Here follows suggestions and tips that will help you determine the ideal programme for your Wedding day. A String Quartet can provide music for every stage of your Wedding.
First of all, we have the Brides breakfast. If you are hiring the services of a String quartet for the whole day, you may be able to arrange for one or two of the players to come along for this early stage of the wedding at reasonable extra cost. A single string instrument, such as the cello, can provide gentle background music with Schubert's Ave Maria or the solo suites by Bach. It is considered good form to invite the musicians to have a meal with your guests, especially if there is a long interval between wedding stages.
Next follows the Prelude. This is the stage when your guests arrive at the actual venue where the ceremony will take place. This is often a different venue from where the Brides breakfast and / or Reception takes place. You should allow enough time for the musicians to arrive at the wedding venue before your guests! By this stage, the full quartet (all 4 players) will need to be on site for the main part of the ceremony, so it makes sense to take advantage of their presence and ask them to play for the Prelude as well. The Pachelbel Canon is an ideal piece of music for this purpose. As this stage is probably the longest (with exception of the reception), the quartet will need to have a substantial repertoire of peaceful arrival music in order to avoid repitition. Selections such as the Flower Duet from Delibe's Lakme and The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens are perennial favourites. A good string quartet will be aware of these requirements, and should be able to assure you that their repertoire is varied, extensive and appropriate. Allow up to 30 minutes for this stage.
Now comes the big moment of your Wedding day, the Processional (walking down the aisle!) This is when you'll be very pleased that you hired a String Quartet. The actual music for the infamous 'Here comes the bride' is the Bridal Chorus by Richard Wagner. If your prospective ensemble doesn't know this piece (and it's proper title), walk away! They most likely will of course. If you have your heart set on something else, you must make sure that the quartet either already has it in their repertoire, or has the resources to acquire it. More obscure musical requests may need to be written specially for quartet. Arrangements of most show tunes etc. should be within the grasp of the quartet musicians themselves. You should however, expect to pay an additional fee for this service. A good arrangement takes time.
The Signing of the register is the next stage of the Wedding which requires music. The Andante Cantabile by Tchaikovsky or Alexander Borodin's Quartet no.2 are both very appropriate for this stage of the wedding, as they are relaxing and soothing pieces of music. Bach's Air on the G string is also wonderfully effective. This allows everyone in the room to have a bit of a breather and will help to release any tension in the room! You should ensure that the quartet you have hired has the entire selection prepared, and not just excerpts, again to avoid endless repetition of 'the famous bits'.
That's it, you've done it, you're married! All that's left for you to do is to walk back down the aisle, the Processional. Unless you have very strong feelings about an alternative piece of music, it is advisable to stick with the Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn. Everybody expects to hear it, it suits the occasion perfectly and is a fantastic piece of music perfectly matched to the sound of the String Quartet.
It's party time! The reception follows the processional, and often takes place at a different location from the wedding ceremony. In order to ensure that the musicians arrive before the guests, it is advisable that you allow them to leave the ceremony immediately following the conclusion of the processional. There is a huge amount of very good Quartet repertoire which is suitable for a Wedding reception. It would be possible to satisfy the needs of your reception with the music of Mozart alone! Of course, an experienced quartet should have a balanced repertoire. Even so, It is worth checking that the musicians have certain pieces in their arsenal. Make sure that they have on hand all the well-known baroque and classical masterpieces by Mozart, Haydn and Handel, some light music classics, jazz standards, show tunes and arrangements of other popular songs. You should expect to hear Ein Kleine Nachtmusic (a little night-music) by Mozart, Boccherini's Minuet and The ragtime music of Scott Joplin to name but a few.
About The Author
Warren Zielinski is a top Professional violinist and musician. As Chief co-creator of the comprehensive and useful musicians-anytime.co.uk website, Warren has an enviable reputation amongst live classical wedding music specialists in the UK and abroad. Musicians-anytime specialises in providing the best young professional string quartets and ensembles for all types of events, parties and ceremonies.
best value cleaning service Highland Park ..Your wedding day is the day when all the details... Read More
As you reach 30 and beyond, you encounter a very... Read More
With today's economy, and the layoffs occurring as a result... Read More
The wedding date and time has been set, the location... Read More
Here are five seeds of a great marriage from grandmother.... Read More
Your success in marriage depends largely upon having sound and... Read More
Mens diamond rings are becoming more and more popular with... Read More
Thousands of years ago, the Celts, a group of independent... Read More
Dear Friends of Marriage,There is a lot of talk on... Read More
Couples experiencing their first Costa Rica honeymoon vacations are never... Read More
He ? or she ? asked, and you answered in... Read More
Moissanite is fast becoming the new diamonds. The newest jewelry... Read More
"What am I supposed to have in my invitation?" This... Read More
You may not think of Las Vegas as an area... Read More
"Extreme age differences between husband and wife may lead to... Read More
Just like weddings, receptions are often theme based as well.... Read More
Your wedding is supposed to be the most important day... Read More
As a Personal Trainer for brides-to-be, I often get asked... Read More
Think creatively and add a personal touch to your special... Read More
One of the top priorities on a wedding day is... Read More
Wedding planning is a difficult task for everyone. Unless you... Read More
The enchanting Belize honeymoon resorts captivate every visitor through the... Read More
Wedding favors are a delightful detail for any wedding shower,... Read More
Movies, sitcoms and soapies made in the United States could... Read More
These days, many people take wedding bands and engagement rings... Read More
home cleaning services Mundelein ..The kind of bridesmaid dresses your bridal attendants should should... Read More
Marriage counseling is an investment of money, time, and energy... Read More
There is little doubt that planning a wedding can be... Read More
Weddings are made in heaven, they say, but they have... Read More
Often when you are looking for wedding vendors who suit... Read More
An ideal combination. A good career, a great husband and... Read More
Receiving wedding gifts is a whole lot more fun when... Read More
Once upon a time a caveman, while out for a... Read More
So you're toying with the idea of getting married? Maybe... Read More
Looking for beach theme wedding cake ideas?When it comes to... Read More
Many wives cheat on their husbands. This could be due... Read More
When people think about great love stories, more often than... Read More
After seeing each other for years and being tagged as... Read More
According to the Encarta Dictionary, love is an intense feeling... Read More
Taking the hassle out of finding your perfect and unique... Read More
A 2005 mother of bride dress tends to have a... Read More
When we want to be successful at something in life,... Read More
For better or worse, in people's minds weddings and wedding... Read More
Save the Date Cards are announcements that inform your guests... Read More
Wedding centerpieces help tie together the look of your entire... Read More
Rounding up the guys to devour some barbecued red meat... Read More
Exactly what should your disc jockey be doing in the... Read More
A wedding is one of the most special days planned... Read More
If you're like most people, you probably entered into marriage... Read More
Beth and Tom were happily married for over 25 years... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |