Farandole from L'Arlésienne Suite No. 2: Brass Choir Conductor Score & Parts

Evan VanDoren's arrangement captures the infectious joy of the original while giving brass players real work to do. The constant exchange of melodies between sections keeps everyone engaged, and the Grade 4 level strikes that rare balance where advanced high school players find musical satisfaction without drowning in technical demands. It's the kind of piece that sounds thrilling in concert and feels rewarding to rehearse.

The music dances. It skips and bounds through a landscape of Provençal warmth, with each brass section taking its turn in the spotlight. There's playfulness woven through the energy, and despite the upbeat character, the melody carries real lyricism that players can sink their teeth into.

High school brass choirs and community brass ensembles at the advanced level will find this arrangement genuinely satisfying. It's strong contest and festival material that sounds like a major work without requiring college-level virtuosity.

• Shape the melodic line as it passes between trumpet, horn, and trombone sections. Each handoff is a chance to highlight the voice carrying the tune, even when it sits in the middle of the texture.
• Establish a firm pulse early and trust it through the faster passages. The dance character depends on rhythmic clarity, not tempo rushing.
• Balance the lower brass carefully when they support the melody. They anchor the sound but shouldn't overpower the lyrical content above them.
• Mark your cut-offs precisely. With so many color changes between sections, clean releases help the piece breathe between phrases.

This works beautifully as a centerpiece for a brass-focused concert or as the finale of a mixed ensemble program where you want to send the audience out energized. It also fits naturally into a masterworks-focused season, pairing well with other 19th-century orchestral gems that have been adapted for student ensembles.

• Trading melodic material between instrumental sections while maintaining phrase continuity
• Balancing multiple layers of sound where no single voice dominates
• Sustaining energetic character without rushing tempo
• Responding to conductor cues that coordinate handoffs between choirs
• Musical phrasing within a dance idiom