Old MacDonald's Double Reed Band is set for 6 double reeds: 2 oboes, English horn, 2 bassoons and contrabassoon. Each section honks briefly on their reeds to emulate the traditional animal sounds. A worthy and captivating addition to any double reed event. The contrabassoon part can be played by a bassoon (playing the notes down one octave where possible) or by a double bass or contrabass clarinet. Also available in a printed format at our SKU [1805B].

I first arranged this melody for woodwind quintet in 1960. This version for 2 oboes and 2 bassoons is almost the same as that one. The anonymous tune appeared in “Apollo’s Banquet”, published in 1669. The “waits” were town musicians and the term also applied to street singers of Christmas carols. Sometimes specific tunes represented their towns, hence “The London Waits”. The melody is more recently known as a Christmas carol entitled “Past 3 O’Clock” on a Cold, Frosty Morning”.

A downloadable PDF version is available at SKU [6010B - pdf]

Six Children’s Songs for 2 oboes and 2 bassoons is a spin-off from two previous arrangements: one for the OBOHIO double reed combination of 2 oboes (oboe 2 = oboe d’amore), English and bassoon [0510] and the other for woodwind quartet of flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon [0511]. The arrangements are dedicated to OBOHIO and its founders Robert and Bailey Sorton.

There is no tenor clef in the bassoon parts. Any number of them can be performed in any order.

This music can be downloaded on PDF's from [0510B - pdf] on this website.

These duets supplement those of Volume 2 SKU [1610]. The upper and lower parts are of equal difficulty. The range is from low B-flat (B-flat2) to high F-sharp (F#4). More time signatures (2/8, 7/8, 5/4) and grace notes and quintuplets are introduced. There is no tenor clef. A downloadable version is available at SKU [1614-pdf]. I dedicated these duets to the fond memory of my Toronto Symphony bassoon colleague, Wayland Mosher.

NO. TITLE METER KEY DURATION

Both parts of these duets have notes in the octave between low F (F2) and open F (F3). The parts are co-equal so one part is not “easier” than the other. Rhythms for the entire volume are restricted to whole, half, quarter and eighth notes. The only dotted notes are dotted half notes. Two dynamics are introduced in No. 4: f (forte) and mf (mezzo forte). The duets are dedicated to C. J Broadhead, New Rochelle High School’s memorable choir director. A downloadable version is available on the website from SKU [1609-pdf]