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Blithe Bells
Percy Aldridge Grainger (arr. Robert Jager)
General Info
Year: 1931 / 1989
Duration: c. 4:10
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: G. Schirmer
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $55.00 | Score Only (print) - $7.50
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Celesta
Harp
Percussion, including:
- Bells
- Marimba
- Vibraphone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Adapted from J.S. Bach's Sheep May Safely Graze.
- Program Note from publisher
Grainger was a thoroughly taught musician who could look back upon the history of Western music to recognize kindred spirits in every age. While he had little use for the Mozart/Haydn/Beethoven axis, one of his central recognitions was Bach, discovered at age 10, in whose endless fecundity -- though corseted in the contrapuntal harmonic technique of the 18th century (which his works elaborated with a generously cunning hand) — and sovereign plasticity Grainger discovered a model for what he wished to become. Standard encyclopedia entries note that Grainger had “a few piano lessons with Busoni in 1903” — Grainger’s intuitive, freewheeling approach to the piano grated on the Italian’s perfectionism, though the one thing they saw eye-to-eye on, relatively speaking, was Bach. Among Busoni’s earliest publications are editions of Bach’s two- and three-part inventions, while editions of the complete keyboard works occupied him throughout his life. His numerous transcriptions of Bach, in particular of the great Chaconne (from the Second Partita for Solo Violin), became part of his persona as a performer, occasioning criticism from purists.
Busoni’s liberties, however, are the soul of discretion beside Grainger’s. Taking Bach’s sentimental favorite, the aria Schafe können sicher weiden ("Sheep may safely graze") from the secular cantata Was mir behagt (BWV 208), Grainger aggrandizes Bach’s innocent tune in an orchestral extravaganza in which the original’s prim voice leading becomes a fluent polyphony as the parts glow with distinctly post-Romantic harmonic lushness. The thirds of the original he divines as Bach’s imitation of sheep bells, magnified by scoring for “tuneful percussion” to glittering effect, For the variety of performing forces specified — and Grainger is generous in the allowance of his elastic scoring for the ensemble one may have at hand — the effect is at once respectful and vulgar, grandiose but cogent, exuberant and moving.
Composed over 1930-1931, Grainger also arranged Blithe Bells for solo piano (twice), two pianos, and band.
- Program Note from California State University, Long Beach, Wind Symphony concert program, 3 March 2016
Media
State Ratings
- Florida: V
- Louisiana: IV
- Mississippi: VI-A
- Texas: IV. Complete
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Texas All-State Symphonic Band (Kevin Sedatole, conductor) - 12 February 2022 (2022 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
- Texas Christian University (Fort Worth) Symphonic Band (Brian Youngblood, conductor) – 3 December 2020
- Calvin University (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Wind Ensemble (Tiffany Engle, conductor) – 13 November 2020
- Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, Ark.) Wind Ensemble (Shaun Popp, conductor) – 18 October 2020
- Westford Academy (Westford, Mass.) Concert Band (Michael Soo, conductor) – 10 December 2019
- Temple University (Philadelphia, Penn.) Concert Band (Patricia Cornet, conductor) – 17 October 2019
- Michigan State University (East Lansing) Concert Band (Cynthia Wagoner, conductor) – 8 October 2019
- Gold Coast Wind Ensemble (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) (Michael Doty, conductor) – 9 June 2019
- California State University, Stanislaus, Wind Ensemble (Stuart Sims, conductor) – 9 May 2019
- Northshore Concert Band (Evanston, Ill.) (Mallory Thompson, conductor) – 10 February 2019
- New Sousa Band (Keith Brion, conductor) – 21 December 2018 (2018 Midwest Clinic)
- State University of New York, Fredonia, Wind Symphony (Tiv Cumberbatch, conductor) – 28 February 2018
- Lee University (Cleveland, Tenn.) Wind Ensemble (Winona Holsinger, conductor) – 30 November 2016
- Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, Va.) Wind Ensemble (Timothy Robblee, conductor) – 17 September 2016
- Atascadero (Calif.) Community Band (Nathan Conrad, conductor) – 8 May 2016
- California State University, Fullerton, Symphonic Winds (Patricia Cornett, conductor) – 23 April 2016
- California State University, Long Beach, Wind Symphony (Larry Curtis, conductor) – 3 March 2016 (81st Annual ABA National Convention)
- CBDNA Western/Northwestern Division Intercollegiate Band (Reno, Nev.) (Erich Rombach-Kendall, conductor) – 15 March 2012 (CBDNA 2012 Western/Northwestern Division Conference, Reno, Nev.)
