I just finished a run of the MTI version with Theatre Under the Stars in Houston. Reed 5 is double scored for bass sax and bari sax. You don’t need both. Clarinet and bassoon are as above.
There is a disagreement here about whether the bass saxophone is “required” or whether the parts are double-scored for baritone saxophone. Or, perhaps, the rental parts have changed. (But it’s unusual for the rentals to change in the direction of requiring more unusual instruments.) I’ll leave the listing as-is for now, reflecting Paul’s information, but will change it if anyone can verify Helen’s version.
Could anyone tell me which book has the lead clarinet parts? I might be doing this show, and my clarinet playing isn’t so hot, so I was thinking reed IV would fit my skills best, assuming it doesn’t have too much clarinet. Also, how much flute/picc is in that book?
Most of the lead clarinet parts are in Reed 3. Reed 4 has a lot of inner clarinet and bass clarinet parts in it, and there are a decent amount of flute parts in the book as well. If I remember right, I think the only piccolo part in Reed 4 was in the Bows and it wasn’t too tough. I hope that helps!
Tom, you are correct that the only piccolo part is in the bows. There are several nice flute parts with Reed 1. The bass clarinet part is easy (nothing lower than an Eb and at time doubles the bass and trombones). Better have your flute chops if you are playing Reed 3 as you’ll be using almost 3 octaves, have some tough trills, and there is lots of work above the staff. Clarinet part is demanding but if you are a solid player, no problems. Lots of altissimo sections.
When I did this show last fall, the Eb parts did not have an alternate staff. I think the only alternate staff in all of reed books was for the bass saxophone parts (with alternate baritone saxophone parts) in Reed 5.
E-flat is used in the following numbers:
-#11 Seventy-Six Trombones – mm. 96-End
-#12 Seventy-Six Trombones – Ballad – Entire Number
-#13 Seventy-Six Trombones – Playoff – Entire Number
-#26 Entr’Acte – mm. 8-65
-#31 Shipoopi Dance – Part 2 – Eccentric Couple – mm. 1-38
-#45 Curtain Call Music – mm. 29-44; 85-End
Soprano Sax is used in the following numbers:
-#32 Shipoopi Dance – Part 3 – One-Step – mm. 27-78
-#33 Shipoopi – Playoff – mm. 27-End
-#41 Ice Cream Sociable – mm. 1-End
I highly recommend transposing the first two numbers to E-flat clarinet from B-flat if you choose to play the optional 8va parts.
Review the rhythms in some numbers carefully, as the books in general do not write out all rhythms logically (not barred/written where the downbeat is made clear). A couple examples include mm. 5-6/11-12 of #2 Train Opening & mm. 11-12/26-27 of #18 Marian the Librarian.
In the Reed 2 book there are seven missing measures. mm. 61-67 are rests. The part is numbered correctly but they forgot to print the 7 measure rest. Also, there is minimal english horn (sadly) and most of the english horn parts are doubled with the soprano sax in book 3. Most of this book is a clarinet.
A couple other general comments about the book, as we just wrapped up:
-There are some places where smearing and other jazz idiosyncrasies are done in the recordings but not indicated clearly in the music. This would include smearing the half step sixteenth note intervals in #2 Train Opening and smearing #10 Ya Got Trouble (reprise) measure 24’s first two quarter notes (with the vocals).
-The books generally write out swing rhythms. Therefore, the eighth notes in measure 34 of #4 Iowa Stubborn should be played straight despite the underlying swing beat.
-#32 Shipoopi Dance – Part 3 and #33 Shipoopi Playoff moves the lead part between the reeds while the others do the harmony.
#44 Finale – Act 2 – We chose to perform the opening to this up until measure 13 as a beginner band. 🙂
-Errata in Reed 3: #8 Goodnight, My Someone. Measure 54 beat 3 should be a written C-sharp, not a C-natural (with the vocals).
It’s a fun show, but not the friendliest to sightread in its current edited version.
I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask this question or not, but in Reed 5 the segue between the overture and Train Opening seems instantaneous in all the recordings of the show that I can find on YouTube. Is that how anyone here has done it who has played the show before? If so, how did you switch from Bari/bass to bassoon?
Updated per information received from Jack Kissinger
I just finished a run of the MTI version with Theatre Under the Stars in Houston. Reed 5 is double scored for bass sax and bari sax. You don’t need both. Clarinet and bassoon are as above.
Updated this to “baritone saxophone and/or bass saxophone.” Thank you!
The only exception to the double scoring are #’s 20, 21, & 22—76 Trombones X-over. These 3 short pieces are scored only for bass sax.
There is a disagreement here about whether the bass saxophone is “required” or whether the parts are double-scored for baritone saxophone. Or, perhaps, the rental parts have changed. (But it’s unusual for the rentals to change in the direction of requiring more unusual instruments.) I’ll leave the listing as-is for now, reflecting Paul’s information, but will change it if anyone can verify Helen’s version.
