This page lists arrangements made by me, Oliver Barton. I think the originals are out of copyright. If not please let me know and I’ll remove them.
An Old Violin
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words: Helen Taylor/OB
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music: Howard Fisher, arr. OB
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Howard Fisher’s song has a violin obbligato (Up in the garret away from the din/Someone is playing an old violin/Tenderly, pleadingly, so the notes fall/Just for the love of the music that’s all). This is taken by the top soprano line in this arrangement, with appropriate words. Interspersed among the other voices are the names of some 50 famous violinists and various other things. In all, the song is a sentimental exercise in falling chromatic scales.
Forces:
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Unaccompanied SMezzoATBarB
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Duration:
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about 2'45"
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Length:
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6 pages
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Sanctuary of the Art
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words: Oliver Barton
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music: Albert W Ketèlby, arr. OB
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Ketèlby's immortal Sanctuary of the Heart is here faithfully rendered musically in a lush 6-part arrangement, but with new words. These relate to a singing weekend I go on each year, where on the Sunday, after a full Sunday lunch, we sing through the pieces we've been working on over the weekend and are then presented with an English cream tea (tea, scones, clotted cream, jam - if you've never eaten one). People dive into it with astonishing appetites. I've never been been able to manage more than a cup of tea! Anyway, the words of Sanctuary of the Art deal with the extraordinary stamina needed to sing and eat so much over a weekend. It does refer to Halsway (the weekend is held at Halsway Manor, in Somerset, England) at one point, but you could replace it with another name.
Forces:
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Unaccompanied SMezzoATBarB
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Duration:
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about 2'40"
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Length:
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6 pages
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Choral arrangements by Oliver Barton
Treemonisha Suite
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words: Scott Joplin
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music: Scott Joplin, arr. OB
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Treemonisha is Scott Joplin's only opera, and this is an arrangement of some of the choruses from it arranged as a little suite. I didn't have access to a vocal score of the opera, so I had to recreate the choral parts (adding a bit in the process!).
Forces:
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SATB divisi + piano
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Duration:
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about 7'00"
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Length:
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17 pages (piano score), 18 pages (chorus part)
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