- San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (William V. Johnson, conductor) – 9 December 2006
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Irish Tune from County Derry (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Klarfeld) (1918/2014/2020)
- Molly on the Shore (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Sheehan) (1920/2020)
- O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger; ed. Brand and Brion) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
- Prelude in the Dorian Mode (Flex instrumentation) (as scorer)
- Shepherd's Hey (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Fisher) (1918/2020)
- Two Movements from "Lincolnshire Posy" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Sweeney) (1937/2019)
All Wind Works
- Angelus ad Virginem (as arranger) (1940s)
- The Annunciation Carol
- The Annunciation Carol (tr. Grainger) (13th Cent./1942/1993)
- Arrival Platform Humlet (arr. Eichenberger) (1912/)
- Arrival Platform Humlet (tr. Simpson) (1912/1916/1995)
- Arrival Platform Humlet (tr. Patterson) (1916/2011)
- Australian Up-Country Tune (arr. Bainum) (1930/1970)
- Bell Piece (ed. Duffy and Ould) (1935/1953/1991)
- Blithe Bells (1931)
- Blithe Bells (arr. Jager) (1931/1989)
- Blithe Bells (ed. Ould) (1931/2013)
- A Bridal Lullaby (arr. Hartley)
- Brigg Fair (arr. Ballenger) (1905/1991)
- British Waterside (arr. Moss) (1921)
- British Waterside (arr. Wilson) (1921/1998)
- Children's March (rev. Erickson) (1919/1971)
- Children's March (rev. Rogers) (1919/1995)
- Children's March (arr. Wagner) (1919/2000)
- Choral No 2 for Organ (as scorer; ed. Rogers) (1890/1941/20--?)
- Colonial Song (1912/1918)
- Colonial Song (ed. Rogers) (1918/1997)
- Colonial Song (ed. Topolewski) (1918/2001)
- Colonial Song (arr. Wagner) (1919/2014)
- Country Gardens (1918/1990)
- Country Gardens (arr. Sousa, Brion and Schissel) (1918/1953)
- Country Gardens (arr. Karrick) (1918/2013)
- Country Gardens (arr. Clark) (1918/1931)
- County Derry Air (ed. Ould)
- The Cutting of the Hay (arr. Wilson)
- Danish Folk Music Suite (arr. Kreines) (1926-41/1950/)
- Danny Deever (arr. Carpenter)
- Danny Deever (tr. Ragsdale). See: Three Tragic Ballads
- Died for Love
- Died for Love (arr. Conway) (1912/2011?)
