Edition: Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangement

Description: Swing - Medium

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Richard Rodgers's and Lorenz Hart's musical tribute to New York City was given a fine treatment by vocalist Ella Fitzgerald and arranger Buddy Bregman on the former's 1956 album "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book." Although not overwhelmingly difficult technically, capturing the highly cutesy performance will require a high level of musical attentiveness.

A simple but lovely clarinet solo over some warm horn and string textures sets up Fitzgerald's appearance at measure 5. The verse is taken at a quick rubato clip, so be sure that your ensemble follows the vocalist as closely as possible during this section. The melody proper begins at measure 21, settling in to a pleasantly jaunty medium swing feel. Said melody is repeated twice, with the same set of backgrounds accompanying two different verses that contain numerous nods to some of the more notable Big Apple sightseeing spots (as well as a cheeky nod to fellow musical masters Lerner and Lowe). The woodwinds and horns are regularly tasked with performing cloyingly cute triplet figures that should be consistently short and light. The strings' tasks are generally limited to simple, but rich, background textures. The ensemble should never allow their volume level to get too loud, and the rhythm section should maintain a genial bounciness at all times.

Full Score
Vocal
3 Flutes
Oboe
2 Clarinets
Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
3 Horns in F
3 Violins
Viola
Cello
Harp
Guitar
Celeste
Piano
Bass
Percussion: Glockenspiel
Drums

Vocal Key: Bb