Four Scottish Dances

Malcolm Arnold

Sir Malcolm Arnold (transcribed by John Paynter)

General Info

Year: 1957 / 1978
Duration: 9:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer Inc.
Cost: Unknown

Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
Eb Soprano Clarinet
Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Eb Contra-Alto Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet
Eb Alto Saxophone I-II
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Cornet I-II-III
Bb Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp (or Celesta/Piano if Harp not available)
Timpani
Percussion, including:

• Bass Drum
• Cymbal (crash and suspended)
• Glockenspiel
• Snare Drum
• Tam-Tam
• Wood Block
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

These dances were composed early in 1957, and are dedicated to the BBC Light Music Festival. They are all based on original melodies but one, the melody of which is composed by Robert Burns.

The first dance is in the style of a slow strathspey-a slow Scottish dance in 4/4 meter-with many dotted notes, frequently in the inverted arrangement of the "Scottish snap." The name was derived from the strath valley of Spey. The second, a lively reel, begins in the key of E-flat and rises a semi-tone each time it is played until the bassoon plays it, at a greatly-reduced speed, in the key of G. The final statement of the dance is at the original speed in the home key of E-flat.

The third dance is in the style of a Hebridean Song, and attempts to give an impression of the sea and mountain scenery on a calm summer's day in the Hebrides. The last dance is a lively fling, which makes a great deal of use of the open string pitches of the violin (saxophones in the band edition).

-Program Note by Malcolm Arnold

Commercial Discography

Audio CD: Arnold for Band, Dallas Wind Symphony (Jerry Junkin, conductor)

State Ratings

• Florida: VI
• Maryland: VI
• New York: VI

Recent Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Chicago College of Performing Arts Wind Ensemble (Wesley Brewer, conductor) - 14 November 2012
• Omaha Symphonic Winds (William Hall, conductor) - 18 April 2010
• Category 5 Wind Ensemble, Inc. (Dan Sitomer, conductor) - 11 June 2011
• Carrollton Wind Symphony (Jim McDaniel, conductor) - 25 July 2010 - I. Pesante
• Carrollton Wind Symphony (Jim McDaniel, conductor) - 25 July 2010 - II. Vivace
• Carrollton Wind Symphony (Jim McDaniel, conductor) - 25 July 2010 - III. Allegretto
• Carrollton Wind Symphony (Jim McDaniel, conductor) - 25 July 2010 - IV. Con brio

Works for Winds by this Composer

• Divertimento for Wind Octet, op. 137
• English Dances, Book One (tr. Johnstone)
• English Dances, Book Two (tr. Herbert)
• English Dances, Book Two (tr. Sudduth)
• Fanfare for Louis, 1970
• Four Cornish Dances (tr. Marciniak)
• Four Scottish Dances (tr. Paynter)
• Four Welsh Dances, op. 138 (tr. Parkes)
• Grand, Grand Overture, A, op. 57 (tr. Wilson)
• H.R.H The Duke of Cambridge, op. 60
• Overseas
• Padstow Lifeboat, The, op. 94
• Peterloo Overture (tr. Sayre)
• Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo (tr. Paynter)
• Sarabande and Polka from Solitaire (tr. Paynter)
• Symphony for Brass, op. 123
• Symphony No. 2: Allegretto and Vivace, op. 40 (tr. Parkes)
• Tam O'Shanter Overture, op. 51 (tr. Paynter)
• Trevelyan Suite, op. 96
• Water Music, op. 82

Additional References

• Sir Malcolm Arnold - Official Website