- Down Longford Way & Shenandoah (as orchestrator; arr. Osmon) (1928/1935/1990)
- The Duke of Marlborough Fanfare (1939)
- The Duke of Marlborough Fanfare (ed. Hunsberger) (1939/2000)
- The Duke of Marlborough Fanfare (arr. Ragsdale) (1939/1995)
- Early One Morning (arr. Kreines). See: Two Grainger Melodies
- Eastern Intermezzo (arr. Warshaw) (1899/1922/)
- Faeroe Island Dance (1946//1954/1969)
- Father and Daughter. See: Three Tragic Ballads
- Folk Tune (as arranger) (1923/1942)
- Four Grainger Songs (arr. Svanoe) (2003) (unpublished)
- Gay but Wistful (tr. Patterson) (1916/2011)
- Gay But Wistful. See also: Tune in a Popular London Style
- A Grainger Threesome (arr. Ragsdale) (2007)
- Green Bushes (1906/2007) (tr. Pappajohn)
- Green Bushes. See also: Themes from "Green Bushes"
- Gumsucker's March (arr. Rogers) (1914/1942/1996)
- Handel in the Strand (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1912/2001)
- Handel in the Strand (arr. Goldman) (1912/1961)
- Handel in the Strand (arr. Rohrer) (1912/2015)
- Harlem 125th Street Walkabout (arr. Hartley)
- Harvest Hymn (tr. Kreines) (1940/1983)
- Hill Song No. 1 (1902)
- Hill Song No. 1 (adapt. Rogers) (1901/1922/1923/1997)
- Hill-Song Nr. 1 (trans. Clark) (1901/1922/1923/2019)
- Hill Song No. 2 (arr. Rogers) (1907/1929/1990)
- Horkstow Grange from "Lincolnshire Posy" (adapt. Sweeney) (1937/2008)
- The Hunter in His Career (arr. Robinson)
- The Immovable Do (1940)
- I'm Seventeen Come Sunday (tr. Daehn) (1905-12/1987)
- I'm Seventeen Come Sunday (arr. Wagner) (1905-12/1999)
- In a Nutshell (tr. Patterson) (1916/2011)
- In Dahomey (arr. Miller)
- Irish Tune (arr. Stotter) (1918)
- Irish Tune from County Derry (1918)
- Irish Tune from County Derry (arr. Clark and Schmidt) (1918/2001)
- Irish Tune from County Derry (arr. Erickson) (1918/1970)
- Irish Tune from County Derry (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Klarfeld) (1918/2014/2020)
- Irish Tune from County Derry (arr. Kreines) (1918/1996)
- Irish Tune from County Derry (ed. Renshaw) (1918)
- Irish Tune from County Derry (ed. Rogers) (1918/1994)
- Irish Tune from County Derry/Shepherd's Hey (tr. Stamp) (1918/2021)
- The Jungle Book Suite (arr. Ragsdale) (2011)
- Jutish Medley (arr. Kreines) (1923-1929/)
- Lads of Wamphray March (1905/1941)
- Lads of Wamphray March (ed. Kreines) (1905/1937/2003)
- Lads of Wamphray Ballad (arr. Ragsdale) (1905/2018)
- Lincolnshire Posy (1937/1940)
- Lincolnshire Posy (ed. Fennell) (1937/1987/2010)
- Lincolnshire Posy (ed. Fennell; rev. Rogers) (1937/1987/2010/2020)
- Lincolnshire Posy (arr. Higgins) (1937/2008)
- Lincolnshire Posy (arr. Osika) (1937/)
- Lisbon from "Lincolnshire Posy" (adapt. Sweeney) (1937/2017)
- Lord Maxwell's Goodnight (orch. Wilson)
- Lord Peter's Stable Boy (1925/1930)
- Lord Peter's Stable Boy (arr. Kreines)
- Lost Lady Found (arr. Sweeney) (1937/2011)
- March (as arranger) (1946)
- Marching Song of Democracy (1917/1948/1991)
- Marching Song of Democracy (ed. Brion) (1917/1948/1991)
- Marching Tune (2013) (arr. Story)
- The Merry King (ed. Schissel) (1905/2006)
- Mock Morris (arr. Kreines) (1910/1991)
- Mock Morris (arr. Patterson) (1910/ )
- Mock Morris (arr. Perna) (1910/2010/2016)
- Mock Morris (arr. Simpson) (2010/1993)
- Molly on the Shore (ed. Rogers) (1920/1998)
- Molly on the Shore (ed. Clark and Schmidt) (1920/2002)
- Molly on the Shore (arr. Johnston) (1920/2011)
