"Tchaikocsky Suite" by James Barnes is taken from Tchaikovsky's "Album for the Young", op. 39 for piano solo. Every effort has been made by the arranger to make this setting sound as much as possible like the orchestral music of Tchaikovsky. Some careful revisions and tastefully stylistic additions were made in order to make this score more effective for lager ensemble as opposed to solo piano. This setting is carefully cross-cued for younger bands and for bands without full instrumentation.
The conductor should feel free to select from the movements of "Tchaikovsky Suite" according to taste, but it is suggested that these are the best options:
1. An experienced group should play the entire suite.
2. A younger, less experienced band might as well be off playing only the first four movements of the suite (ending with the Polka), since the Waltz is more challenging for the woodwinds than the remainder of the suite.Playing only the first four movements shortens the playing time to a little more than five minutes total.