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Drei Duette, Op.20, by Johannes Brahms

Transcribed for Mixed Voice, Instruments, and Piano by John W. Pratt

Score for Soprano, Alto, and Piano; Transcribed upper voice Parts for Violin/Oboe, Alto Flute, and A-Clarinet; and Transcribed lower voice Parts for Violin/Oboe, Alto Flute, A-Clarinet, and Viola; PDF $12.99

Composed in 1858–1860, the Drei Duette, Op. 20, for soprano and alto are the earliest of Johannes Brahms' duets and quartets for solo voices and piano. The three songs are titled Weg der Liebe (1. Teil), Weg der Liebe (2.Teil), and Die Meere. Except for brief canonic passages in No. 1, the voices have the same words, sung simultaneously, mostly in parallel thirds and sixths. The accompaniments are straightforward, without Brahmsian ensemble challenges but not without harmonic interest. Many have found the songs Mendelssohnian. The words come from the collection Stimmen der Völker of Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1803). The first two are translations by Herder of two parts of a Northern English folk poem Love will find out the Way. The third is Italian in origin.

The vocal parts lie well for many instruments, opening the possibility of mixed voice and instrument, as well as fully-instrumental, performances. If one voice is replaced by an instrument, no words will be lost and the result will be a song with wonderful instrumental obbligato and piano accompaniment. If two instruments are used, the result is a beautiful "song without words." We include in our edition transcriptions of both voices for oboe/violin, alto flute in G, and clarinet in A, and of the lower voice for viola as well. Our transcriptions provide slurs to suggest a vocal style to instrumental players and to facilitate coordination of the instrumental parts with those of the voices. We also provide a re-notated piano/vocal score, in which repeat signs are used in the second and third songs to save page turns, rather than writing out the multiple stanzas as in the original. For those needing only the piano/vocal score, the Breitkopf & Härtel edition is in the public domain and freely available on imslp.org.

Piano/Vocal Score, 10 pages; Instrumental Parts, 3 pages each; Total, 42 pages.

Trio in A Minor, Op.114, by Johannes Brahms

Transcribed for Alto Flute (with Cello and Piano) by Carol A. Vater

Alto Flute Part, PDF $5.99

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) composed the Trio in A Minor for Clarinet, Cello and Piano in 1891 and subsequently created an alternate arrangement in which viola was substituted for the clarinet. The expressive qualities, range, and rich, dark tones of the alto flute are well-suited to this beloved piece.  In creating this transcription of the clarinet part for alto flute, every effort has been made to maintain the spirit and character of the original composition.  We provide here the Brahms Trio in A minor alto flute part; the piano and cello parts are readily available in the public domain as free pdf downloads of the original score and parts.  Here is a link to one such source:  Piano Score and Cello Part 

This was the very first piece I (cav) played on alto flute, before I had my own alto and had to borrow one from the music school; of course, I fell in love with the Trio and with the alto. 

Alto Flute part, 13 pages; Total, 15 pages.

Two Songs, Op.91, by Johannes Brahms

Transcribed for Clarinet by John W. Pratt (part originally for viola)

Clarinet Part, PDF $6.99

The two chamber music songs of Brahms' Zwei Gesänge, Op.91 were composed specifically for his dear friends, the violinist/violist Joseph Joachim and the mezzo-soprano Amalie Schneeweiss, who were married in 1863.  The songs (for alto, viola, and piano) were written over 20 years apart, but Brahms published them together as Op.91 in 1884.

"Gestillte Sehnsucht", which appears first in the Op.91 pairing, was actually written second, in 1884.  The song sets the text of the poem by Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866).  "Gestillte Sehnsucht" is a nature poem, filled with images of forests at sunset, gentle breezes, and twittering birds.  Rückert is famous not only for his exquisite poems themselves but also for the great inspiration his work provided to numerous prominent composers, in addition to Brahms.  "Geistliches Wiegenlied" (Sacred Cradle Song) was first composed in 1863-1864, and later revised.  The viola opens with the melody of the medieval Christmas carol "Joseph, lieber Joseph mein."  The singer has her own variation of the melody, and enters after the first stanza of the viola's carol.  The song is a beautiful cradle-rocking lullaby, in 6/8 time.

It is said that the viola was Brahms' favorite stringed instrument, and the composer gave the viola a major role in both of these songs, allowing it to open both pieces before the singer enters.  Clarinetists have long coveted these viola parts, and various performances have provided clear evidence that a successful outcome can be achieved with the substitution of a clarinet for the viola in Op.91.  So when a clarinetist friend of ours asked us to create a transcription for him, we gladly obliged.  Our edition of the clarinet part adapts the first song, "Gestillte Sehnsucht", for clarinet in A, and the second, "Geistliches Wiegenlied", for clarinet in Bb.  The original piano score and voice part are in the public domain, readily available as free PDF downloads from IMSLP.org.

