About
The Niece Preludes
My nieces grew up so quickly! Monica asked me to pull together some music involving other family members to share in her celebration. The idea of arranging something special for the occasion took on a life of its own. These arrangements with violin, cello, and piano (some with optional brass parts) are based on classical, holiday, sacred, and traditional genres, combining two to three themes within the same song. It is a joy to experience in the arrangement process that moment when two separate melodies that didn’t know each other come together and realize how wonderfully they work together. The ‘whole is greater than the sum of its parts’ - much like a marriage.
Listen to Mix
Kendra & Joey
The second movement of the New World Symphony caught my attention for Kendra’s wedding prelude as it just seemed fitting for the new young couple living in Iowa. Composed by Antonín Dvořák, only later did I find out that he completed it during his time in Iowa…
"...He began composing the New World Symphony in New York City but completed it during a summer excursion to Iowa, where there was a large Czech community. Thus, he got to experience a range of American vistas as he wrote, often inspired by America's wide-open spaces."
Mixing in the traditional NICAEA setting by John B Dykes augments the broad, wide-open plains feel to the piece, providing a blissful blend of melodies coming together, just like Kendra & Joey coming together. We were honored to be part of their celebration. I hope you enjoy it.
Sheet Music
Rosie & Alec
A Russian volcano erupted that spued ash over Alaska, cancelling half of the wedding guests’ flights into Sitka. Even with the wedding delayed into the evening, it was unknown if everyone was going to make it, but we did! It was breathtaking being nestled in between the broad ocean waters and evergreen snowcapped mountains. With remnants of an untamed frontier, dealing with nature in this fishing community seems to be a way of life here, and this wedding was no different.
The introduction of ‘For the Hand of Rose’ was composed with the intent to capture the excitement and anticipation of the ceremony. As the music starts, all that planning and preparation can fade away as the event is now here. The simplicity of asking for one’s hand in life is captured in the Celtic melody of ‘Tabhair Dom Do Lámh’ and a favorite of Rosie’s. Given our Irish heritage, the melody from ‘Red is the Rose’ added, and the song ends with all three melodies woven together.
As a carousel slowly begins to rotate and pick up speed making the ride more exciting, so does the song ‘The Rosewood Carousel Waltz’ as it accelerates in the beginning, creating the imagery of the wedding couple dancing as they begin their life together (maybe a bit too much, but it’s ok to indulge in romance). Blending ‘My Wild Irish Rose’ was an obvious choice, while the original composition of ‘Grains of Wood’ by my brother and his wife, Dan & Mary Beth, pulls it all together - of a couple working closely in harmony, like the grains of wood of a fishing boat (so Alaskan). The song slows to an end, as the evening wedding carousel comes to a close. Enjoy!
Sheet Music
Votum Vovit (organ version)
Latin for ‘Vow To’, this composition was first performed for my Mom & Dad’s 60th wedding anniversary and I was thrilled when Angela and Kendra wanted it for their recessionals. It was a joy to play again - Enjoy!
Angela & Bradley
With a Christmastime wedding and the family suffering from a recent loss, the imagery of angels smiling down and plucking their harps for them was an inspiration for the pizzicato in the beginning of ‘Angelic Joy’. Combined with ‘Angels, from the Realms of Glory’ and ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’, the union of these melodies seemed fitting for such a beautiful name - Angela.
We had an 8-track when I was a kid and I listened to Bach’s Sinfonia from his Christmas Oratorio every time it came around. I remember stopping to gaze out the window at the snow gently falling at night, made only visible by the streetlight. Intermixing ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ provides ‘Sinfonia Joy’ the pulse of a tender wedding prelude.
Our family has Irish heritage and Angela loved her time abroad in Scotland. She had some Celtic elements integrated into her wedding day and I wanted to augment that feeling through music. That inspired creating and weaving counter melodies into the traditional holiday Wexford melody, resulting in the ‘Wexford Wedding Carol’. Enjoy!
Sheet Music
Monica & Phil
Monica was the first niece to ask me to help pull some music together for family members to share in the celebration of her wedding day. Without Monica, there would not be ‘The Niece Preludes’, and I’m grateful to her for asking and giving me the joy of growing this collection.
Sheet Music
Hannah & Joey
Hannah shares a deep love of music and I thoroughly enjoy our composition discussions, finding her insights and feedback invaluable. So, I was delighted to arrange and perform ‘O Hannah Hannah’ for her wedding in Sitka, Alaska.
It combines meaningful elements together, including ‘Hannah’s Song’, written by her dad when she was born and the traditional Irish melody ‘Haste to a Wedding’ that I had played for her parent’s wedding.
With all that Celtic joy and excitement behind the song, it felt just right to throw in a snare drum and play it as a recessional.
Sheet Music
Maria & Max
Originally arranged and performed for Monica’s wedding, I am aligning this arrangement to my oldest niece who was married before ‘The Niece Preludes’ began (Monica - thank you for sharing with your sister!)
It seems so fitting in name and in spirit. With the combination of Schubert’s ‘Ave Maria’ and the hymn ‘Hail Holy Queen’, the song brings a sacred pulse to marriage and motherhood. It is wonderful to see Maria and the next generation naturally develop into their roles as husbands and wives, mothers and fathers.
Sheet Music
about the prelude musicians
I am fortunate to be born into a family that loves music. I’d like to thank the following family musicians for learning and performing these pieces with me. It is not just about the day, but about spending time with each other and making music together.
Tommy Palof - Cello (nephew)
Jim Palof - Violin (brother)
Rosie Palof - Violin (niece)
John Palof - Trumpet (brother)
George Palof - Snare Drum (son)
Beer Barrel Polka Trio
This ultimate wedding recessional (or processional into an evening of fun) is often played as part of the Wisconsin wedding fabric of life. This whimsical, simple arrangement makes me smile thinking of the spirited dancing by all ages.
This arrangement was done for two trombones and a baritone because we seem to have a plethora of people in our family that can play those instruments, but the download also includes the following instrumentation:
Part A) Trombone I, Bb Trumpet, Violin I
Part B) Trombone II, Bb Clarinet, Violin II
Part C) Baritone (B.C.), Cello
Sheet Music
