Product Description
In 1856 Joseph P. Webster, a Wisconsin songwriter, met Henry D.L. Webster (no relation), formerly the minister of Zanesville, Ohios Universalist Church. Joseph was in the process of writing a song but needed lyrics to go with his melody. Henry obliged by writing a longish poem about the love of his life, Ella Blocksom. She had been his fiancée, but the engagement had been broken and, apparently, so had Henrys heart. Josephs melody needed a name that would fit into a three-note phrase, so Ella was changed to Lorena. Chicagos Higgins Brothers published the song in 1857, and it became widely popular. When the American Civil war broke out, Lorena was beloved by both Union and Confederate soldiers as they thought of the wives and girlfriends they had left behind.
J.P. Websters Lorena is beautiful and plaintive. It is no wonder that this song has remained a sentimental favorite over the years and is still performed and recorded. In this composition, Lorena: A Brass Quintet Setting, the Lorena tune has been expanded and transformed to create additional melodies that enhance and complement the original. Youll find it a pleasure to play and a real crowd pleaser for audiences.
This composition is 201 measures in length. It begins in the key of E-flat, transitions to B-flat at section C (measure 51) and goes to F at section G (measure 141). Initial tempo marking is Adagio, increasing to Moderato at section C. There are a number of temporary tempo variations and fermata marks, and the last 9 measures are characterized by a gradual slowing.
The introduction is 21 measures in length. It leads to the second section, which consists of a plain, simple and straightforward statement of J.P. Websters Lorena theme, complete with grace notes and gruppetto. In this section, Horn and Trumpet 1 do the honors, eventually joined by Tuba, and it should be played with great expression.
At section C, tempo then picks up, and the arrangement presents a series of explications of the theme in various styles.
The final section, I (measure 179), reprises most of the variations and ends with a partial reiteration of the Lorena theme.
Performance time is about eight minutes, forty seconds. Tuba plays several notes near the top of its scale; otherwise, all notes are within the normal playing range of each instrument.
The composer, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge. He would like to receive your suggestions, comments, corrections and criticisms. Contact him at lessmith61@bellsouth.net. For more arrangements by Les, enter "Sweetwater Brass Press" (without the quotation marks) in the Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct search box.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.