Beware – even though this has the same doubles as the regular rental, there are different keys, different lines, and lots of newly introduced errors in the parts. Notably, the rehearsal numbers in the courtroom scene are wrong in several parts. There is an instrument change from picc to tenor in “I Can’t Do It Alone” that is missing.
Most of the errors seem to come from transpositions that were introduced. Based on the rehearsal CD and the Reed 1 part, it seems like the section in “I Can’t Do It Alone” that you mentioned it indeed is meant to be played on piccolo, but the arrangers forgot to transpose the part back to concert key. Several sections of the Keyboard 2 book, particularly in the first few songs, are just flat-out in the wrong key (I recall that one full number in the book had to be transposed and re-written during rehearsal due to an error, although I can’t remember which). And like you said, the arrangers forgot to count one of the multimeasure rest vamps in the measure count for the reed books in “Courtroom Scene”
The flute in reed one only plays in one number however it is an exposed solo. The clarinet in reed 3 plays one number, it is not mandatory in terms of the music but it provides a nice harmony (in Funny Honey).
Because the flute/picc parts are only really important in “Razzle Dazzle” and a few lines in “I Can’t Do It Alone”, you could probably rewrite both the Reed 1 and Reed 2 picc/flute parts into a single piccolo part on Reed 2. The tenor and soprano parts on Reed 3 aren’t super critical and could be played by the bass clarinet and clarinet, respectively, but the bari part is pretty important. Our production accomplished the part like this. The singular clarinet part on the Reed 3 book, in “Funny Honey Rag”, could probably be transposed and played on bass, but I don’t recall how high it goes, so that might be an issue. The clarinet and soprano/alto/tenor sax parts on books 1/2 are all crucial, of course.
Unfortunately the clarinet in Funny Honey reed 3 is very very necessary and CAN NOT be played on bass clarinet (it goes up to a C above the staff for a good chunk of it). I don’t know why the upper line was given to reed 3, maybe to give reed 1 a break?
Added based on information received from Merlin Williams.
Beware – even though this has the same doubles as the regular rental, there are different keys, different lines, and lots of newly introduced errors in the parts. Notably, the rehearsal numbers in the courtroom scene are wrong in several parts. There is an instrument change from picc to tenor in “I Can’t Do It Alone” that is missing.
Most of the errors seem to come from transpositions that were introduced. Based on the rehearsal CD and the Reed 1 part, it seems like the section in “I Can’t Do It Alone” that you mentioned it indeed is meant to be played on piccolo, but the arrangers forgot to transpose the part back to concert key. Several sections of the Keyboard 2 book, particularly in the first few songs, are just flat-out in the wrong key (I recall that one full number in the book had to be transposed and re-written during rehearsal due to an error, although I can’t remember which). And like you said, the arrangers forgot to count one of the multimeasure rest vamps in the measure count for the reed books in “Courtroom Scene”
In addition, the Reed 3 book declares instruments on the first page of the Overture that aren’t utilized.
The flute in reed one only plays in one number however it is an exposed solo. The clarinet in reed 3 plays one number, it is not mandatory in terms of the music but it provides a nice harmony (in Funny Honey).
Because the flute/picc parts are only really important in “Razzle Dazzle” and a few lines in “I Can’t Do It Alone”, you could probably rewrite both the Reed 1 and Reed 2 picc/flute parts into a single piccolo part on Reed 2. The tenor and soprano parts on Reed 3 aren’t super critical and could be played by the bass clarinet and clarinet, respectively, but the bari part is pretty important. Our production accomplished the part like this. The singular clarinet part on the Reed 3 book, in “Funny Honey Rag”, could probably be transposed and played on bass, but I don’t recall how high it goes, so that might be an issue. The clarinet and soprano/alto/tenor sax parts on books 1/2 are all crucial, of course.
Unfortunately the clarinet in Funny Honey reed 3 is very very necessary and CAN NOT be played on bass clarinet (it goes up to a C above the staff for a good chunk of it). I don’t know why the upper line was given to reed 3, maybe to give reed 1 a break?
Clarinet in reed 3 is only in one number (Funny Honey) but it has the lead line (it is kind of annoying), not sure if this information helps.