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.
pet-friendly home cleaners Morton Grove ..As Mark Twain said "Let us not be too particular;... Read More
Once you've mortgaged the rest of your life for the... Read More
Before George W Bush became a President, John Quincy Adams... Read More
"Presently, 40% of all first marriages in this country end... Read More
If you are in the process of design a wedding... Read More
Hiring music entertainment can arguably be the most important booking... Read More
"Presence is more than just being there," states Malcolm S.Forbes.... Read More
Many happy couples are turning their backs on the traditional... Read More
What should you "walk down the aisle" to? Should you... Read More
Remodels are tough on everyone. The house is out of... Read More
Because many men do not discuss feelings as easily as... Read More
Wedding favors have always been a nice, personal gesture to... Read More
One of the good things about Las Vegas Wedding Packages... Read More
Somewhere when you least expected, you find the person who... Read More
Despite all the fashionable theories of marriage, the narratives and... Read More
So you have been invited to a wedding. Whether you... Read More
Save the Date Cards are announcements that inform your guests... Read More
When it comes to placing your new diamond in a... Read More
Astrology is considered to be the oldest of all sciences,... Read More
Every couple wants wonderful photos of their wedding day that... Read More
Honeymoon is the most wonderful time of every couple's life.... Read More
Ben* has been happily married for 19 years. He recently... Read More
This is intended as a guide to help you plan... Read More
A woman once visited a counselor to ask a question... Read More
Diamond engagement rings for many years typically came in the... Read More
reliable maid service Lincolnshire ..Of all the things you need to do, buy and... Read More
Not so many years ago, the proposition of a wedding... Read More
The tempo of the music begins to rise. Drums begin... Read More
When it comes to response/RSVP cards, the goal is to... Read More
When we want to be successful at something in life,... Read More
Movies, sitcoms and soapies made in the United States could... Read More
Somewhere when you least expected, you find the person who... Read More
Not only do individuals who follow Time Magazine's "Eight Steps... Read More
Today Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel.com & Bookpleasures.com is pleased... Read More
You may not think of Las Vegas as an area... Read More
Despite all the fashionable theories of marriage, the narratives and... Read More
I am a woman, 42, who three years ago married... Read More
When two people - destined for each other, come together,... Read More
When it comes to consideration for the right wedding favor,... Read More
Your wedding rings were meant to last a lifetime. They... Read More
Weddings are momentous occasions to all people involved; especially the... Read More
One of the biggest on-going problems for couples is how... Read More
After choosing the design for your wedding invitations you can... Read More
Your wedding invitations are your announcement to family and friends... Read More
Celebrating under the attentive care of Bahamas honeymoon resorts, there... Read More
The most important part of planning a wedding is setting... Read More
Your groomsmen will be donating their time to your big... Read More
So many couples are planning to have their wedding at... Read More
The bridesmaid gift is essential to the planning of a... Read More
If you are considering a beach wedding, the ideas are... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |