Purchasing information Notice for leaders/bass players
Length: approx. 4¾ mins.
Fred Heltman's Rag is, as an adaptation for recorder sextet, fiendishly difficult. As syncopated as it gets - there is something here for everybody and only the 2nd tenor has a relatively easy time of it. It has a quasi-sonata form of AABBACCA with an 8-bar introduction and a 4-bar interlude between the final C- and A strains, whereby the AB- and C-strains are written in the major keys of C- and F- respectively. The AABBA-strains are characterised by slurred and dotted close harmony passages by the treble and 1st tenor voices whilst the descant does a little bar-counting and should endeavour to appear intelligent. His or her moment comes with the glorious C-strain which abounds with the most demanding of triplet descending runs guaranteed to bring despair to those unfortunates who have not yet mastered the art of triple-tonguing.
Ti-ka-tuh (or something very similar) is the answer here. A great ensemble piece, a delight to listen to and joy to master!
Fred Heltman's Rag was published by the
Fred Heltman Co., Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
A tempo of 120 crotchets/min. is suggested.