Von Freund zu Freund

This is a modern Austrian polka. It focuses on friendship, opening with a duet and continuing on with different conversations in the band. This is our chance to leave our audience with optimism and joy.

The introduction is slow and legato. Tempo will be around  = 58. Focus on connection and moving together. At the end of each four-bar phrase, we will take a breath that will take a little extra time. Stay flexible here and don’t be a metronome.

The polka kicks off at m. 17. Tempo will be  = 112. This opening section is a dialog between the Flugelhorns and our tenor instruments (Tenor Sax, Tenorhorn, Bariton). As the conversation unfolds, it will alternate staccato and legato sections. Make sure these are apparent to our audience. Upper WWs, you provide little comments on the conversation. Have a sense of humor about these.

This conversation continues at 51. The music is in the articulations and dynamics here. The accents in m. 64-66 are playful, not aggressive. Going back around on the D.S., we’ll keep the time steady, so resist the urge to slow down in m. 66.

The basses take the lead in the first two bars of the Trio. Make that line memorable, it becomes the punctuation at the end of each iteration of the melody.

Starting in m. 69, we have a beautiful melody in Clarinets, Tenor Saxes, Tenorhorns, and Baritons. Aim to be in tune and blend. Focus your ears up to first Clarinet for tuning and phrasing. The tenuto marks under the slurs should be approached as “doo” articulations with a little extra weight and full value.

Aim to breathe only when the slurs end. If you can’t, make sure to plan where you will breathe and taper the note before. That will help sneak breaths into the line without disrupting the flow. 

Accompaniment in the Trio needs to think about how to support the melody that is being played. Bass line, focus on open, resonant ends your notes. Upbeats, focus on the articulation and a very light touch. 

At m. 101, Alto Saxes and Flugelhorns take up the melody. Take a similar approach to Clarinets, Tenor Saxes, and Tenorhorn/Bariton at 65. Tenor Sax, Tenorhorn, and Bariton now have a counter melody. Watch me for phrasing on this.

The accents at m. 131 are playful and should have the quality of one friend teasing another. That feeling should continue into 133. 

Eyes up at m. 143. Tempo will start to broaden here. We continue to broaden in m. 144. Let’s hang out on beat 2 of that bar before we drop into m. 145 a tempo.

Measure 145 uses the material from m. 101, this time with the melody in Brass and Saxes. Each note in the melody should be articulated yet still connected. Upper WWs playing the countermelody with commentary interspersed. Focus on switching gears between the two ideas. If we do it right, we create the illusion of a third group of instruments that isn’t there.

The ff at the end of this one should stay buoyant and transparent. Let all the great counterpoint shine through.

The end broadens in the second to last bar. Mark a tenuto on beat 1. We will play this note on the long side. Most of the slowing happens in the rest. The grace notes in the last bar are a triplet pickup to the final chord. The final chord will be closer to a quarter note than an eighth note.