Description

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow features five short, colourful and inventive pieces for the beginner bass quartet. Using only 1st position, alongside easy harmonics in 4…th position to add height and clarity,alongside effective bass percussion, these pieces are an ideal opportunity to introduce chamber musicfrom the earliest stages of study. Repeats can be added if needed, alongside a narration between pieces, and these are useful for
quartet or larger forces. “Based on the personalities and dispositions of characters from Washington Irving’s 1820 short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, these five bass quartets were composed as part of a project initiated by Recital Music to establish a cache of chamber music for novice bassists who are all too often not afforded the opportunity perform in small chamber ensembles. Intended for beginning students, the quartets range extend up only as high as 1st position, with the exception of some percussive effects sounded on the body of the instrument and a three harmonics (notes played by lightly touching the string with the fingers of the left hand) found in fourth position and played with the 1st finger on the G, D, and A strings. The movements themselves seek to interpret musically the traits and characteristics each of the actors seem to personify: Ichabod Crane is portrayed as a tall, lanky, and sometimes awkward fellow; Katrina, kind, sweet, and charming; the mythical Headless Horseman is of course quite portrayed in a quite frightening manner, while Katrina’s wealthy father Mr. Van Tassel is almost stodgy and pompous, and Abraham ‘Brom Bones’ Van Brunt is said to busy himself with pranks directed at Mr. Crane – students might wish to capture those sentiments musically when playing through these pieces.” [Michael Montgomery, Arkansas USA]