Children’s Concert Music for Orchestra
We recommend pairing one or more of the following works curated from Wise Music Classical’s music rental catalogue with The Snowman in Concert to create a full-evening program.
Longer Works (11-30 minutes)
Description: Suite in five movements from Khachaturian’s ballet, opening with the “Introduction and Dance of the Nymphs.”
Composer: Aram Khachaturian
Duration: 18 min
Orchestration: 3(pic)2+ca.2+bcl.2/4.4.3.1/timp.perc/cel.pf.hp/str
Slaraffenland Suite I (Fool’s Paradise)
Description: Suite in eight movements from Riisager’s ballet, including “Princess Sweets,” and “The Lazy Dogs’ Polka.”
Composer: Knudåge Riisager
Duration: 16 min
Orchestration: 3.2.2.2/4.3.3.1/timp.perc/cel/str
Slaraffenland Suite II (Fool’s Paradise)
Description: Second suite from Riisager’s ballet in six movements, including “Lullaby,” and “Dance of the Dishes.”
Composer: Knudåge Riisager
Duration: 14 min
Orchestration: 3.2.3.2/4.3.3.1/timp.perc/hp/pf/cel/str
Description: A medley of traditional nursery rhymes subtly woven together, such as “Baa! Baa! Black Sheep,” “I Saw Three Ships,” and “The Mulberry Bush.”
Composer: Roger Quilter
Duration: 13 min
Orchestration: 2.2.2.2/4.3.3.1/timp.3perc/hp/str
Description: A medley of themes from the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, based on the children’s novel by L. Frank Baum. The suite includes excerpts from the songs “Over the Rainbow,” “If I Only Had a Brain,” “Jitterbug,” “Merry Old Land of Oz,” “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” and “Miss Gulch.”
Composers: Harold Arlen, Edgar Yipsel Harburg and Herbert Stothart
Arranger: Jeff Tyzik
Duration: 11 min
Orchestration:2+pic.22+bcl.2/4331/timp.3perc/hp.pf/str
Shorter Works (10 minutes and under)
Description: Inspired by the British fairytale, Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Composer: Eric Coates
Duration: 10 min
Orchestration: 2(II:pic).1.2.1.asx.tsx/2.2.3.0/timp.3perc/hp/str
Description: “A tone poem based on a passage from one of Hans Christian Andersen’s lesser known fairytales, “The Wind Tells About Waldemar Daae and His Daughters,” a mighty allegory about the transitoriness of Life, about Vanity and Pride and the inevitable victory of Death.” – Composer’s Note
Composer: Poul Ruders
Duration: 9 min
Orchestration: 3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1/3perc/str
Description: A short, dynamic orchestral tour de force in five discernible sections that depict the flight of a Spitfire plane flying aerial acrobatics in pursuit of supersonic flight. The music is from the 1952 film, The Sound Barrier.
Composer: Malcolm Arnold
Duration: 8 min
Orchestration: 3222/4331/timp.2perc/hp.cel/str
Description: Originally a collection of short piano pieces, Freed orchestrated the set of five movements, each depicting a charm you might find on a bracelet: Two Little Shoes (whimsical scherzo), Four Leaf Clover (bittersweet waltz), The Little Soldier (march), The Golden Heart (tender solos), and The Pony (lively and virtuoso).
Composer: Franz Waxman, arranged by Arnold Freed
Duration: 7 min
Orchestration: 2(II:pic).2.2.1/2.2.1.0/timp.3perc/str
Description: An upbeat suite featuring music from classic Tom and Jerry cartoons, including “Smitten Kitten,” “Sufferin’ Cats,” “The Framed Cat,” “Cat Fishin’,” “The Mouse Comes to Dinner,” and “Mouse for Sale.”
Composer: Scott Bradley
Duration: 6.5 min
Orchestration: 3(III:pic).3.3(III:bcl).3.2asx(2cl).2tsx.barsx/6.4.3+btbn.1/timp.5perc.dmkit/pf.hp/gtr/str
The Great American Bicycle Race
Description: A race to the finish with descriptive tempo markings ranging from fanfare to galop and featuring solo turns by the tuba, trombones, horns, trumpets, and flutes.
Composer: Eric Knight
Duration: 6 min
Orchestration: 2+pic.2+ca.2+bcl.2+cbn/442+btbn.1/timp.2perc.traps/hp/str
Description: A rhythmically-driven celebration of the industrial era.
Composer: Alexander Mosolov
Duration: 4 min
Orchestration: 2+pic.2+ca.2+bcl.2+cbn/4331/timp.perc/str
Saturday Night at the Firehouse
Description: A festive concert-opener that evokes a social at the local firehouse. Winds and strings play tag in amusing fashion, sending themes bounding throughout the orchestra.
Composer: Henry Cowell
Duration: 4 min
Orchestration: 2+pic.2+ca.2+bcl.2+cbn/4331/timp.perc/str
Description: A display piece for orchestra, from Anderson’s longer Irish Suite.
Composer: Leroy Anderson
Duration: 3 min
Orchestration: 3222/4331/timp.4perc/hp.pf/str
