Organ and String Quartet arrangements for Easter?
  • Splenda
    Posts: 12
    Hi all- I am in search of quality arrangements of Salzburg and Lasst Uns Erfreuen for String Quartet and organ for my Easter Services. Or- any great string quartet music/suggestions for Easter (with or without vocals). First time planning Holy Week/Easter as music director at a parish and having trouble finding what I need. Thank you!!
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Could you define "quality" arrangements?

    I would imagine that there are composers here who have written excellent arrangements, but those may not be for the right combination of instruments.

    In any event....

    I have a descant I wrote for Lasst Uns Erfreuen which has only ever been used by trumpets (because my choir at the time couldn't handle high b-flats), but I never wrote an organ reharmonization to go with it. (The descant is around here, in the file marked "Descants").
  • Splenda
    Posts: 12
    "Quality" wasn't the right word to use. Looking for anything, really. I will look for that descant, Chris.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/18214/collection-of-descants#Item_14
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Here is the 2021 version of my arrangement of "At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing" - derived from an earlier, larger arrangement that had two trumpets & two trombones, which can easily be reassigned to a string quartet. Let me know if you want parts (or more of the original arrangement - instrumental introduction, alternate second stanza for unison trebles & handbells (or tubular bells), instrumental interpolation between 2nd & 3rd stanzas).


    Giffen-At the Lambs high feast-2021.pdf
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    Giffen-At the Lambs high feast-2021.mp3
    4M
    Thanked by 2Splenda CCooze
  • Nathan_the_Organist
    Posts: 440
    Magnificent arrangement Charles! I love the harmonies on the third verse, and that descant is heavenly!
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Splenda
    Posts: 12
    Charles- that is wonderful, exactly what I am looking for! I would love the parts with the instrumental introduction.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Here is the setting of "At the Lamb's High Feast" for choir, string quartet, and organ. Posted here are: (a) score with full strings, (b) score with just organ & choir, (c) MP3 sound file of the work with full strings.

    I haven't yet extracted the string parts separately.

    And I haven't included the alternate second stanza for unison treble voices with tubular bells accompaniment (which is actually a carillon setting I composed and used to play). If this were used for the second stanza, then the second stanza in the score (without the choir singing) would be an instrumental interlude (which might be useful for a prolonged procession).

    The original setting (somewhat altered here) was for brass quartet instead of strings. I plan to prepare the current setting for brass quartet, and also a setting for double reeds.

    Enjoy! Feedback would be welcome.
    Giffen-At the Lambs High Feast-2021-full-strings.pdf
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    Giffen-At the Lambs High Feast-2021-organ-choral.pdf
    141K
    Giffen-At the Lambs High Feast-2021-full-strings.mp3
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    Thanked by 1m_r_taylor
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Here is a Dropbox link to my setting of "At the Lamb's High Feast" (Salzburg), with scores and MP3 sound files for string quartet, double reed quartet, or brass quartet, and also scrolling score videos for the string quartet and the double reed quartet settings.

    https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zm0eabst5h0co7d/AADt1L03YaEdcj4xVTctbpSFa?dl=0

    Happy Easter to all of you.
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