Help! What to do when there is something impossible or unreasonably difficult in your part

[Doug Elliott]

The OP said he had looked at the score and he was the only one with it. There are quite a few recordings of brass ensembles playing it on YouTube, but none of them sound like the same arrangement. Some sound to me like they might have somebody playing it in that octave but it's doubled an octave up or two octaves up somewhere else.

[Wilktone]

The OP said he had looked at the score and he was the only one with it.

I had assumed that he was the only one on that part, not with the line.

Coincidentally, I was sitting in on a music class yesterday and the teacher was playing "American In Paris" for the students. I think the line in question on the original is played in the bassoon in that particular register (and then later in the violins). It's a counter melody line, so most of the ear's attention would probably be on the main melody, so simplifying that part wouldn't really detract from what's going on.

One of the best arrangers I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and playing his music was Bill Prince. Bill is one of those guys who plays just about every instrument pretty well. His big band writing is so idiomatic for each instrument because he knows so well what it takes to play every instrument. It's the kind of music that is fun to play because it's not too hard to play, but sounds like a million bucks.

[Doug Elliott]

...ornemantation that the picollo would otherwise...

.... I checked the score and I'm the only one playing this

Something Peter Schickele might write.

[AndrewMeronek]

It's the kind of music that is fun to play because it's not too hard to play, but sounds like a million bucks.

Yeah!!

I'm a part of the Orchestration Online patreon course ran by Thomas Goss, and there's a whole lot of emphasis on this and knowing what the players and instruments are capable of. It's definitely something I have tons of room to improve upon in my own arranging.

[PosauneCat]

...ornemantation that the picollo would otherwise...

.... I checked the score and I'm the only one playing this

Something Peter Schickele might write.

Right! And he’d score it for tromboon!

[BGuttman]

Something Peter Schickele might write.

Right! And he’d score it for tromboon!

Actually, Schickele wrote some nice lines for trombone in his PDQ Bach oeuvre. Calling for effects that were most definitely not 18th Century, but made a very humorous point in the music.

Some of the inventions, like the tromboon, the left-handed sewer flute, and the double reed slide music stand, were often given small but prominent parts -- mostly used for effect.

[Matt K]

Something Peter Schickele might write.

Right! And he’d score it for tromboon!

To be fair that's better than the opposite: a babone.

[PosauneCat]

Right! And he’d score it for tromboon!

To be fair that's better than the opposite: a babone.

[JCBone]

Turns out I was making a big fuss over nothing. Played it double legato starting on a 'goo' syllable. Here are the first few mins if anyone is interested. Keep in mind that it's just a high school aged ensemble.

[PosauneCat]

Turns out I was making a big fuss over nothing. Played it double legato starting on a 'goo' syllable. Here are the first few mins if anyone is interested. Keep in mind that it's just a high school aged ensemble.

Hey JC, thank you for sharing and putting this in context. Good job!

[JCBone]

Turns out I was making a big fuss over nothing. Played it double legato starting on a 'goo' syllable. Here are the first few mins if anyone is interested. Keep in mind that it's just a high school aged ensemble.

Hey JC, thank you for sharing and putting this in context. Good job!

Thanks! I appreciate it.

[Ramhorn]

If you have a double valve bass, then you could play the D's on the first two set of triplets in firstish position with both valves engaged.
Or, if you play the C on the G flat side then it puts it between the D and the E on the slide. The F can also be played on the G flat side. Not an ideal sound, but If played fast enough.....