Weirdest thing that you've ever arranged for sax quartet

**J.Max** · 04-04-2006, 12:54 AM

I thought that it might be fun to see what some people have arranged for sax quartet. (Someone in the classical forum said that they had arranged "Kyle's Mom is a Bitch" from South Park). I did an arrangement of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in high school that even had the guitar solos...not sure what happened to it...Anyone else do anything odd?

Harri Rautiainen · 04-04-2006, 12:58 AM

"Hindustan", is it trad.?

I found a piano sheet music in the WWW and made a SATB instrumentation out of it. The guys loved it.

**Randall** · 04-04-2006, 02:51 AM

Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk", when I was in high school.

Don't go there....

Brian The Hornman · 04-04-2006, 06:35 AM

I haven't tried anything that crazy (yet), but one of my friends last year did a Super Mario medley for SATB quartet.

**J.Max** · 04-04-2006, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianthehornman

I haven't tried anything that crazy (yet), but one of my friends last year did a Super Mario medley for SATB quartet.

Heh. I did that one too...I think there's even a commercial arrangement out there.

saxymanzach · 04-08-2006, 05:21 AM

The Theme from the Mortal Combat game... and I hate video games.

Brendan Muse · 04-08-2006, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianthehornman

I haven't tried anything that crazy (yet), but one of my friends last year did a Super Mario medley for SATB quartet.

I threw that together last week. It was... interesting.

At the moment, I'm playing around with Send in the Clowns. I don't know why, but I am.

pianoman · 04-08-2006, 11:38 AM

I have done several arrangements for the sax quartet i play in. Pieces include, from when I just began arranging, Gauglione (the guinness advert), The Gladiators March (circus music!!!!!) to The Simpsons Theme Tune. Many of these could probably be altered to improve them now but they were good fun to do at the time!!!!

Razzy · 04-08-2006, 04:02 PM

Sadly, nothing weirder than Bach's Air #3. That sure was a challenge, though. Mostly transcription as opposed to actual arranging.

Steve P · 04-08-2006, 04:50 PM

I arranged the orchestral opening to the Ibert Concertino da Camera, and right where the Saxophone enters, it went into the Simpsons theme song. It worked really well, and we used it as an encore. I have a great recording too. Good times.

Steve P

Harri Rautiainen · 04-08-2006, 04:59 PM

If you sax quartet arrangers would like to share your creative work, weird or not so weird (for free) with other SOTW'ers, I could possibly create a space for it. Let me know your interest in this.

pianoman · 04-08-2006, 05:08 PM

That sounds like a good idea as i have recently been requested one of my arrangements. A space for members to share their work could be useful for any members wishing to "show off" their creative abilities.
Thanks

Harri Rautiainen · 04-08-2006, 05:49 PM

There are (at least) two ways to implement this:

1, A “open for all” FTP upload and download area. The problem is that first I have to figure out how to do it. Especially how not to risk the SOTW site security.

2. As long as the volume is fairly reasonable I am leaning toward a web page where I am the chief-editor.
I will receive your arrangements via e-mail. You will categorize your arrangement based on what sibeliusmusic.com is using:

Category:
• Classical
• Jazz
• Pop/Rock
• Educational
• Worship
• Other

Also the difficulty. (I do not necessarily understand the grades, but) sibeliusmusic.com is using:
• Easy (Grades 1-3)
• Moderate (Grades 4-6)
• Difficult/professional (Grades 7-8+)

You will suggest the Category and Difficulty, and I will use my final judgment based on my experience of more than 40 years of saxophone playing and ten years of quartet playing.

Also, please mention the original composer.

The format of the arrangement is based on whatever tools you have available. It would be nice to have both a notation SW output AND a printable format (.pdf, .jpg, .gif). Both SATB and AATB are fine. If you provide a notation SW format or a MIDI-file, the users will be able to do their own transpositions. Otherwise you may want to consider alternative configurations (SATB and AATB). However, because this will be a free service, the takers have to be happy with what ever will provide. It is really up to you, the arranger.

Let's see if we can make something useful out of this. My sax quartet, Sax4fun is always looking for arrangements to supplement the repertoire.

G-dawg · 04-08-2006, 10:29 PM

Harri,

I think that would be a wonderful idea! A link to a webpage with downloads sounds easier as well.

**thejoyofsax** · 12-12-2006, 03:14 AM

I did Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" a year or two ago. Took me awhile to do, and it has never been performed (few other collegiate saxophonists seem to dig Billy Joel as I do ... )

SaxxMan · 12-12-2006, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thejoyofsax

I did Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" a year or two ago. Took me awhile to do, and it has never been performed (few other collegiate saxophonists seem to dig Billy Joel as I do ... )

I'm totally with you JOYOFSAX....I love the sax work on all of Billy Joel's work.

The sax on "New York State of Mind" is probably one of my all-time-favorite rock sax solos! You can feel the intensity and emotion...

Remember "you may be right" from "glass houses"??... that solo was very inspiring to me when I was a kid!

And let us not forget "It's still rock and roll to me"....and "I love you just the way you are"...(which was more difficult to play than I thought it would be...)

You GOTTA get your work on Italian Restaurant out there and in people's ears...

Matt Kaesler · 12-18-2006, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianthehornman

I haven't tried anything that crazy (yet), but one of my friends last year did a Super Mario medley for SATB quartet.

On 'The Making of Two Shoes' DVD that came limited edition with the Cat Empire's Two Shoes album for a while there is this short clip of the keyboard player Olly playing the super mario theme song on a little toy keyboard that came from a little sister of another of the band members. He was driving everyone mental with it, it's funny though because it's actually quite hard to play on a tiny keyboard like that.

As for me, I wrote a polytonal blues in 5/4 for piano...

Sorry, that was quite irrelevant.

km · 12-20-2006, 09:20 PM

I saw this in the latest threads earlier in the week & was intrigued at the idea of a web page with arrangements posted - did it happen?

I can't see a link anywhere

km

1stchair · 12-22-2006, 06:56 AM

Well,
I arranged Magnificat by J.S. Bach for a saxophone Orchestra. 4 sopranos,4 altos,3 tenors, and 2 baris.

Very cool, Even have a mp3 of it.
http://media.putfile.com/Magnificat-...rian-Honeycutt

If anyone wishes to have the sheet music to this email me.

**stefank** · 12-22-2006, 09:12 AM

Teddy Bears' Picnic - although I must admit it's a rehash of my recorder arrangement, which can be found at http://members.iinet.net.au/~karpiniec/freemusi.htm

Stefan