Very little is known about Pierre Mellarde, even an internet search comes up with virtually nothing, only that the name is probably the Nom-de-Plume of a Mr.R.Price!

The original music was written for Cello & Piano, which I assume is the Solitude A Deux in the title. However, it works beautifully as a Basset Horn solo, subtly accompanied by the Clarinet Quartet, so somewhat like solitude a cinq!!

Stephen Davies

June 2020

Clarinet Quartet, Tomas Luis Da Victoria, Arranged By Bill Schuetter, The Magi Have Seen A Star For 4 Bb Clarinets.

Arrangement for Clarinet Quartet (intermediate) by Francesco Leone.
Score & Set of parts (6): Bb Soprano Clarinets 1-3 and Bb Bass Clarinet, included Eb Alto Clarinet instead Bb Clarinet 3, optional drums.
Style: Balkan. Duration: 3.30. Key concert: G min. - A min.

"Bella ciao" ("Goodbye beautiful") is an Italian protest folk song that originated in the late 19th century, sung by the mondina workers in protest to the harsh working conditions in the paddy fields of North Italy. The song was modified and adopted as an anthem of the anti-fascist resistance by the Italian partisans between 1943 and 1945 during the Italian Resistance, the resistance of Italian partisans against the Nazi German forces occupying Italy, and, during the Italian Civil War, the Italian partisan struggle against the fascist Italian Social Republic and its Nazi German allies. Versions of "Bella ciao" continue to be sung worldwide as an anti-fascist hymn of freedom and resistance.In 2017 and 2018, the song received renewed popularity due to the singing of "Bella ciao" multiple times in the Spanish television series Money Heist. The character Tokyo recounts in one of her narrations, "The life of the Professor revolved around a single idea: Resistance. His grandfather, who had fought against the fascists in Italy, taught him the song and he taught us."The song is played in emblematic moments in the series as a metaphor for freedom.

Arrangement of the main theme of the movie The Mission, composed by Ennio Morricone. The theme has been called ?unforgettable? and a ?celebrated oboe melody?. Vocalist Sarah Brightman begged Morricone to allow her to put lyrics to the theme to create her own song, ?Nella Fantasia?. In 2010, Morricone encouraged soprano Hayley Westenra to write English lyrics for ?Gabriel?s Oboe? in her album Paradiso.

Danse Espagnole ("Mignon") was written in 1918 by Cuban composer Ramon Aquabella (born 1854). This setting of his spicy Spanish dance for 4 clarinets is by John Gibson. You can watch a You Tube video of the score at https://youtu.be/uvslXqMA4tw.