 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-03-06 19:14
Every summer our orchestra does a summer series of "Pops" concerts, to augment our income and balance the books.
This summer, we are scheduling pieces with a nautical theme.
Thus, I have been asked to play "Stranger on the Shore"
(I know it's not the Nielsen Concerto, but we have to cater to our summer audience)
So...Does anyone know of (or have) a published arrangement of "Stranger on the Shore" for clarinet and orchestra? Either purchase or rental are ok.
In the past, I've heard it performed by Henry Cuesta (Lawrence Welk) and at least one other time with clarinet and orchestra, so there has to be an arrangement out there somewhere. I'm hoping it was published.
As I could always perform it with a small rhythm combo (as I've previously done with some Gershwin tunes on tenor sax and clarinet), the effect would be far better with full orchestra.
Thanks...GBK
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-03-06 19:59
David Spiegelthal wrote:
> Wouldn't you rather play Debussy's La Mer instead, GBK?
I was actually thinking of "Yellow Submarine" ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
...GBK (a perpetual child of the 1960's)
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2006-03-06 20:20
I've never seen any mention of any of the Welk library being available. Ol' George Cates (a real hell raising drunk womanizer in his days with the Charlie Barnett bands but by the 1960's a "respectable older gentleman") did most of the Welk arranging (if what my arranger tells me is true), and I've been looking for stuff by him as I merrily roll along, but have yet to see any.
Aker Bilk's version was for clarinet and orchestra, but once again I draw a blank.
A quick search on "arrangement orchestra 'Stranger On The Shore'" with the Google system returns the following:
• A Peter Blair arrangement (he's pretty good; I have a number of tunes by him) for alto saxophone and musical group, from Sheet Music Plus. However, the one review posted isn't very positive, and it never quite comes out and says what the instrumentation is. (This can be a Hal Leonard problem at times...)
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-03-06 21:35
It's the signature song of -- [gulp] -- Acker Bilk.
The audience will want, expect and DEMAND that you produce tthe authentic AB asthmatic kazoo tone.
As a professional, it's your obligation to give them what they want!
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2006-03-06 21:47
Keep well in mind that, by the sort of measure that Jean Sibelius used, Aker Bilk was about a thousand times more successful than any other clarinetist before or since (including the sainted Benny Goodman). We might not like it, but there are a lot of folks out there who found his Welsh style (if that is the word) of cheesy playing to be very easy on their ears.
Pops concerts may not be the way to classical music nirvana, but they sure do bring in the listeners, and that in turn helps to pay the bills for many groups. So, let's have a little respect for the tastes of our audiences, please.
The way that I've liked to hear it done always involved a straight statement of the melody the first time around, then with a series of improvisations for the second verse and the bridge, then ending with a schmaltzy recapitulation at the end. That's how I recall Henry playing it, that's how I play it (when I can be persuaded to do so, which is fortunately very seldom), and I imagine that would work best in a pops setting if done in that fashion.
The alto sax arrangement that I cited earlier (if it is indeed an arrangement; you get both a CD and a "book" (whatever that means)) would work with the easy Eb to Bb transposition. However, if the "book" is just a piano part, then you're back to square one...
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2006-03-06 22:14
I started playing clarinet in 1955 and grew up 30 miles from Severance Hall where Marcellus did his thing. I never heard of Marcellus until about 10 years ago, but I sure knew who Acker Bilk, and Pete Fountain were.
I did see Benny Goodman play with the Cleveland Ochestra at Blossom in about the early '70s.
In the 50s and early 60s there were still hit recordings that were actually instrumentals. Ah those were the days.
Oh well, back to Baerman.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-03-06 23:32
Hey Terry,
I've got to know what a Sibelius Scale is. In terms of earning power (actual dollars), popularity and dare I say actual chops it is hard to believe that there is ANY scale that would put a (pop music) clarinetist over Benny Goodman.
Of course I can only think of Acker Bilk playing "Stranger on the Shore," that title never got much play in my house.
..........Paul Aviles
and Acker Bilk was the "King of...................?"
