Novelty / Comedy
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THE WOLF WAS FRAMED!
by Robert Wendel
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New! 
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| Description: |
The "adult version" of a musical tale you grew up with, this one is definitely NOT for the youngest children. Add a local "celebrity" narrator, and you have a fun work for your orchestra and audience perfect for a pops concert, April Fool's Day, Halloween or "First Night" concert. The music and narration are all new and original, and the orchestration exactly matches Prokofiev's orchestration. |
| Instrumentation: | 1/1/1/1 - 3/1/1/0 - timp, perc and Strings. |
| Duration: | About 9:30 |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only. |
| Notes: | Premiered by the Cherokee Symphony, 10/30/11 |
| Notes: | "...wanted to tell you that it was a terrific hit with both the players and the audience last Sunday. We played to a standing room only house that laughed all the way through. Thanks for writing this."
Lee Thorson, The Cherokee Symphony |
"UNDER THE BIG TOP"
by Robert Wendel
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| Description: |
Bring on the trapeze artists, the elephants, dogs and ponies and, of course, the clowns! They are all here in this new medley that's sure to be fun for all! |
| Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2/2/2 - 4/2/3/1 Timpani, 3 percussion, and strings |
| Duration: | 6:25 |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only. |
| Notes: | Commissioned by The Houston Symphony and Michael Krajewski. Premiered May 24th, 2006. |
by Robert Wendel
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| Description: |
What can be said other than that this work lasts over 8 minutes, yet it doesn't have a single original theme in it! It's loaded with quotes Tschaikovsky to Sousa, from "Chop-Sticks" to Happy Birthday, and many "sight-gags" from a wedding to a cowboy
gun fight! Truly a piece of comic relief. Mod easy solo piano part. |
| Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2/2/2 - 4/2/2/1[opt] - Timpani, 2-3 percussion, and strings |
| Duration: | 8:15 |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only. |
| Notes: | New version commissioned by Erich Kunzel for the Cincinnati Pops |
THE POLTERGEIST POLKA
by Robert Wendel
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| Description: |
Poltergeist: noun: "a ghost or other supernatural being supposedly responsible for physical disturbances such as loud noises and objects thrown around." Well, this piece certainly fits that definition, with loud noises, whistles, bangs and more. Great fun for any audience. |
| Instumentation: | 2+picc/2/2+ B Cl/2+CBsn - 4/3/3/1 - Timpani, 2-4 percussion, opt banjo, and strings |
| Duration: | 3:00 |
| Cost: | $190 Rental Only. |
| Notes: | New for 2011 |
PARADE OF THE PERCUSSIONISTS
by Robert Wendel
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| Description: |
A new, original march FOR the percussion section accompanied by the orchestra. A great surprise for any Pops concert, and perfect for Young People's Concerts. Exactly how many percussionists you use depends on how "athletic" they can be...which can make for good "visuals" too! |
| Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2/2/2 - 4/3/3/1 and strings PLUS Timpani, Trap Drums, 3-4 percussion, opt. piano |
| Duration: | 3:50 |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only. |
by Richard Chiarappa
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New!
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| Description: |
A comic "mini-concerto" for triangle and orchestra that can be a great way to raise funds by auctioning off the solo spot, or just to draw attention and audience to a concert by featuring a local "celebrity" like your Mayor, TV Weather Reporter, or Business or Civic figure. In any case, it's all in good fun. |
| Instrumentation: | 2/2/2/2 - 4/3/3/1 - timp, perc and Strings. |
| Duration: | About 2:30 |
| Cost: | $120 Rental Only. |
| Notes: | A video performance can be viewed HERE |
THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL... THE END!
