Arrangement

What it means

An arrangement is the adaptation of an already existing piece of music for a different combination of performers than the one it was originally written for. The melody, harmony, and usually the form of the original remain recognizable, while the instrumentation, number of parts, and details of the setting are newly designed.

An arrangement can shrink a piece, for example turning an orchestral work into a piano piece, or expand it, for example a solo song into one for choir and band, and adapt it to a different style, skill level, or purpose.

Musical use

Arrangements are common across nearly every area of music: in jazz, where an arranger gives a standard its own harmony, rhythm, and horn writing; in pop music, when a song is set for band, strings, or an a cappella ensemble; and in wind bands and choirs, where classical works are routinely adapted for whatever forces are on hand.

The practice has a long history: Bach arranged concertos by other composers for harpsichord, and many nineteenth-century orchestral works were quickly arranged for piano four hands so they could be played outside the concert hall as well.

An arrangement should be distinguished from a transcription, which transfers a work to another instrument as faithfully to the original as possible, and from orchestration, which specifically means distributing music across orchestral instruments. It differs from an original composition in that it builds on someone else's musical material, even though the arrangement itself can involve real creative work.

Performance practice

When learning an arrangement, compare it with the original where possible, to understand which elements were deliberately changed and why. Adapt your own playing style to the new scoring, since a piano piece arranged for string quartet demands different bowing and breathing than the original at the piano.