Novelty / Comedy / Fundraisers
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Detailed listings
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 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
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 |
by Robert Wendel
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Watch YouTube Video
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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 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
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 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
Notes: | New version commissioned by Erich Kunzel for the Cincinnati Pops |
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 |
Rental Fee: | $190/+$95/+$47.50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
Notes: | New for 2011 |
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 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
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 |
Rental Fee: | $120/+$60/+$30 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
Notes: | A video performance can be viewed HERE |
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 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
Notes: | The "shortened" version can be heard HERE. |
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 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
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 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
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 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
arranged by Robert Wendel
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Description: |
The song by Bill Haley and His Comets that started the whole Rock-and-Roll phenomenon, with comical 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] |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
by Robert Wendel
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Description: |
Here is a salute to Beethoven's 5th and 9th Symphonies in the style of Benny Goodman's swing classic "Sing, Sing, Sing." For some 2 decades now, this selection has never failed to bring audiences to their feet yelling and cheering (and asking where they can buy the track!) which is now available on Amazon.com. |
Instrumentation: | 2+picc/2/2/2 - 4/3/3/1 - Timpani, Trap Drums, 2-3 percussion, and strings |
Duration: | 3:20 |
Rental Fee: | $200/+$100/+$50 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each). |
Notes: |
A CD quality download of this work from the album "American Reflections" is available at CDBaby, iTunes, and Amazon.com |
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