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Greensleeves (What Child Is This?): Full Orchestra, Oversized Score

$32.00 USD

Greensleeves (What Child Is This?): Full Orchestra, Oversized Score

Name: Greensleeves (What Child Is This?): Full Orchestra, Oversized Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-A537001OS
Price: 32.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Alfred Reed

Item: 36-A537001OS

$32.00

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This most beautiful orchestration by Alfred Reed is now available with a full score and parts. The haunting, sonorous, transcendent charm of this beloved melody makes it an appropriate addition to any concert. Instrumentation: 2+1(Picc dFl).2+1(EH).2+1(BCl).2+1(CBsn): 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(3): Hp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). 11x14 oversized full score.

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Series: Kalmus Oversized Score Library

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

ISBN10: 8-895638-76-X

ISBN13: 979-8-895638-76-7

SKU: 36-A537001OS

Instrumentation: 2+1(Picc dFl).2+1(EH).2+1(BCl).2+1(CBsn): 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(3): Hp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Alfred Reed

Alfred Reed (1921–2005) was an American composer and conductor whose orchestrations and original works became cornerstones of the wind band and orchestral repertoire. His gift for transparent orchestration and respect for melodic material made him a trusted voice for arranging beloved standards and hymns; directors consistently return to his scores because the writing serves the music rather than overshadowing it.

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Why we love this

Reed's orchestration captures the modal simplicity and emotional weight of this 16th-century melody without sentimentalizing it. The scoring lets the tune breathe across the ensemble while maintaining the contemplative character that makes Greensleeves endure across centuries and contexts. For concert programming, this is a piece that works equally well opening a holiday concert or anchoring a program of world music.

What to expect

A candle held at arm's length in a darkened room. The melody unfolds with unhurried grace, supported by warm harmonic swells that feel more like a sustained breath than a traditional accompaniment. There is no rush here, only the accumulated resonance of a tune that has survived four centuries.

Who it's for

Orchestra directors seeking a signature piece for holiday concerts, festival programs, or standalone chamber orchestra performances. This arrangement works for both community orchestras and advanced high school ensembles that can sustain the harmonic balance Reed's writing demands.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the principal melody against the harmonic foundation; the tune should sing clearly whether it's in the woodwinds, strings, or horns, but never overshadow the ensemble's collective sonority.
Shape phrases by voice rather than marking time. This melody thrives on gentle rubato and breath, so allow the conducting to breathe with the line.
Tune the harmonic clusters carefully, especially in the lower brass and strings. The sonority that makes this arrangement transcendent depends on pitch accuracy in the foundation.
Use the harp judiciously if employed. It should complement the string color, not compete with it.

How to use it

Program this as a concert opener to establish an intimate, centered mood, or place it midsection to offer contrast after more energetic works. It also serves beautifully as a closing piece that leaves the audience in a reflective space. The oversized score format makes it ideal for conductors who prefer conducting from a clear, large-format view.