by Robert Wendel
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| Description: |
For your "First Night" concerts, the perfect way to end the year, a medley of 7 famous Symphony finales! Auld Lang Syne is mixed with Schubert, Brahms, Dvorak, Mahler, and Beethoven. A nice way also to say goodbye to a retiring board member, or musician. You can also easily cut the 2 Auld Lang Syne references for a comic turn the rest of the year. |
| Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2/2/2 - 4/3/3/1 - Timpani, 2-3 percussion, and strings |
| Duration: | 5:40 |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only. |
| Notes: | The "shortened" version can be heard HERE. |
THE CLASSICAL JUKEBOX
by Leroy Anderson
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| Description: |
Here is Leroy's famous "take" on the pop tune "Music, Music, Music" by Weiss & Baum... all mixed up with famous classical tunes, and a sticky needle in the Victrola! Newly edited from manuscript with errors corrected, the "stuck" section re-barred for easier playing, and fully engraved for the first time. Premiered by Leonard Slatkin & The National Symphony in May of 2007. Just in time for the Leroy Anderson Centennial in 2008! |
| Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2+EH[opt]/2+BCl[opt]/2 - 4/3(+4opt)/2(+3opt)/1 - Timpani, 2 percussion, harp [opt], and strings |
| Duration: | 3:00 |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only. |
by Robert Wendel
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| Description: |
A celebration of famous Baroque melodies by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Clark, and others in overture format. Can your audiences name those tunes, from "Masterpiece Theater" to "Hallelujah?" |
| Instrumentation: | 2/2/2/2 - 4/3[1st picc in D, 2&3 in C]/2/0 - timp, SD and Strings. |
| Duration: | 4:45 |
| Cost: | $190 Rental Only. |
| Notes: | Commissioned by The Houston Symphony and Michael Krajewski. Premiered June, 2007. |
by Monteverdi
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| Description: |
2007 marked the 400th anniversary of what is considered to be the first "modern" opera, so I've "updated" the Toccatta from Monteverdi's "Orfeo" for the pop/rock generation, complete with a development section. Terrific for Pops AND Young People's Concerts, ESPECIALLY if you open the concert with the first 14 bars [as Monteverdi wrote it] then close the concert with the FULL work. Four hundred years then comes full circle! |
| Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2/2/2 - 4/3/3/1 - Timpani, Trap set, Chimes, Glock, Tam-Tam, Piatti and Bass Drum, and Strings |
| Duration: | 2:45 |
| Cost: | $1200 Rental Only. |
ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK
arranged by Robert Wendel
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| Description: |
The song that started the whole Rock-and-Roll phenomenon, with interruptions by Mozart, Beethoven, and the 1812 Overture! |
| Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2/2/2 - 4/3/3/1 - Timpani, Trap Drums, 2-3 percussion, and strings |
| Duration: | 3:00 [ASCAP] |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only. |
SWING, LUDWIG, SWING!
by Robert Wendel
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| Description: |
Don't roll over Beethoven, swing him, American style! Portions of Beethoven's 5th and 9th symphonies are set to full-out hard and fast swing. |
| Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2/2/2 - 4/3/3/1 - Timpani, Trap Drums, 2-3 percussion, and strings |
| Duration: | 3:20 |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only. |
THE ADVENTURES OF SINBAD - OVERTURE
by Anton Koch
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| Description: |
"The Adventures of Sinbad" Overture, formed part the the staged retelling of Sheherazade's "Tales from the 1001 Nights" during the closing ceremonies of the 2006 Asia Games in Doha, Qatar. Ali Baba discovers the treasure cave of the forty thieves and the magic formula which opens the entrance to the cave. He would visit the cave when the thieves were away and carry off their stolen treasures. One day he is caught in the act by the Robber Chief who plots to reclaim his treasures by disguising himself as a long lost friend of Ali Baba. Ali Baba's faithful servant discovers the Robber Chief's plot and she devises a plan to trap him with an exotic dagger dance; however, it is the thieves that trap her and her master. Sinbad and his "loyal crew of adventurers" come to the rescue in a spectecular display of flying ships over the arena. |
| Instrumentation: | 2+Picc/1+E Hn/2/1+CBn - 4/3/3/1 - timp / 3-5 perc - harp & strings. |
| Duration: | 5:05 |
| Cost: | $200 Rental Only |
See also; The Snapshot Concertos and The Tale Of Peter Rabbit, by Sean O'Boyle.
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