Choro duetos - Pixinguinha & Benedito Lacerda - Volume 2
All songs are arranged with the melody on the left page and the counterpoint on the right hand page so that two performers will be able to read together the two voices. To begin with we wrote the flute (in C, to be played one octave higher) and the tenor sax (in B flat, sounding an octave below, naturally) scores; so they become the reference for all the transpositions made. They were also ordered in three versions, each with 12 songs and their melodies and counterpoints. The first version (in the body of the book) is in C, for non-transposing instruments, with the melody in the treble clef and the counterpoint in the bass clef. The two other versions attached, in B flat and in E flat, are for the transposing instruments. In the scores in E flat, in some melodies in B flat and the counterpoint in C we made some adaptations in the octaves, or a few changes of notes related to the original melodies, due to the different ranges of the instruments to be used with this book. This work can be enjoyed by a wide range of musical instruments. Besides the flute, the mandolin, the violin, the piano, the accordion and the oboe (C instruments that read the treble clef), the cello, the piano, the bass, the tuba, the bassoon (in C in the bass clef), the tenor sax, the soprano sax, the clarinet, the bass clarinet, the trumpet (in Bb), the alto sax and the baritone sax (E flat) can also be used. Thus, the songs can be played with the following suggested duos: flute and tenor sax, soprano sax and tenor sax, violin and cello, trumpet and trombone, mandolin and guitar, clarinet and bass clarinet, oboe and bassoon, accordion and baritone sax; piano and bass; and there are several other possible combinations, as melody and counterpoint are available for all instruments. It should always be remembered that the original duo is the one that joins the flute (an octave higher) and the tenor sax, and they sound two octaves distant. Therefore, where possible, other formations must respect this relationship. It's also important to remark that, as it's usual in the language of choro, the performers play each repetition differently, ornamenting and embellishing the melodic phrases. In his live performances, Pixinguinha always improvised new counterpoints, displaying all his genius. -- page 11.