The Covid 19 pandemic has shown one thing: The will to make music together is unbroken. Perhaps some of the orchestras were not able to rehearse with the large instrumentation, but musicians have come together and founded small formations. These groupings require less space and can more easily comply with the Corona regulations. How do you find works in the database that are suitable for smaller ensembles? Here are a few suggestions, which for the time being are valid for recruitment in the category “Concert/wind/brass band”:
In the field “instrumentation” select the line “small wind band (klBlm)“, start search. In the list of results you will find works that are specifically set for small instrumentation. The instrumentation is very wide: from 6 to about 20 voices, everything will be included.
In the field “instrumentation” select the line “variable instrumentation (Flexi)“, start search. Here mainly works for four to eight voices are contained, whereby the individual parts are to be cast individually. For many of these titles instruments can also be used, which can be found outside the wind music.
In the field “Subcategory“, select the line “Collections” and start the search. As a result you will find works containing several different titles. When you open a data sheet, you will usually find a table of contents followed by a list of the individual issues for the respective voice. You can therefore put together your own individual instrumentation.
Outside the category “Concert/wind/brass band” you can also choose the category “ensembles“. Here, however, you still have to select the desired line in the subcategory, e.g. “4 brass instruments“, or “6 woodwinds“, or “Trumpets“, etc.
Alternatively, in this category “Ensembles” you can also select the subcategory “Variable instrumentation” or “Variable Brass instrumentation“.
The criteria for classification into the decisive category are fluid here, so there may be differences of opinion here and there. If you find serious mistakes, please let us know, together with a suggestion as to where it would be better to place it.