Clarinet part, 4 pages; Total, 8 pages.

Variationen über ein Thema von Robert Schumann, Op.23, by Johannes Brahms

Arranged for Piano, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon by John W. Pratt

Piano Score and Wind Parts, PDF $16.99

- adapted from John W. Pratt’s foreword to the edition:  Brahms’s Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op.23, were written in tribute to his friend, for piano four hands.  Yet how often have you heard this exquisite masterpiece, in any form?  Arranging it as a quintet for piano and winds allows realization of its implicit orchestral effects and incorporation of contrasting and beautiful woodwind sonorities while preserving its many special piano sonorities and its personal, chamber music qualities and will, hopefully, encourage performance.  The variations range from delicately decorative (Var. I) to spectral (IV) to warmly Brahmsian (many) to bravura (IX) and even perhaps witty (V and VII).  The final variation (X) is an amazing valedictory, a funeral march which becomes combined with the theme and is suffused throughout with sadness, solemnity, resignation, and reaffirmation, by turns and even simultaneously.  Especially apt contributions by the woodwinds in this arrangement include, to mention just two, the appreciative chuckles accompanying the rollicking theme of Var. V and the chorale effect at the end of Var. X.  At the same time, the arrangement allows the piano to fulfill its usual roles in chamber ensembles and to contribute some special colorings of its own, including the multi-octave filigree of Var. I, the layout of the accompaniments in the first part of Var. III and last part of Var. V, the bass rumbles of Var. IV and Var. X, and the two-hand octaves in Var. VI and Var. IX.

Listen to a computer-generated audio clip of the Theme; of course, real live instruments will sound even better: 

The Preview below is a page of the score from Var. VI. Note that the score is presented in concert pitch.

Score, 28 pages; Flute, Oboe, B-flat Clarinet, and Bassoon parts, 4 pages each; Total, 48 pages.

Sonata, Op.120 No.1, by Johannes Brahms

Transcribed for Alto Flute by J.W.Pratt

Alto Flute Part, PDF $8.99

Although written originally for clarinet, Brahms himself created two more versions of his Op.120 sonatas, for violin and viola. John W. Pratt, who transcribed these works for alto flute so expertly, writes in his foreword: "If Brahms was happy with versions for clarinet, viola, and violin, surely he would have welcomed arrangements for alto flute, especially since it is the mellow rather than the clarion aspect of the clarinet that he called on. In making our arrangements for alto flute, the violin versions have been particularly helpful, since the violin has the same lower range as the alto flute, but they required modification for several reasons. One, of course, is that the alto flute cannot play as loudly at the bottom of its range as the violin can. Another is that Brahms gave the violin double stops even though the clarinet is limited to a single voice." Our editions of the two Op.120 sonatas include only the alto flute parts, as Brahms' piano scores are freely available in the public domain. Here is a link to the listing of Op.120 No.1 on IMSLP.org, where the clarinet, viola, and violin versions with piano scores may be found. Our alto flute arrangements are based on the usual piano parts that accompany the clarinet as the solo instrument. The entire transcription of Op.120 No.1 works remarkably well, but the breathtakingly beautiful slow movement played on alto flute will steal your heart away.

Alto Flute part, 9 pages; Total 14 pages.

Sonata, Op.120 No.2, by Johannes Brahms

Transcribed for Alto Flute by J.W.Pratt

Alto Flute Part, PDF $8.99

This is the second of Brahms' two clarinet sonatas, transcribed for alto flute by John Pratt.  Although written originally for clarinet, Brahms himself created two more versions of his Op.120 sonatas, for violin and viola. Mr. Pratt, who transcribed these works for alto flute so expertly, writes in his foreword: "If Brahms was happy with versions for clarinet, viola, and violin, surely he would have welcomed arrangements for alto flute, especially since it is the mellow rather than the clarion aspect of the clarinet that he called on. In making our arrangements for alto flute, the violin versions have been particularly helpful, since the violin has the same lower range as the alto flute, but they required modification for several reasons. One, of course, is that the alto flute cannot play as loudly at the bottom of its range as the violin can. Another is that Brahms gave the violin double stops even though the clarinet is limited to a single voice." Our editions of the two Op.120 sonatas include only the alto flute parts, as Brahms' piano scores are freely available in the public domain. Here is a link to the listing of Op.120 No.2 on IMSLP.org, where the clarinet, viola, and violin versions with piano scores may be found. Our alto flute arrangements are based on the usual piano parts that accompany the clarinet as the solo instrument.

