>2 Flutes (2nd alt. Piccolo) 4 Horns Timpani 2 Oboes 2 Trumpets 2 Percussion 2 Clarinets 3 Trombones Piano Bass Clarinet Tuba Harp
Electric (or Amplified Acoustic) Bass Strings
* Playable with the following instrumentation: 2,2,2,2 - 2,2,0,0 - perc. (1) - piano - solo bass - strings.
Doodles is a group of variations on the tune Yankee Doodle for very young listeners. Its purpose is to have the youngsters come in close contact with each instrument or family of instruments in the orchestra via a game that can be played in several ways.
The game works this way: The conductor or narrator asks something like “Does anyone have a particular player in the orchestra that he would like to meet?” or “Who has a favorite instrument that you would like to hear?” He then picks one of the children (or several of them) and escorts him or them (or has them escorted) to the particular player that he has chosen. The player then stands up (if possible) and plays his variation.
Another way to play the game is for the conductor to choose the various instruments and players by asking something like “Who would like to meet the Piccolo Player?” This method usually leads to a better balanced selection of instruments, styles and tempos since the conductor or narrator knows in advance which variations are fast, slow, happy, sad, etc.
The game can be played for as long as time permits. After the last variation is played, the short, two chorus arrangement of Yankee Doodle can be played by the orchestra alone or used as an “all sing.” Some hints to help insure a successful performance.
1: Many of the variations can and should be played with the soloists standing up. The only exceptions would be the string sections, harp, piano and perhaps one or two of the larger instruments.
2: The conductor should try to work it out so that two variations of similar mood are not played back to back. There is enough variety of tempo and mood so this can be avoided. Try to start and end with one of the livelier variations. The jazz trumpets and piccolo variations both work well as openers or closers.
3: There are alternate variations for several of the instruments. Feel free to use either or even both of the variations.
4: The clarinet (4) and trumpet (8) variations require a pianist that has a good feel for jazz. If such a pianist is not available the alternates (4A and 8A) of these variations can be used.
5: When planning the program try to leave enough time to play a good sampling of the variations. Somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes is usually about right. However the piece may be used for as long as 40 or 50 minutes if necessary.
6: Perhaps the most important ingredients necessary for Doodles to succeed are atmosphere and attitude. The atmosphere should be a happy, informal one. The attitude on the part of the musicians should also reflect the overall setting. While the variations are for the most part on the challenging side, it is far more important that the spirit and feeling of each emerges than every last note and tempo indication be correct. Have fun with it!
Frank ProtoDoodles - Part 2 consists of two audience participation segments. The first - Orchestration - is a simple setting in which each family of instruments (Woodwind, Brass, Percussion and Strings) has a melody line and an accompaniment written out. In the score all of these parts line up together. While it is possible for all of the accompaniments to be played at the same time or have everyone play the melody together, the intent is to have the audience choose which group of instruments should play the melody and which family (or group) of instruments should accompany them. Any family accompaniment can be used in combination with any family or individual melody. Of course some combinations will work better than others. However, strange, or unconventional combinations should be encouraged and tried just to see what they sound like.
This section contains the same material in four different keys. Many combinations are possible within each key. Players within family groups should be encouraged to try different registers. They should not only stick to middle registers. Using extreme high or low registers should produce interesting, exotic and humorous timbres. Melodic and accompaniment combinations do not have to be only within a given key. The melody can be played in C while the accompaniment can be in Eb or Ab or both together. Similarly the melody can be played in two or more keys at the same time while the accompaniment is played in one, two or more keys.
Different tone colors can easily be explored with no advance preparation. Melodically, you can combine any instrumental choir in any register with any accompaniment. Furthermore either may be broken up into different families or single instruments. Brass players may try different mutes. Percussion players may try different instruments. The only limitation here is the imagination.
The second audience participation segment - Hand Claps - allows the audience to actually join in the performance by responding to a familiar motif. Before this is possible the motif must be taught to the audience at a “rehearsal.” To do this have someone play the motif:
It may be played by a single instrument, a family of instruments in unison or an actual example from the piece by the entire orchestra, perhaps measures 8 and 9, 31 and 32, 54 and 55 or 68 and 69 might be used. It might also be a good idea to play more than just one example of the motif to show that it won’t be played exactly the same each time. Each time the audience responds with their 3 hand claps there is a fermata in the orchestra. These fermatas are really only for safety. Things surely will go wrong during the “performance” so by stopping both the orchestra and the audience all concerned can take time to “regroup.” This is fine. It makes things more fun for the audience. Since this Doodle takes only about a minute to play, it should be possible to play it more than once. With a really responsive audience it may be possible to play it without the fermatas.
Some of the hand claps are cued into the woodwind parts. this routine may be easily demonstrated by having them clap at the “rehearsal” to show the audience how things work.
The most important thing is for all involved to be creative and have fun with these segments.