'The Crown' is an award winning Netflix series that has won the hearts of many people around the world. Hans Zimmer wrote the theme for the main title with Rupert Gregson-Williams, from Wiltshire, composing music for the first series, joined by Lorne Balfe, a Scottish composer for series two.


I have made an arrangement for String Quartet and hope to make more for different combinations of instruments and piano in the future.

As usual my arrangement can be played by professionals for concerts, weddings and events but also tackled by young people. The key is the original one, D minor, which is easy for strings, and younger players can make use of open strings and take as many bows as they need. I have included some bowing as a guide. Most of the double stopping includes one open string but less experienced players can leave out one of the notes where necessary, especially of it is doubled by one of the other players. I have included some 'commas' in this arrangement and recommend recovering the bow and watching the leader like a hawk!

The long ?piano? sections will need lots of crescendo and decrescendo markings to sound effective. I put down some ideas, but feel free to experiment. The main thing is that they grow and decay again, to keep up the tension. Without that movement, those soft passages might sound boring, albeit the chords are gorgeous.

I have included a crescendo in the penultimate bar before each new dynamic, but ideally a long crescendo is needed between each new dynamic marking. The texture becomes gradually thicker, which will help, but I am looking forward to Capriccio Quartet recording this one as they are so good at building up excitement.

There must be a great deal of drama at letters D and O. After a massive increase in dynamic I am hoping for a ?breath? at the comma, and a very sudden softness for the chords that follow. I also like harmonics for the viola at bars 21-22, giving way to a natural note on the fourth beat of 22. I would like the harmonic in viola to be almost imperceptible as the piece closes out. I haven?t marked it as such, and I couldn?t write a ?simile? on the page without clashes of staves or an extra page. I intended it to be a harmonic to the end though.

Please send me any recordings you make because I love to hear people playing my arrangements, even if it is a phone recording, and especially younger players! I am on facebook and I have a Youtube Channel too. Helen Marple-Horvat Songwriter, Arranger, Composer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgROOI-A0sc


Downton Abbey was a much loved TV series that ran for six seasons capturing the hearts of many across the world. The composer of the music, John Lunn, won two Primetime Emmys for the hauntingly beautiful score. I have arranged this wonderful piece for quartet/string orchestra, as well as for violin and piano, and cello and piano, and will probably do so again for other instruments. Make sure that you listen to the clip as well as watch the video, as the clip has been mastered since recording.

Technically, this quartet can be performed by professionals or by quite young players. There are lots of opportunities for open strings and easy positions, and experienced players can explore more complex positions with full vibrato. However, the triplets in the inner parts will need an extremely tight touch if the piece is not to sag and slow down! Perhaps younger players could try the triplets three to a bow. Cellists will need some fourth position at bars 16 and 18. If this is tricky, play bar 16 in first position and shorten the third beat of bar 16 from a previous dotted crotchet to a quaver. In bar 18 it is not possible to play this note an octave down though, as it needs to be above the viola here. First violins can change the bow whenever it runs out on the long notes eg Bars 11-13. Capriccio Quartet take a fast tempo here too, but younger players could slow it down considerably. I would love to hear this done by a string orchestra, so let me know if you perform it. I can be found very easily on Facebook