Fiddle-Faddle for Strings with Piano (opt.) Cover Image

Fiddle-Faddle for Strings with Piano (opt.): String Orchestra Conductor Score

$15.00 USD
$15.00 USD
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Fiddle-Faddle for Strings with Piano (opt.) Cover Image
Fiddle-Faddle for Strings with Piano (opt.): String Orchestra Conductor Score

Fiddle-Faddle for Strings with Piano (opt.): String Orchestra Conductor Score

Trumpet Section Feature

By Leroy Anderson

Item: 36-A908101
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Description
Like many of his works, Leroy Anderson (1908-1975) wrote Fiddle-Faddle on a commission from Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1947. Originally written for string orchestra, the title of the work came first, and the music followed. Fiddle-Faddle was conceived as similar to Paganini's Moto Perpetuo, except in a modern style. Very much a violin feature, this string orchestra version was followed the next year by a transcription for full orchestra. An American Pops classic in its original scoring, this work is part of the Anderson Classics Series by E.F. Kalmus. A count of 8-8-5-5-5 strings, along with an optional piano part, is included in the set.

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Leroy Anderson Orchestra Series
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 8-88-852249-2
ISBN13: 979-8-88-852249-3
UPC: 676737547837
SKU: 36-A908101
Instrumentation: Piano Solo (opt.), String Orchestra (8-8-5-5-5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Leroy Anderson

Leroy Anderson (1908-1975) composed over 140 works for orchestra, nearly all of them short, tuneful pieces designed for popular audiences rather than concert halls. Working with conductor Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Anderson created a catalog of American light music that remains a staple of pops programming and community orchestra concerts. His gift was for memorable melodies, clever orchestration, and titles that captured the music's character with wit and precision.

Anderson's training at Harvard and his experience as both a composer and violinist gave him intimate knowledge of orchestral instruments. He understood how to write idiomatically for strings, how to layer textures that sound richer than their resources suggest, and how to build pieces that engage audiences without demanding virtuosity beyond reach. His works have transcended their original pops context and now appear regularly on school orchestra and youth orchestra programs worldwide.

Why we love this

Fiddle-Faddle is one of those rare pieces that conductors and players genuinely enjoy rehearsing. The violin writing is brilliant and showy without being impossible, the rhythmic drive carries itself, and the orchestration bounces with personality. It fills the pops concert slot that every conductor needs but rarely finds with such sophistication and craft.

What to expect

Fiddle-Faddle bounces and sparkles with infectious energy, built on the illusion that violins are playing impossible passages with careless ease. The rhythm pulses forward relentlessly while the orchestration remains transparent enough to hear every voice. It feels modern and playful, a distinctly American take on virtuosity that privileges charm over pretension.

Who it's for

This score works for any conductor with an intermediate to advanced string orchestra who wants a crowd-pleasing concert opener or closer. The piece sits well for youth orchestras, community orchestras, and school programs looking to showcase their violin section with confidence. It also makes an excellent encore.

How to get the most out of it

  • Keep the perpetual motion of the violins clean and light; resist the urge to play heavily. The piece thrives on rhythmic precision and buoyancy, not weight.
  • Balance the accompaniment carefully so that second violins, violas, and cellos support rather than obscure the violin line. The optional piano can help anchor the harmonic foundation if your string section is smaller.
  • Establish the tempo early and maintain it steadily throughout. Fiddle-Faddle is a machine of sorts, and the illusion of effortless virtuosity depends on unwavering pulse.
  • Tune precisely. The rapid passagework and close intervals in the violin part will expose even slight intonation problems, especially in the upper register.

How to use it

Open a pops concert or family concert with this piece to establish an energetic, approachable tone from the start. It pairs beautifully alongside other Anderson works or with classical masterworks to lighten a program's second half. The piece also works as a standalone feature for a "light music" or "American classics" concert theme.

Skills your students will build

  • Rapid scalar and arpeggiated passagework in the upper register
  • Ensemble rhythmic precision and pulse maintenance across extended sections
  • Balance and voice leading in string accompaniment figures
  • Intonation accuracy in fast-moving violin figurations

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