Four Swiss Tunes

Four Swiss Tunes (1. Basle March - 2. The Cuckoo - 3. The Old Castle - 4. Lucerne Song Programme note: These traditional Swiss melodies were originally arranged by Elgar Howarth for the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. They were designed to act as lollipops, the light-hearted closing items in the programme on a tour of the ensemble in Switzerland. The first 3 were then published in their original quintet formation.They have now been slightly adapted for a ten-piece brass ensemble to make a set with the previoulsy unpublished Lucerne Song. 1. Basle March is a brisk, bright march which undergoes some variations, and rather breaks into pieces before returning to its simple opening state. 2. The Cuckoo tune is passed around the group as is the cuckoo toy. Originally John Fletcher, the tuba player entertained the audience by making the cuckoo call on his hands. 3. The horn calls from the distance in the manner of an alphorn before the pretty melody emerges. As the tune dies the alphorn is heard in the distance once more. 4. It takes some time to discover the melody in this arrangement. After various disconcerting attempts to guess the tune it is revealed to the tuba player who eventually gets the piece going. The various instruments put their own slant on it before departing from the stage one by one. Finding himself unaccustomably left on stage on his own, the tuba player makes the most of his moment of glory before being put back in his place by the return of the rest of the ensemble. Performance note: 1. Keep the style light and bright throughout. At A the crotchets can be a little heavier to give spring to the triplets in the melody. Between D and E, as the melody breaks up, make the most of the various character changes. 2. If any player can make a strong cuckoo call with his hands then this could be used. Otherwise use a cuckoo whistle which is passed from player to player as marked. Keep the tempo quick and bouncy. 3.The opening horn calls are very free and unmeasured. The flugel melody enters towards the end of the figure and a gentle tempo is established. The same is true for the begining of the second verse. In this verse, although the chording is thicker avoid any over-statement - keep it gently cantabile. 4. This needs a good deal of theatrical action: at the beginning various attempts to find a tune are made - look puzzled, pleased with the occurence of an idea, frustrated when the other players are cross with you and shout you down. A leader can eventually cut off these attempts, whistle the real tune to the tuba, or whisper it in his ear; the tuba player can tentatively get the thing going to much relief all round. Each solo section can be performed, standing with some exaggeratied pride. As each player becomes tired of the exercise he leaves the stage with a wave to the audience eventually leaving the tuba player alone. At this point he can have a suruptitious look round, come to the front of the stage and perform his cadenza. Meanwhile the other players creep back on and scare him back into reality with the coda.)