Well I just finished a run of the show last night. I can send you a screen shot of the page if you would like verification Bret. 😉
Since I opted not to drag my bass in and out of the pit each night, I transposed #’s 20, 21, & 22 for bari sax. Worked fine.
Could anyone tell me which book has the lead clarinet parts? I might be doing this show, and my clarinet playing isn’t so hot, so I was thinking reed IV would fit my skills best, assuming it doesn’t have too much clarinet. Also, how much flute/picc is in that book?
Most of the lead clarinet parts are in Reed 3. Reed 4 has a lot of inner clarinet and bass clarinet parts in it, and there are a decent amount of flute parts in the book as well. If I remember right, I think the only piccolo part in Reed 4 was in the Bows and it wasn’t too tough. I hope that helps!
Tom, you are correct that the only piccolo part is in the bows. There are several nice flute parts with Reed 1. The bass clarinet part is easy (nothing lower than an Eb and at time doubles the bass and trombones). Better have your flute chops if you are playing Reed 3 as you’ll be using almost 3 octaves, have some tough trills, and there is lots of work above the staff. Clarinet part is demanding but if you are a solid player, no problems. Lots of altissimo sections.
Sorry, I meant to say you’ll need your flute chops if playing Reed 4.
Just got a call for this show. Is the Eb clarinet part in reed 3 double scored? Thanks.
When I did this show last fall, the Eb parts did not have an alternate staff. I think the only alternate staff in all of reed books was for the bass saxophone parts (with alternate baritone saxophone parts) in Reed 5.
I’m playing the show now: Eb parts are not double scored.
The reed 3 Bb clarinet is scored in 3rd octave, hitting high G and A…the book de.and strong clarinet chops.
Soprano sax is used in one number: one of the Shipoopi dances.
Oops…just saw Jim’s post below.
E-flat is used in the following numbers:
-#11 Seventy-Six Trombones – mm. 96-End
-#12 Seventy-Six Trombones – Ballad – Entire Number
-#13 Seventy-Six Trombones – Playoff – Entire Number
-#26 Entr’Acte – mm. 8-65
-#31 Shipoopi Dance – Part 2 – Eccentric Couple – mm. 1-38
-#45 Curtain Call Music – mm. 29-44; 85-End
Soprano Sax is used in the following numbers:
-#32 Shipoopi Dance – Part 3 – One-Step – mm. 27-78
-#33 Shipoopi – Playoff – mm. 27-End
-#41 Ice Cream Sociable – mm. 1-End
I highly recommend transposing the first two numbers to E-flat clarinet from B-flat if you choose to play the optional 8va parts.
Review the rhythms in some numbers carefully, as the books in general do not write out all rhythms logically (not barred/written where the downbeat is made clear). A couple examples include mm. 5-6/11-12 of #2 Train Opening & mm. 11-12/26-27 of #18 Marian the Librarian.
In the Reed 2 book there are seven missing measures. mm. 61-67 are rests. The part is numbered correctly but they forgot to print the 7 measure rest. Also, there is minimal english horn (sadly) and most of the english horn parts are doubled with the soprano sax in book 3. Most of this book is a clarinet.
A couple other general comments about the book, as we just wrapped up:
-There are some places where smearing and other jazz idiosyncrasies are done in the recordings but not indicated clearly in the music. This would include smearing the half step sixteenth note intervals in #2 Train Opening and smearing #10 Ya Got Trouble (reprise) measure 24’s first two quarter notes (with the vocals).
-The books generally write out swing rhythms. Therefore, the eighth notes in measure 34 of #4 Iowa Stubborn should be played straight despite the underlying swing beat.
-#32 Shipoopi Dance – Part 3 and #33 Shipoopi Playoff moves the lead part between the reeds while the others do the harmony.
#44 Finale – Act 2 – We chose to perform the opening to this up until measure 13 as a beginner band. 🙂
-Errata in Reed 3: #8 Goodnight, My Someone. Measure 54 beat 3 should be a written C-sharp, not a C-natural (with the vocals).
It’s a fun show, but not the friendliest to sightread in its current edited version.
A few more corrections to Reed 3, which I left penciled into the book I’m using right now:
#42, bar 14, there’s a missing 8th rest between the downbeat and the 2nd note, which should be on the and of 2.
#46, bars 38 and 54, the Gs should be G#. Otherwise the F double-sharp doesn’t make sense.
Fun book!
I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask this question or not, but in Reed 5 the segue between the overture and Train Opening seems instantaneous in all the recordings of the show that I can find on YouTube. Is that how anyone here has done it who has played the show before? If so, how did you switch from Bari/bass to bassoon?
I just finished this show with reed 5 and I played the train opening on bari since the overture segued into train opening.