I decided to write Easy String Orchestra music and I wrote these four pieces and entitled them "Easy Suite for Strings".
This is the Easy Suite for Strings, which is an easy work for String Quartet in Four Movements.
This easy Suite was written for educators directing a string orchestra with many young players. The difficulty level is 'easy'.
The four movements of the Easy Suite are:
I. Chorale
II. Grasshoppers
III. My Lucky Penny
IV. Waltz Time
The first movement of the Easy Suite is entitled Chorale. Young string players will immediately recognize the style of writing as reminiscent of church music or perhaps a Bach Chorale. Although the movement makes much use of whole and half notes, be sure to keep the movement alive by keeping a constant tempo and not dragging.
The second movement is entitled Grasshoppers. This fun and playful movement should remind young players of how those little grasshoppers hop up and down in the late afternoon sun. You can encourage your young string players to let the bow 'bounce' on the strings during the staccatto opening theme.
The third movement is entitled My Lucky Penny. This movement is actually rather sad and depressive, somewhat like a dirge. Perhaps the narrator has lost his lucky penny and cannot find it, so has bad luck? For you to decide!
The last movement is Waltz Time. And this final movement is perhaps the most difficult of the suite. I like waltz music as it is normally very happy and uplifting.
The Failed Recording Story
I offered this work to my Dad for his Christmas present. So on Christmas day, normally we do gifts in the morning. I woke up hoping to record this work in the afternoon with my family after opening gifts, as we each play one of the instruments that are in a string quartet. But it so happened that my sister got up late that day, and then Dad and sister got into an argument, so then my sister left for the whole afternoon, and I ended up going shopping with my Mom...Basically we didn't get around to gifts until the evening, and there was no time to record.