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Author: Simon
Date: 2006-03-07 01:53
Good old AB must be doing something right to be loved by so many, still. Love him or hate him he has done well.
If I read between the lines I sence jealousy amongst some of the people on this BB.
Some respect fellas. When you have achieved more than AB then bag him, not now.
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Author: Gandalfe
Date: 2006-03-07 02:23
Hmm... an arrangement by Calvin Custer that's kinda pricy and for a 'young concert band' at music-scores.com. Here's the write-up:
Stranger on the Shore
By Acker Bilk, Robert Mellin. Arranged by Calvin Custer. Young Band (Concert Band). Size 9x12 inches. Published by Hal Leonard. (4000672)
From Mr. Holland's Opus, this old standard is featured in the memorable scene with the red-haired clarinetist playing the sunset. A super showcase for your promising soloist.
Jim and Suzy
Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2006-03-07 02:38
Simon wrote:
> If I read between the lines I sence jealousy amongst some of
> the people on this BB.
If you read between the lines and sense jealousy then you're reading different lines than I am ...
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Author: ken
Date: 2006-03-07 03:20
GBK, in case Stranger doesn't pan out the orchestra could still pay the bills performing "Victory at Sea" instead. It's nautical, it's Rogers, it's pops, it's programmable, it's respectable and mostly, it's NOT moldy cheese wiz that smells as bad as an old man from Wisconsin.
http://sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?cart=335067377112173483&item=2921840
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/filmnotes/victoryatsea.html
Of course, you could always go cheap and pull the score and parts to "The Typewriter;" acquire a copy of the concert band 1st clarinet part. Orchestra performs, tacet violins on the melody, play on A and take it up a step. For maximum effect, then clamp a bell on your stand and swipe at it on the carriage returns. I don't know what to do with the nautical theme other then get a trumpet player to gargle a mystery liquid into a mic from off stage (always use trumpet players as they have the biggest mouths.) Never mind, you'll sound good even if you wind up cutting holes with kiddie scissors and blowing into a paper towel tube. v/r Ken
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-03-07 03:55
ken wrote:
> GBK, in case Stranger doesn't pan out the orchestra could still
> pay the bills performing "Victory at Sea" instead. It's
> nautical, it's Rogers, it's pops, it's programmable, it's
> respectable and mostly, it's NOT moldy cheese wiz that smells
> as bad as an old man from Wisconsin.
Actually, the Robert Russell Bennett arrangement of "Victory at Sea" is already scheduled for this summer, along with Swan Lake, a Beach Boys medley, music from "The Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Titanic", and a few others still to be decided ...GBK
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-03-07 06:51
Hey, I'm playing it in concert band right now! :-)
I'll look up the details of the arrangement, but I think it's not full orchestral. Wrong key, too (so it can be dropped onto cornet if need be).
If you haven't got one, you'll need a goatee beard :-D
I've got a lot of respect for Mr. Bilk. Despite his obvious 'abuse' of the instrument ;-D I find his stuff to be generally quite 'musical'. And you have to hand it to him: ask Joe Public to name a clarinetist, and his name will be at the top of the list.
He's playing Symphony Hall Birmingham on the 22nd, if anyone's interested.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2006-03-07 12:42
Do you have the striped shirt and bowler hat to go with it?
(look at the original AB album cover)
Actually, playing it would be a great crowd pleaser, and you could ornament it a bit just to show you really know how to play.
Can you grow a goutee for the performance?
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: SolidRockMan
Date: 2006-03-07 13:05
"The audience will want, expect and DEMAND that you produce tthe authentic AB asthmatic kazoo tone."
Acker Bilk suffers from the Kenny G (if I dare to mention that name) syndrome here.
He's had a long and hugely successful career as a professional musician (mostly jazz) and although now in his late seventies, still performs regularly with his Paramount Jazz Band. No doubt the Symphony Hall in Birmingham will be packed out on the 22nd.
'Stranger on the Shore' by the way remains the UK's biggest selling instrumental single of all time.
I suppose someone should let Acker know that unfortunately, his tone and style of playing are just 'wrong'.....
