“PLAYING IN THE YARD”: THE APPLICATION OF THE ARRANGEMENT TECHNIQUES OF JOHN HOLLENBECK FOR ORCHESTRA

Abstract

       “Playing in the Yard” is an orchestral composition, which is a result of a process of studying the arrangement techniques of “All Can Work,” a composition for contemporary big bands, composed by John Hollenbeck. The objectives of this research are to 1. construct an orchestral work that applies jazz arrangement techniques and 2. to produce musical work that use knowledge of different types of music (crossover music). The musical arrangement of this study was subsequently presented at the 2023 Thailand International Jazz Conference, which was organized by the College of Music at Mahidol University in Thailand. It was also performed by the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) and the Pomelo Town, a well-known Thai jazz ensemble.

          The outcomes gained from the study of John Hollandbeck’s work and provided in this research includes 1. the use of rhythmic displacement for motivic developments, 2. the construction of independent melody lines in a climax section, 3. the employment of chromatic notes to construct chord progression, and 4. the building harmonies from the P4th and P5th intervals (quartal and quintal harmony). For those with an interest in orchestral arrangements, the research design of this study can provide yet another example which may differ from choosing to study music notation for classical music in general.