Alto Flute part, 8 pages; Total, 12 pages.

Fantaisie pour la Flûte, Op.110, by Briccialdi

Gassett Collection - Facsimile Edition by C.A.Vater/Noteworthy Sheet Music

Flute Part and Piano Score, PDF $13.50

The virtuoso Italian flutist Giulio Briccialdi (1818-1881) was a captivating performer and a brilliant and prolific composer of works for the flute.  His compositions became highly popular among flutists and include several concerti and numerous duets, caprices, fantasies, and etudes.  He served as professor of flute at the Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome and later at the Florence Conservatoire.  A proponent of the Boehm flute, Briccialdi is best known today for his invention of the Briccialdi B-flat thumb key and for his variation on the Carnival of Venice, "Il Carnevale di Venezia" (Op.78).  We offer here our facsimile edition of his charming, challenging, and otherwise unavailable Fantaisie pour la Flûte sur des motifs de l'opera La Sonnambula de Bellini (Op.110). 

For additional information about the Gassett Collection, please see see our article An Introduction to the Gassett Collection.  

Piano score, 13 pages; Flute part, 5 pages; Total 23 pages.

Three Songs, by Frank Bridge

Transcribed parts for Clarinet by C. A. Vater (originally for viola)

Alternative Parts for A-Clarinet or B-flat-Clarinet (no score), PDF $8.99

Frank Bridge composed his Three Songs for Voice, Viola, and Piano in 1906-1907, setting to music one poem each by Matthew Arnold (Far, far from each other), Heinrich Heine (Where is it that our soul doth go?), and Percy Bysshe Shelley (Music when soft voices die).  Both the poetry and the music are richly romantic, addressing with high emotion the various stages of grief experienced over the loss of a loved one.  Bridge is an accessible post-romantic composer who should be better known.  We at Noteworthy Sheet Music thought his Three Songs would work equally well with clarinet substituting for the original viola, thereby creating a new opportunity for its performance by the appealing ensemble of voice, clarinet and piano.  We prepared transcribed parts for both A-clarinet and B-flat-clarinet, so players can choose which instrument they prefer for each of the three movements.  Our edition includes both of the clarinet part options but no score, as a good quality PDF of the Bridge score for voice, viola and piano is available as a free download from imslp.org and our clarinet parts work well with the original score’s piano and voice lines.

A-Clarinet part, 4 pages; B-flat-Clarinet part, 4 pages; Total, 14 pages. 

Cradle Song, Gondoliera, Mélodie, and Elégie, by Frank Bridge

Transcribed for Flute or Alto Flute (and Piano) by J. W. Pratt

Flute Part, Alto Part, PDF $11.99

Like the 4 Short Pieces for Violin and Pianoforte published in transcription by Noteworthy Sheet Music previously, these additional four short pieces by Bridge "provide a fine and delightful introduction to an accessible post-romantic composer who should be better known." Published by Bridge between 1903 and 1911, the works included in our second edition are transcriptions of Cradle Song, written for violin or cello and piano, Gondoliera for violin and piano, and Mélodie and Elégie for cello and piano. Mr. Pratt has created transcriptions of all four pieces for both flute and alto flute, and we include both instrument versions in this combined edition. We think Cradle Song and Elégie are particularly beautiful on the alto flute, but all are effective on either instrument, so we prefer to let our flutists decide on which instrument they choose to play each piece. We provide our flute and alto flute parts only; the original piano scores work well with our transcriptions and are available, along with the violin and cello parts, as free pdf downloads at imslp.org—click the links to access the scores for Cradle Song, Gondoliera, Mélodie, and Elégie.

Flute part, 6 pages; Alto Flute part, 6 pages; Total, 14 pages.

4 Short Pieces, by Frank Bridge

Transcribed for Flute or Alto Flute (and Piano) by J.W.Pratt

Flute Part, Alto Part, PDF $8.99

The 4 Short Pieces by Frank Bridge were written for violin and piano, and first published in 1912. As noted in John Pratt's foreword to the edition, they "provide a fine and delightful introduction to an accessible post-romantic composer who should be better known."  The pieces are Meditation, Spring Song, Lullaby, and Country Dance.  Mr. Pratt has created transcriptions of the violin parts for both flute and alto flute, and we include both instrument versions in this edition. We think Nos. 1 and 3 sound particularly nice on the alto flute and No. 4 is a splendid romp on the C flute, but all four are effective on either instrument, so we prefer to let our flutists decide on which instrument they choose to play each piece. We provide only our flute and alto flute transcriptions; the piano score, including the original violin part, is available as a free pdf download at imslp.org.

Flute part, 5 pages; Alto Flute part, 5 pages; Total, 14 pages.