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2006-03-07 13:46
I've been playing Stranger on the Shore quite a bit with Jim Galloway's Wee Big Band - as a bass clarinet feature!
We have the Billy Strayhorn arrangement in the book, which originally featured Harry Carney on bari. I tried it on bass clarinet on a whim at a concert a couple of years ago, and that's where it's been ever since.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-03-07 14:10
Merlin -
I can play our band's arrangement a whole *two octaves* down on my bass. It sounds fantastic but I think the bandmaster would have a fit. What do you think - shall I give it a go at the next rehearsal? :-)
Post Edited (2006-03-07 14:22)
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-03-07 14:29
It was done orchestrally in Mr. Hollands Opus. The question is whether this was the original recording, or if it was rerecorded for the movie. Perhaps the orchestra could contact its producers. I'm sure that this inquiry as been made somewhere before.
As for objections to the piece, I felt that most objections have mainly been to Acker Bilk's style--specifically his trademark vibrato. I'm sure that any soloist could perform the piece to his own tastes with great success.
Allen Cole
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-03-07 14:59
I have a VCR of the Mr. H's Opus, somewhere. Will look and play it again, Sam !, it should list [among credits?] the "studio etc" info, prob. it is also available via a Google Search of the movie. With several good jazz cl'ists available in our comm. band, it would please many of our audiences, I'm sure. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2006-03-07 15:26
Don Berger wrote:
> I have a VCR of the Mr. H's Opus, somewhere.
The orchestrators were David Heckendorn and Jonathan Sacks (Seattle Symphony was the orchestra) - from http://www.imdb.com.
dhecken48 (at) aol.com
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-03-07 15:42
Thanks Mark -
An email has now been sent...GBK
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-03-07 16:12
Great, fellas, your resources are comprehensive. Reading over the posts, Merlin speaks of a Strayhorn ?dance band orchestrated? arrangement which, if still available, should solve any copyright problems, and be easily Re-arrangable [cl soloist] for a danceband "combo" from a concert band, perhaps with a Pete F "Just a Closer Walk" for encore.. Even an oldie like me could prob. play these ?challenging? tunes, HA ! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2006-03-07 19:34
Going "off piste" here GBK, but about twelve posts up you said your band have scheduled music from "Titanic".
Would this be the film, or "Titanic the Musical" ?
I played the latter last year and the music is just fantastic, esp the writing for woodwind. Thanks to conversations with John Moses, I got a great background to it and would have to say this would be my favourite music to date, from a show. Up there with W.S.S. But let's not start a new thread.
I'm off (ducking)
BobT
BobT
Post Edited (2006-03-07 19:36)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-03-07 20:28
Our orchestra will be playing a medley from Titanic (the movie) arranged by John Moss ...GBK
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2006-03-07 23:34
Hi GBK:
You're a real knowledgeable guy, so...
How about doing an arrangement up yourself? I've taken a few of Artie Shaw's charts and re-orchestrated them for various ensembles with some success. It's fun, but very time consuming.
You should give the "orchestration thing" a try. You might wind up enjoying the task, and get a great performance piece out of the exercise?
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2006-03-08 02:45
A seconder for JJM's motion..............but don't keep it hidden from us !!!
RT
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2006-03-08 02:48
bob49t wrote:
> A seconder for JJM's motion..............but don't keep it
> hidden from us !!!
If GBK arranges, he can't share unless the copyright holder says so.
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Author: Susan Eileen
Date: 2006-03-08 06:14
So do I have an antique? Found it in my files-- It's a trip digging this old piece out from my high school days -- I guess. Shall have to give it a try.
Sheet music for "Stranger on the Shore"
Acker Bilk on the cover w/ clarinet, stripped jacket and hat
Excellent Condition
Arrangments w/ 2nd harmony parts for Clarinet, Trumpet, Saxophone or Guitar
Accompaniment for piano, organ, or accordian
From Sherman Musci Co. in the 60's
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-03-08 06:32
Is it correct that Aker Bilk was much more successful/famous than for example Benny Goodman only in the USA?
I think there are very few people I know that haven't heard of Benny Goodman, but almost none of them heard of Aker Bilk.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-03-08 06:56
These guys publish our arrangement.
