in differing dance forms too. And from beyond the grave you can include a ghoulish transcription of S-S's Danse Macabre. Along with Song - this is one of the more interesting and easy ways to compile a programme with the golden thread of an idea. Just what I like.

All the best.

N

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Thanks for the SS suggestion, I'd forgotten about that, though the Lemare is a little out of my league. I do also have a few transcriptions ideas, I already play odd movements from the Nutcracker and the Die Fledermaus Overture, doesn't get more waltzy than that.

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Thanks for the SS suggestion, I'd forgotten about that, though the Lemare is a little out of my league. I do also have a few transcriptions ideas, I already play odd movements from the Nutcracker and the Die Fledermaus Overture, doesn't get more waltzy than that.

 

There is a fairly straightforward arrangement of Danse Macabre in this book:

 

http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0423769/details.html

 

Peter

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I don't know the Cholley piece above - what is it like/level of difficulty?

 

A

Its quite a good piece, perhaps one section too long. It was the book it is out of that first gave me the idea for the programme. There is a rather cheesy waltz in there as well, the other two pieces are less good.

 

Anyone play the Four Biblical Dances by Eben?

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I don't know the Cholley piece above - what is it like/level of difficulty?

 

A

 

 

Regarding the Cholley piece, I have absolutely no idea of how difficult it is, but from the recording I have, it certainly doesn't sound that simple! I might be able to send you a sound file if you're interested. It's a great piece, very entertaining, and would be sure to please audiences if put in a concert programme.

 

It's in a book "L'Orgue et la Danse" which contains some other dance type works.

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Margaret Phillips recorded a CD in 1995 at Oakham School called Alla Danza, Dance Music for Organ, which sounds the sort of thing you're looking for. It includes Fuga alla giga, BWV577, Tanz Toccata by Anton Heiller, the Planyavsky and Litaize already mentioned plus a few others. To save me listing them all, have a look at the Regent records website, I think the disc is still available.

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"Sun Dance" - Bob Chilcott. It's in the OUP Album of Ceremonial Organ Music along with numerous other excellent pieces and arrangements. Typically fun with some tricky syncopations; one or two corners need quite a bit of work in fact, but it's worth the effort. (And it may be worth noting that Chilcott arranged it from his own "Organ Dances" for organ, strings and percussion...)

 

You could also try Francis Jackson's "Georgian Suite," in which you will find a Gavotte, a Sarabande and a real foot-tapper of a Jig. Playable with or without pedals and handsomely printed by OUP, it's a useful collection in any case!

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Pavane, Alman & Galliard by Michael Jacques is a short suite of pieces, not difficult but tuneful in a modern-ish idiom. The final Galliard almost goes of the rails, harmonically, before a coda that just rescues it.

 

Rawsthorne - Hornpipe Humoresque

 

H

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Excelent, thanks for these and keep them coming.

 

I already play the Rawsthorne regularly, but have found a good partner piece by Lemare that also uses the same tune.

 

I have the OUP Red Book, but for some reason, have never tried the Chilcott. I hadn't come across either the Jackson or the Jacques before. I will investigate those also.

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