Holiday Bratsche Bundle
Festive Viola Duets for the Season
What’s a Bratsche Bundle?
Bratsche Bundles are curated sampler packs of viola duets to keep you entertained and inspired. Enjoy playing the tunes in the Holiday Bratsche Bundle with your colleagues and students. These arrangements are perfect for having fun playing together in your studio class, private studio, viola section, or holiday musical gathering!
Contents of the Holiday Bratsche Bundle:
Dixieland Hallelujah, by David Rimelis: A fun duet in the style of Dixieland Jazz, based on motives from Handel’s Messiah, and a few other surprises. (grade 4)
Christmas for Viola Duo, by Sancho Engaño. A suite of early music from the Christmas tradition. (grade 3)
Ar Fore Dydd Nadolig (On Christmas Day Morning) 16th Century, Welsh.
Adam Lay yBounden, Fifteenth Century, English
In Dulci Jubilo, Michael Praetorius (1571-1621)
Veni Redemptor Gentium, 4th Century, Latin chant
''Having spent a large part of my performing career on the symphonic concert platform, and nice as that may be, I have found myself increasingly yearning for music from earlier times. And there is a wealth of material waiting to be re-discovered.
In researching this project, I have selected four Christmas seasonal works that suit the sound of the viola duo absolutely. They transport the listener to another time; an era evoking the spirit of those ages in a way, and with an intimacy that you really cannot get in today's world of the mass media marvels. It draws you into a world of sound from another age. And it is the nature of the language of this music that it goes from your ears directly to the heart.
Regarding performance: You will see that all this music can be played in the low positions, or indeed almost entirely in first position (if you wish), and that includes the double-stops. Personally, I would refrain from using vibrato, or use it very sparingly. Although that is not to say you should play with no expression - you should give it maximum expression, but still with no vibrato. Trust me, it is easier than you'd imagine.
I sincerely hope you enjoy this music, and may it bring you much pleasure.''
Adagio from Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, arranged for two violas by the Slapin-Solomon Duo. Listen here. For an extensive list of their arrangements and original compositions for two violas, go to https://violaduo.com/sheet-music. (grade 3.5/4)
Svivon, Ha Nerot, and Mi Yimalel: traditional Hanukkah songs arranged for two violas by Rhona Reagen.
(Arrangements are Grade 2) Samples below:
Chanukah, Oh Chanukah, arranged by Lorento Golofeev. Traditional Yiddish tune. (High intermediate) Audio Sample below, performed by Violamoré.
March, from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, arranged for two violas by Lorento Golofeev. Enjoy this arrangement from the classic Christmas ballet! There are two versions in this bundle: intermediate, and advanced.
Niño Manuelito, by Roque Pineda A., arranged by Jorge Variego This is a fun arrangement of a villancico, a popular musical form in Latin America popular from the late 15th to 18th centuries. Today, a villancico refers to traditional Christmas songs sung in Latin America and Spain. (grade 3)
Christmas Viola Mashup, arranged by Brady Lanier. Good nerdy fun! Test your knowledge of the viola repertoire with this fun mashup. If you don’t smile and laugh throughout this piece, we will have to call you “Viola Scrooge”! Find an audio sample below. Teachers: I would LOVE to have your studio record this or anything else in the bundle! Have fun playing together!!