Scheherazade (Trumpet Parts)

This professionally re-engraved and transposed set of orchestral trumpet parts greatly eases learning and performance of the work.  Available as PDF download or hard copy (9" x 12"). You can buy the parts individually or as a package:

• Trumpet 1 in C
• Trumpet 2 in C

Notes from the Editor

The original engraving of Scheherazade is one of those that falls into the category of  "you just don't know how bad it is until you really stop and look at it critically."  We've been playing these parts for so long that I feel we've become blind to how poorly they are actually executed. Very few works in the standard repertoire can match the attempt to cram so much material into so few pages of music.  

Not everything I have changed warrants mentioning, but below are a few changes necessary to acknowledge.

The new format is much more generous with the overall spacing. No longer do dynamics and other musical information need to actually collide with the staff. 

Movement titles now appear in both parts.

Trumpets in A and B-flat have been changed to a constant Trumpet in C.   

A few more helpful cues have been added to facilitate entrances that follow passages of rest featuring rhythmic ambiguity.

Towards the end of the piece, five bars after reh. [Y], I have come up with a more elegant solution to show the rhythm of bars 621-22.  The nested tuplets in the original always looked awkward to me, and I feel like changing the time signature along with stating how the big beats equate is the better way to go.

The Andrew Bishop Orchestral Editions explore the concept of how these orchestral masterworks would appear if they were composed today.  There are myriad differences in how music is currently published compared to when many of these works were originally engraved.  “Tradition” is usually the (poor) excuse I hear when the topic of updating these masterworks is discussed – most often in reference to transposition(s).  As a performer and teacher, I remain committed to the practice of honing vigorous transposition skills.  However, there are many of these original engravings set in keys that are truly antiquated, and make almost no sense whatsoever to keep perpetuating.  Transposition, however, is the least of the issues most of these original editions suffer from.  Paper is no longer a premium and scarce product, and therefore the practice of cramming as much material on a page is not necessary.  “Readability” was obviously not a concern with copyists of the times, and it is my opinion that the music suffered because of it.  Therefore, a ”Bish Edish” (as they are popularly referred to) features many upgrades, including:

• Judicious spacing throughout the engraving (not too cramped, not too open)
• Correct enharmonic spellings of notes.  This is an unfortunate byproduct of writing in asinine transpositions.  
• A careful reconsidering of cue usage.  
• Corrections of many inconsistencies between original parts and score, and even between parts themselves.
• The addition of measure numbers, including helpful ranges listed under multi-measure rests.
• Deleting key signatures and writing all parts utilizing accidentals only.
• All parts are formatted for standard Concert 9x12 paper, and is best printed on that size. 

Reading it on 8.5x11 is not ideal, but the compression percentage isn’t too significant.  Similarly, reading it off a larger tablet (e.g. iPad Pro) doesn’t present any significant issues.

In some instances, there are other upgrades specific to individual works that will be mentioned within the respective product.  If you happen to find something questionable that you would like to bring to my attention, please feel free to do so at:  trptshallsound@gmail.com.  If it is something that I need to correct, I will be happy to do so and make sure you receive a corrected part/parts.  If you have other works that you would like to have a custom edition made, please also reach out with that as well.  

Andrew Bishop, Editor