- Molly on the Shore (tr. Ragsdale) (1920/1978)
- My Dark-Haired Maid (ed. Ragsdale) (1899)
- My Robin Is to the Greenwood Gone (arr. Strum) (1912/1999)
- Near Woodstock Town (arr. Cramer) (2004)
- Nightingale and the Two Sisters, The (arr. Kreines) (1931)
- Northern March. See: Youthful Suite
- O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (setting) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
- Pagodes from "Estampes" (as arranger) (1903/1928/1996)
- A Percy Grainger Portrait (arr. Wagner) (2010)
- Percy Grainger Suite (arr. Kreines) (1983)
- A Percy Grainger Suite (arr. Erickson) (1996)
- The Power of Rome and the Christian Heart (1947/1953)
- Prelude in the Dorian Mode (Flex instrumentation) (as scorer)
- Scotch Strathspey and Reel (arr. Osmon) (1901-1911/1982)
- Sehet was die liebe tut (as arranger) (1937)
- Sheep Shearing Song (as arranger) (1904/1923/1942/2017)
- Shenandoah (arr. Osmon)
- Shepherd's Hey (1918)
- Shepherd's Hey (arr. Clark) (1918/2001)
- Shepherd's Hey (ed. Rogers) (1918/1994)
- Shepherd's Hey (arr. De Stefano) (1918/2012)
- Shepherd's Hey (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Fisher) (1918/2020)
- Spoon River (1919-29/1940s)
- Spoon River (arr. Bainum) (1922/1967/2009)
- Spoon River (ed. Carson & Naylor) (1922/2010)
- Spoon River (arr. Sheldon) (1922)
- Spoon River (arr. Story) (1922/2014)
- Six Dukes Went A-Fishin' (arr. Kreines)
- The Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol (scored Goldman) (1916/1965)
- The Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol (arr. Clark) (1916/1996)
- The Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol (arr. Simpson) (1916/1988)
- The Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol (arr. Stotter) (1911/1916/2006)
- Themes from "Green Bushes" (arr. L. Daehn) (1906/1987)
- This is Not My Plaid (arr. Ragsdale) (2014)
- The Three Ravens. see: Three Tragic Ballads
- Three Tragic Ballads (arr. Ragsdale) (1924, 1902, 1909/2016)
- Danny Deever (1902/1909/2016)
- The Three Ravens (1902/2000)
- Father and Daughter
- A Tribute to Grainger (arr. Ragsdale) (1999)
- Tune in a Popular London Style (arr. Rogers) (1916/2005)
- Tuscan Serenade (as arranger) (1865/1937/1994)
- Two Grainger Melodies (trans. Kreines) (1912/1988)
- Two Grainger Sweets - Harvest Hymn and Mock Morris (arr. Krienes)
- Two Movements from "Lincolnshire Posy" (arr. Ryan) (1937/2019)
- Two Movements from "Lincolnshire Posy" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Sweeney) (1937/2019)
- Walking Tune (1900)
- Walking Tune (arr. Daehn) (1900/1940/1988)
- Walking Tune (arr. Simpson)
- The Warriors (tr. Pappajohn) (1916/1998)
- We Have Fed Our Sea for a Thousand Years (1911)
- The Widow's Party (arr. Moon) (1923/1929/2011)
- The Widow's Party (arr. Osmon) (1923/1929/2009)
- Willow, Willow (1911/1992) (orch. Simpson)
- Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon (1949)
- Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon (arr. Ragsdale) (1903/1936/2008)
- Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon (arr. Sweeney) (1949/2006)
- Youthful Suite (tr. Rogers) (1899/1950)
- Northern March (arr. Rogers) (c. 1900/2010)
- Rustic Dance (1899/1950/2010)
- Eastern Intermezzo
- English Waltz (1899-1901/1940-1947/1999)
- Zanzibar Boat Song (arr. Hazzard) (1902/2013)
Resources
- Grainger, P.; Jager, R. (1989). Blithe Bells [score]. G. Schirmer: [New York].