Instrumental Transcriptions of the Voice Parts for the "Three Duets" by Brahms

SOMERVILLE, Mass. - April 14, 2017 - PRLog -- Noteworthy Sheet Music, LLC (NSM) is an online sheet music publishing enterprise with a catalog of >150 editions, most of which are unavailable from other sources.  NSM specializes in, but is not limited to, sheet music for flute and alto flute.  They offer original contemporary works by distinguished American composers, facsimile editions of rare historical scores, and unique transcriptions of pieces from the classical repertoire.  Selected NSM publications are offered as professionally-printed hard copy versions, and most of NSM's catalog listings are available as convenient pdf downloads from the NSM website (www.NoteworthySheetMusic.com).

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."  The new Noteworthy Sheet Music edition includes transcriptions by John W. Pratt of the upper voice for oboe/violin, alto flute in G, and clarinet in A, and of the lower voice for oboe/violin, alto flute in G, clarinet in A, and viola.  Slurs are provided to suggest a vocal style to instrumental players and to facilitate coordination of the instrumental parts with those of the voices.  The edition also includes 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.  Note that those players needing only a piano/vocal score can download a free copy of the Breitkopf & Härtel version from imslp.org.

The new edition of Brahms' Drei Duette, Op.20 with piano/vocal score and seven alternative transcribed instrumental parts is available as a downloadable PDF accessed from the NSM website at https://www.noteworthysheetmusic.com/sheet-music/ensemble-tags/voice/494-brahms-drei-duette-2-voices-and-or-instruments-and-piano. The webpage also provides a link to a free preview page of the score.

Visit www.NoteworthySheetMusic.com for additional information about the new release mentioned above and other NSM publications.  New sheet music selections are uploaded often, along with preview pages, contributing composer biographies, useful links, reviews and articles.