Link
They have a couple of different arrangements, but none of them orchestral.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-03-11 04:46
Just to put some finality to this thread, I contacted David Heckendorn who was one of the music arrangers for the movie Mr. Holland's Opus.
He told me that he wrote the movie arrangement for "Stranger on the Shore" and also performed the clarinet part in the studio with the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra under the direction of Michael Kamen.
However, that was the last he saw of the arrangement as it is now the property of the movie production company.
Thus, as of today, the arrangemnet is not available. (He did leave open the possibility of someday contacting Hal Leonard Publishing to negotiate a release of the rights so that an orchestral version could be published.)
BTW - David Heckendorn, one of the orchestrators and production music coordinator of Mr. Holland's Opus has an extensive catologue of chamber and orchestral works that feature Clarinet. For more information, a catologue of works, and music samples check out his website:
http://davidheckendorn.com/
and/or email Mr. Heckendorn at: DHecken48@aol.com
(Permission has been received by Mr Heckendorn to post the above information from his email)
...GBK
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2006-03-16 08:14
Paul Aviles asked higher up what the Sibelius scale is. There is a quotation - "no-one ever erected a statue to a critic", which I think is from Jean Sibelius. This could be what is being referred to. Could the person who used the phrase here please confirm / deny / expand, as I am also curious as to what is meant.
Bassie - played Typewiter for band last year, and we are doing it again this year by audience request. It was done as a percussion feature. Our principal percussionist found an old mechanical typewriter in his father's garage and it could be heard over the band. As 1st clarinet, I was a bit miffed (only in a jokey sort of way) that the 1st clarinets do all the work but the percussion get the applause! (Yeah, I know they don't always get the recognition they deserve, but...)
PS (and off-topic)
What do you call an ape that plays the drums?
A Timpanzee (yuk, yuk, yuk)
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2006-03-16 08:49
And than there was Kenny G playing a very nice, listenable Stranger on the Shore on his ??new CD.
BobT
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2006-03-16 13:37
My reference to alter Jean was in regards to his comments on why he only invited businessmen and the like to his soirees during his immensely long retirement (he didn't write any music for something like thirty or forty years following his productive years).
He replied that he never liked being around musicians, as all that they ever talked about was getting this job or that job, and that business folks (having the leisure afforded by their profitable careers) were far more interesting and arts oriented.
Mind you, it's not as classic as Xavier Cugat's line along the lines of "I'd rather play Chicita Banana and have my swimming pool than play the classics and starve"...
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: hans
Date: 2006-03-16 15:54
bob49t,
Pete Fountain made a very nice recording of it too.
Hans
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Author: Jhall
Date: 2006-03-16 16:15
Somewhere in my dark basement I have an arrangement of a Pete Fountain-ish "Stranger on the Shore" which I did for a small dance band. My daughter played it at a successful scholarship audition. She received more money than I earned in a year of playing!
John
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Author: Phurster
Date: 2006-03-17 06:53
After practicing countless hours to play Mozart, Nielsen, Brahms etc, you win the position of first clar in an orchestra and as a soloist are asked to perform “Stranger on the Shore”.
It’s not that the piece is that bad but I always associate with good old AB. Several well meaning people told me in my youth that one day I might be as good as AB. I am still annoyed at the injustice of a world that cares not for Leister, Marcellus. Pay, DePlus etc..but loves AB.
Wouldn’t the Artie Shaw Concerto be a much better choice? You could tell the programmers that it is called the Shaw Pacific Ocean Concerto. They would never know.
By the way no idea about where to find an arrangement, good luck though.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-03-17 07:14
Phurster wrote:
> After practicing countless hours to play Mozart, Nielsen,
> Brahms etc, you win the position of first clar in an orchestra
> and as a soloist are asked to perform “Stranger on the
> Shore”.
The unfortunate reality is that "Stranger on the Shore" sells tickets and brings people of all ages to the concert.
The Nielsen Concerto doesn't.
... GBK (who has made more money in his career playing the "Chicken Dance" than the Mozart Concerto)
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