The eMusicForAccordion.com site now has all the Anthony Galla-Rini ensemble / orchestra arrangements formersly published by Ars Nova and Music Graphics online. We are now in the process of loading the solo and duet Galla-Rini catalogs online. Also being loaded into the new site eMusicForAccordion.com is the extensive Gary Dahl catalog of arrangements.

The importance of this now available historic accordion catalog
by Prof. Joan Cochran Sommers

“ATG Musical Archives” in co-operation with eMusicForAccordion.com, is releasing internationally the historic catalog of  Ars Nova, Music Graphics and the famous arrangements of Anthony Galla-Rini and Donald Balestrieri.

I am so excited that eMusicForAccordion.com and the ATG have worked together to make it possible for accordionists all over the world to have access to all the arrangements made by Anthony Galla-Rini.   It is a remarkable collection of music for both smaller ensembles, the larger orchestras, and many solos, duets, trios, and other valuable musical material.  The new site allows you to purchase with credit card and immediately download the .pdf music file to your computer so no cost of postage and immediate delivery.

I enjoyed the unique situation of growing up at the time when much of this amazing catalog was being created.  I had begun studying with Anthony Galla-Rini as a young 14 year old.  Of course, my family lived in the state of Missouri while he lived mostly in California.  So I could not take a lesson every week like some students could.  I took class lessons, then private lessons, and always played in the various ensembles/orchestras which the school had. 

Galla-Rini would come to Kansas City every summer and usually stay for two weeks to give lessons, workshops, and direct the orchestras. He also served as an examiner for those students who were studying and using a Syllabus, patterned after the British College of Accordionists Syllabus.

I played in all the ensembles and in the visits Galla-Rini made to our school had an opportunity to rehearse here in Kansas City, then travel to Chicago where he would conduct one group or another in various concerts presented during the NAMM Convention, the American Accordionists Association Festivals, and the Workshops given by the Accordion Teachers Guild (which eventually changed its name to the Accordionists and Teachers Guild).  All of the accordion manufacturers or distributors also presented the professional accordion artists who played their instruments in solo concerts.

However, since our school had a rather large orchestra, Galla-Rini conducted our group on some of these concerts.  He would arrange some very difficult orchestral pieces for our group which he would conduct.  It was a terrific event for our group in which I served as Concert Master. There were also some smaller concerts sponsored by the ATG on which we played. Galla-Rini toured a few times in Europe so he would bring back various ensemble arrangements we also played. 

The first of the really important concerts on which our orchestra  performed with Galla-Rini was one in Chicago.  Our group opened the concert with his new accordion orchestra arrangement of the Finale to the Fourth Symphony by Tchaikowsky.  After that, Galla-Rini became quite well-known for his symphonic accordion orchestra arrangements.  The Finale to the Tchaikowsky Fourth Symphony became the one arrangement that every group in the country would try to play in all the various competitions. It became the first of many such truly outstanding arrangements we named “war horses” because of their technical demands.  Alongside these difficult arrangements which required groups with many members, he also made numerous arrangements for smaller groups.

Many of these arrangements were used throughout the many years when the competitions were huge events, attracting all levels of accordion orchestras from throughout the USA and even a few from Canada.  Galla-Rini arrangements became the standard by which all other arrangements were judged!  Even today the ones requiring fewer players are being performed.

A few of the other outstanding arrangements which (all now available for purchase online on eMusicForAccordion.com) have been performed quite regularly are: An American in Paris (Gershwin), Dance of the Clowns (Rimsky-Korsakov, Dance of the Comedians (Smetana), Tema Russo and the Waltz from Serenade for Strings (Tschaikowsky), Perpetual Motion (Strauss), Ballet and Chorus from Aida (Verdi), Mississippi Suite (Grofé), The Moldau (Smetana), Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (Liszt), and Danse (Debussy), Ritual Fire Dance (de Falla), Bolero (Ravel), Finlandia (Sibelius),Omaggio a Pietro (Deiro/Frosini/Galla-Rini), Ratcliff’s Dream (Mascagni), Epilogue from The Comedians (Kabalevsky), Galop (Bizet),  and Lesginka (Khachaturian).  These are the titles of a few outstanding orchestra arrangements!

Galla-Rini also made some fantastic solos and duets for his own students to play, especially appropriate for contest performances.  They are just too numerous to list here. 

The reason that all of the Galla-Rini materials are not well-known around the world is because the computer was not available; there was no internet.  And because of the expenses involved for a solo artist like Anthony Galla-Rini to tour outside of the USA, people in other countries did not know of him and his voluminous numbers of all kinds of arrangements from the very easiest to the most difficult.  Once this repertoire begins showing up in other countries outside the USA, many teachers will begin using everything.

Galla-Rini was a great musician.  He did not make mistakes in his arrangements, which spanned a long period of time.  If there were cuts made because of time limits on the player, one could be sure that any cuts made by Galla-Rini were musically correct or they would not be there!  We must remember, too, that he is of a generation which did not use Free Bass for the Left Hand; that is why one will see many different registers shown.  Galla-Rini wanted everything he did to be in the proper range and true to the composers’ wishes.

I believe this very generous gift of the Galla-Rini Catalog of his arrangements in cooperation with Donald Balestrieri who published so much of Galla-Rini’s work, to the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, after discussion with its past President, Mary Ann Covone, and with further cooperation of eMusicForAccordion.com, plus work of scanning all the music by current ATG President, Kenn Baert and Susan Baert, many teachers and their students will benefit greatly now with this catalog available.  There are innumerable gems available for anyone all over the world.  It is very exciting for me, as one of Anthony Galla-Rini’s students and a long-time friend to have this valuable music finally available to the world. eMusicForAccordion.com

Thank you, everyone, for all the necessary work to bring this project to fruition!  It is none too soon and it will benefit all accordionists.

Most sincerely,
Joan Cochran Sommers
Professor Emerita, University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music
913-7225625  Land phone
913-269-7723  Cell phone