Edition: Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangement with Vocal

Description: Ballad - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Although most commonly known as the signature song of singer/activist Paul Robeson, Frank Sinatra's version of Ol' Man River is frequently considered to be one of the definitive entries in his early musical catalog. Axel Stordahl's arrangement provides a lush setting that allows for a broad range of potential interpretations and tempo shifts.

A sweeping introduction, highlighted by an ornate run in the woodwinds and strings, sets the table for Sinatra's entrance with the verse at measure 5. The arrangement never fully settles into a strict tempo, with Sinatra defining the pace of performance. That being said, the song's lyrics have a vividly descriptive, naturally dramatic quality to them that should be taken into account by your singer in order to provide the appropriate emotional pull. This publication contains several tempo approximations based off of Sinatra's original studio recording to provide some guidelines off of which you can build in your own way.

Sinatra is the star of the performance from start to finish, but that's not to say the ensemble doesn't get some exciting moments of their own. The main challenge of this arrangement is not from any unusually difficult technical passages, but rather from its rubato nature requiring a high level of attention to detail in order to keep everyone coordinated with each other. It is of utmost importance for all dynamics, articulations, and phrase marks to be observed, as without these the performance loses a great deal of what makes it so special. Sinatra performed this arrangement multiple times both in-studio and live, and it is highly recommended that your musicians spend time seeking out and listening to these various recordings in order to get the best possible understanding of how to execute this arrangement.

This publication was prepared using the original 1944 set of parts and Axel Stordahl's expanded score that was used for Frank Sinatra's 1946 television performance - this is not a transcription.

Full Score
Vocal
Woodwind 1: Flute/Clarinet
Woodwind 2: Oboe
Woodwind 3: Clarinet
Woodwind 4: Flute/Clarinet
Woodwind 5: Bass Clarinet
3 Trumpets
Horn in F
3 Trombones
3 Violins (12 Players Recommended)
Viola (3 Players Recommended)
Cello (3 Players Recommended)
Harp
Piano
Acoustic Bass
Percussion: Timpani

Vocal Key: C
Trumpet 1: C6
Trombone 1: A4