Hello Guys,

my Name is Julius Marx and I started to arrange pieces and publish them via ArrangeMe on SheetMusicDirect and SheetMusicPlus. It would be great if you could have a look over my work and give me some feedback or tips.

Best regards,

Julius Marx

I just finished a four-hand piano arrangement of probably the second-most famous James Bond Theme: “007 takes the Lektor” (often simply called “007 Theme” or just "007"), originally written for the 1963 motion picture From Russia with Love by John Barry. This piece is dominated by a 7-beat rhythmic motif that cleverly forms a hemiola against a 4/4 time syncopated bass figure. The heroic horn line above then sounds rhythmically as if it were notated in 6/8, which gives the whole piece a bit of a Western feel. Maybe a little nod to the Magnificent Seven from three years earlier? ;)

I know it all sounds a bit over-complicated, but as a listening experience it’s incredibly catchy and, typical of Barry, there is also a certain pop influence... The whole thing then runs through the entire piece as an ostinato using the same two chords (E major and B7) throughout, and that’s basically it. The genius lies in this simplicity!

Because of the three elements described above (two counter-moving rhythm sections under a soaring melody line), I think the 007 Theme lends itself perfectly to a four-hand piano arrangement, which is exactly what I did and then recorded it with a former student of mine. Glad to know what you think of it.

Jerry Goldsmith's score to the 1987 medieval adventure film LIONHEART is widely considered his magnum opus in terms of leitmotif-structered composition and grand symphonic orchestration. The final cue of that score is one of my absolute favorite pieces of music for over 20 years now and since there weren't any piano arrangements to be found, I transcribed it myself.

As you’ve probably noticed, I’m beginning with the famous 1997 Universal Studios fanfare. Composed by Jerry Goldsmith as well, this piece in my opinion fits perfectly with the LIONHEART track... both in terms of key (E-flat major) and general musical gesture. In both compositions perfect fifths and fourths are the central intervals.

“King Richard” itself consists of only three melodic sections. First, a brief introduction that presents the march-like “Journey” motif in the left hand, which will accompany almost the entire piece as an ostinato. Here the three-note main motif makes its first appearance, which is associated with the main character of the film (Robert): an ascending fifth, followed by a descending major second. This motif is the melodic base of the subsequent sixteen-bar “Robert's Theme”. After a brief harmonic shift to A-flat major for the B section, Goldsmith then modulates back to E-flat major to reiterate the theme. These skillful modulations (and there are quite a lot!) keep the piece fresh and interesting, while the melodic material remains straightforward and concise.

Enjoy! :)

Bernard Herrmann’s minimalist approach to thriller scores from the 50s and 60s has always fascinated me; in particular, the title music for Psycho (1960).

https://youtu.be/xejDXqAPk40?si=vwjAq0VGnLCDWsta

This piece, which for its time is unusually reduced in terms of melody and harmony, is essentially constructed using kind of a modular approach from just two basic ideas (Herrmann himself spoke of “musical cells”):

•    On the one hand, the so-called “Hitchcock Chord” consisting of a minor triad plus a major seventh on top, hammered out five times in a row in B-flat second inversion right at the beginning of the piece and reappearing repeatedly throughout.

•    On the other hand, a central motif consisting of four sixteenth notes (major third ascending; minor second + minor third descending), which melodically dominates the entire “Prelude” and also recurs throughout the rest of the score in dozens of variations. Once you know what to look for, it’s actually hard to miss.

In accordance with Hitchcock's deliberate choice of black-and-white visuals, Herrmann decided to limit the instrumentation to string ensemble. Woodwinds, brass, and percussion are completely absent from the score. Even though special playing techniques like pizzicato or sul ponticello are missing in a piano-solo version, the limited range of timbres on a piano follows a similar direction. While several film music songbooks by Hal Leonard contain a certain piano arrangement, this “official” version is full of errors, such as dominant seventh chords instead of a double-diminished chords etc. Therefore I had to write my own arrangement. If anyone wants the sheet music, just let me know. I’m happy to share it. Enjoy!

Hi reddit. This is an arrangement of kingdom dance In musescore. I would love if you show support on YouTube.

Hello! I'm looking for an arrangement for my wedding entrance for quartet of Merry Go Round of Life by Joe Hisaishi. Does anyone know where I can find one?

Of course, link to full song in the comments:)

Looking for someone to help pay off debt and help me become more financially stable/literate. My dream it to own a community center and become a therapist/social worker. Looking for someone who’s a great communicator, likes dancing, walks, and cooking/ or food in general ! I enjoy music, dancing , taking walks, exploring cities, and watching movies